South Bayfront Bridge/Horton Landing Park

Construction Update | FAQ's | Project Documents
Bridge History | Project Team | Construction Contract Cost | Bridge Fabrication Details | Bridge Lift | COVID-19 | Park Improvements

The South Bayfront Pedestrian Bicycle Bridge and Horton Landing Park were opened to the Public December 3, 2021.

The South Bayfront Pedestrian Bicycle Bridge is within Horton Landing Park which is a new segment of the Emeryville Greenway.  The project provides a new route across the railroad tracks providing convenient access from central Emeryville to the Bay Street Center and other businesses west of the railroad. The project improves access to the Bay Trail to the west. The project includes ramps and stairs connecting the bridge to paths to existing or proposed projects. On the west side, it will connect to Ohlone Way and the Bay Street parking garage. On the east side, it connects to the Horton Landing Park.

The main span consists of an steel S-curved deck across the railroad tracks, about 230 feet long, supported at its ends by reinforced concrete bents and keep the span elevated over the railroad yard ground. The span is supported between the bents by a straight bowstring truss/arch that extends diagonally across the deck frame.  The truss/arch consists of a pair of steel tubes, from which cables connect it to the deck framing.  A concrete slab traveled way, with fencing and lighting, is attached to the steel deck framing providing the path between Horton Street and Ohlone Way.

The project received funding support from the Alameda County Transportation Commission’s Measure B program as well as from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Transportation Fund for Clean Air.  The City is grateful for this support.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

South Bayfront Bridge Opens in new window[CLICK TO ENLARGE]

The project was substantially complete in mid November 2021 and was opened to the Public on December 3, 2021.  Physical construction work commenced on January 6, 2020.  An exciting moment of construction was the placement of the arch span over the Union Pacific Railroad yard.  Over the December 18-20, 2020 weekend, the structural frame of the bridge was lifted into place. Here is a time lapse video of the move:

https://youtu.be/lwxFaJ8xZn4

FAQ's

Bridge History

  • The Bridge has been in the Emeryville General Plan since the 1980’s with the plan to provide a safe pedestrian-bicycle connection linking the east and west sides of the City over the railroad tracks.
  • Project Development started in 2002 as the Emeryville Redevelopment Agency Project
  • Environmental Review in 2008
  • Engineering Design started in 2009
  • Project halted with the California Deauthorization of Redevelopment Agencies
  • City sued California for project funds -$12,000,000; returned in 2014
  • Project reactivated in 2015
  • Right of Way negotiations completed in early 2019
  • Contractor Pre-Qualification Process in early 2018
  • Construction Contract bid and awarded in mid 2019
  • Construction commenced in January 2020 and was completed in the Fall 2021

Project Team

Bridge DesignerBiggs Cardosa Associates, Inc.
Civil EngineerHNTB
Landscape ArchitectCallander & Associates
Construction ManagerMNS Engineers, Inc.
ContractorGhilotti Construction, Inc.

Construction Contract Cost

$21.4 Million

Bridge Fabrication Details

  • The signature feature of the project, the arch span, is comprised of materials and components fabricated in three continents and 6 states.
  • Cables were fabricated in Switzerland and cable sockets were fabricated in Houston, Texas. The cables were fully assembled in Montreal, Canada.
  • Bridge fabrication was performed in Arizona and initial assembly completed there at the end of October, 2020.
  • The bridge deck and arch components were shipped by truck to Horton Landing Park in early November, 2020.
  • Assembly of the bridge arch structure was completed in mid-December 2020. Deck and arch components were welded and bolted together, and temporary towers were used to ensure the appropriate geometries to conform to the design.

Bridge Lift

Due to constraints of working over an active railway corridor the bridge was assembled outside of the Union Pacific Right of Way and lifted into place over the tracks. The bridge lift is a delicate operation and requires significant preparation to prepare and perform the lift. Operation to complete this activity culminated in a 3-day continuous effort working 24 hours a day to ensure a safe and efficient operation with minimal impact to train operations.

The bridge lift required months of preparation:

  • Realignment of some utilities and site preparation were initially performed.
  • Construction of bridge abutments on both the east and west sides, including driven piles to support the structure, were installed.
  • Preparation for the lift required placement of crane mats and steel plates to support the cranes and provide an even surface for the cranes to travel on to move the bridge.
  • Erection of the cranes and balancing of the bridge load was performed.
  • UPRR restricted train traffic for an approximate 4-hour window on the night of Saturday, December 19 to allow the construction team access to the railroad right of way.
  • The bridge was lifted and moved into place during the first 1.5 hours of the window and structurally secured immediately thereafter with crane support. The cranes and cranes mats and plates were then removed from the UPRR track area, and train traffic was restored to service prior to early morning on Sunday, December 20. 2020

COVID-19

This project occurred through the COVID-19 Pandemic shelter-in-place orders. The City and the Contractor worked together to conform to the latest Health Orders issued by Alameda County and the State of California to minimize infection risks to workers, residents, and the general public.

The pandemic has impacted the project in supply chain delays. The contractor and the City have worked together to minimize delays through schedule and sequence of work modifications.

Park Improvements

The new Horton Landing Park is a new addition to the Emeryville Greenway. Pathways in the park will connect the bridge to Horton Street at two locations: south of 53rd St and near Stanford Ave. The Greenway within Horton Landing Park will connect to a future greenway segment will be built as part of “The Emery” multifamily home site at the former Sherwin Williams Paint site.  The Emery is being built by Lennar Multifamily Corporation, associated with Lennar Homes and will extend southward to Sherwin near Halleck Street.

Horton Landing Park Opens in new window[CLICK TO ENLARGE]

On behalf of the City Council, City Manager and City Staff, we wish to acknowledge and thank the community of Emeryville for your support and accommodation of this complex construction. The support and partnership of BayStreet (Center Cal, Bay Street Partners, and Madison-Marquette) and BioMed Realty, and Grifols have been key to accommodating access to perform the work necessary to deliver this project. IKEA also provided support allowing secondary access to the West side of the project.  Thanks to the dozens of technical and construction consultants who have worked for years to design and bring to life this signature structure in Emeryville. 


PROJECT DOCUMENTS