Council authorizes construction package for Glende Jimpiro bridge project; staff warn of funding limits and five-year timeline

The council voted to authorize the city to advertise, award a construction contract and execute associated agreements for the Glende Jimpiro bridge rehabilitation project (project no. 050173), after hearing engineering staff describe scope, budget and financing constraints.

Project presenters said the bridge — originally built in 1929 and characterized as a historic structure — will be rebuilt as a multimodal corridor with seismic improvements, separate bicycle lanes and preserved historic elements. City staff estimated a base construction cost near $208 million and said contingency and engineering allowances bring the program estimate to about $250 million.

Engineering staff warned of three principal funding risks: limits on federal Highway Bridge Program (HBP) reimbursements, a Caltrans reimbursement cap (staff said Caltrans has limited quarterly reimbursements to about $20 million), and a requirement that local funds be committed to maintain cash flow during construction. "The project will require a local commitment and a cash-flow plan so it can continue while reimbursements are processed," the project engineer told the council.

Staff said the construction schedule is expected to span about five years if lanes remain open during work; closing the bridge for periods could shorten that timeline but would require traffic and detour analysis. They also described a tentative repayment and project-payback timeline that could extend into the early 2030s, contingent on reimbursement schedules and local funding mechanisms.

Council members pressed staff on contingency planning, contractor bid guarantees and whether phasing or lane closures could shorten construction time. Staff said they will continue to refine financing options with the city manager and the chief financial officer and recommended delegating authority to the city to execute the agreements and make technical adjustments as needed.

The motion to approve the authorization and related agreements passed with two recorded yes votes; one councilmember was absent. The council’s action authorized advertisement of the contract, delegation to execute agreements and limited delegation of technical contract adjustments to staff.