Rocklin gets 'mail-order bridge' to cross Antelope Creek

To save time and money, the City of Rocklin bought a 170-foot "mail-order bridge" last month. The city last summer approved a five-year capital improvement program, which included the $1.7 million Johnson-Springview Connector Pedestrian Bridge project. The steel truss bridge will create a safe and reliable pedestrian crossing over Antelope Creek. The span will connect Johnson-Springview Community Park with the greater trail system of the Sunset-Whitney Recreation Area, the former golf course. Mayor David Bass pointed out the bridge will create a safer route for students and families at nearby Springview Middle School and Parker Whitney Elementary. The city approved using $1.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA funds in 2024 to purchase and install the 10-foot-wide footbridge. The council voted unanimously Feb. 10 to buy a $414,000 prefabricated bridge from Contech Engineering Solutions of Roseville. Rocklin officials hope to have the bridge up by the end of the year before the rainy season. Under mitigated environmental review, the project requires a streambed alteration agreement with the state Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, staff said. Public comment on the document closed March 9, considered a milestone in the environmental process. "Project design is expected to be 100-percent complete by the end of spring," said David Mohlenbrok, Rocklin Community Development Director, in his council report. The build is anticipated to go out to bid in early summer with construction planned for the fall. The prefab bridge will be roughly 170 feet of three spliced sections, each about 40 to 60 feet long, staff said. Fabrication off site will take up to nine months to complete, then delivered to Rocklin in sections and placed on abutments already built. Due to the extensive lead time, staff urged the city to buy the bridge separately from the construction project. That allows the city to complete site design, environmental permits and other red tape under schedule. Staff said Contech is an established industry leader in prefab bridges with advanced American Institute of Steel Construction bridge accreditation. The total cost of the bridge is $414,628.50. Rocklin law allows the council to waive competitive bidding if a majority finds it's in the city's best interest. "Purchasing the bridge directly from Contech will ensure the bridge, when received, can be assembled and connected to the abutments properly as designed," said Mohlenbrok.