One of the more complex projects facing SBCTA in the coming years is the demolition and construction of the Mt. Vernon Viaduct (Bridge) spanning between 2nd and 5th Streets in western San Bernardino. The current structure that traverses over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Rail Yard is more than 80 years old and more than 1,000 feet in length.
Working with the City of San Bernardino, SBCTA is looking to replace the bridge, add turn pockets and sidewalks, address local circulation issues on either end of the bridge, and construct an intermodal facility in the City of San Bernardino – all while maintaining the historic look and feel of this long-standing monument in the city. In order to make all the standard improvements, however, some modifications to the BNSF yard will be necessary and crews will have to navigate around an ever-growing freight schedule that moves good to and from the rest of the nation.
On Wednesday, the Board of Directors authorized the release of the Final Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Mt. Vernon Viaduct Design-Build Contract. The anticipated schedule for the project includes receipt of final proposals in July, followed by evaluation of those proposals and selection of a team based on the highest score. Scoring is based on a best value scoring, which includes both price and technical strength. Staff anticipates requesting the Board’s approval of a contract this fall. Following award of this contract, demolition of the existing bridge is anticipated in early 2020, followed by utility relocations, site work, and construction of a new bridge by 2023. The total project cost is around $200 million, which is funded primarily by Federal Highway Bridge Program (HBP) funds and a $29.5 million contribution by BNSF. Per SBCTA’s cooperative agreement with the City, any balance of costs will be covered by the City. It is anticipated that the Design-Build contract will be roughly one-third of the total project cost, with the other costs covering preliminary design and environmental, right-of-way, legal services, project and construction management, and financing.