California 10, May 7, 2023

AGC of California Honors Pair of Winning Projects

The AGC of California recently recognized numerous construction companies at its Installation & Awards Gala for projects that have been completed throughout the state.

AGC of California’s Constructor Awards program recognizes members' achievements for their skill, unique undertakings and ability to address the most difficult challenges contractors encounter during project development.

Granite photo

The Cosumnes Bridge project was beset by schedule obstacles, from seasonal flooding and steelhead work windows to expedited permitting and right of way acquisition. AGC

California photo

Built for the city of Palo Alto, the Highway 101 multi-use path overcrossing at Adobe Creek project dramatically improved area safety and connectivity by replacing the Benjamin Lefkowitz underpass. see

Caltrans Breaks Ground On Bridge, Unveils New Signs

Caltrans recently unveiled new “Rebuilding CA” highway signs that will highlight the record levels of state and federal infrastructure funding being put to work on projects statewide to create a safer, more sustainable and more resilient transportation system.

The sign unveiling took place as Caltrans and local partners broke ground on a $36.8 million project to replace three aging bridges on State Route 99 in Madera County made possible by $26 million in funding from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021 and $10 million from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.

“With unprecedented infrastructure investments at the state and federal level — along with the necessary policy alignment — California is making once-in-a-generation upgrades to our transportation system up and down our state,” said California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin. “These new signs, starting with this important project in Madera County, will serve as reminders that we’re Rebuilding California for a safer, cleaner, more equitable and more prosperous future for all Californians.”

“President Biden signing the federal infrastructure funding law ushered in a new era of transformative investments for transportation projects across the country, and this critical project is just one example of the impact it is having in California,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares.

The IIJA, also known as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” is a once-in-a-generation investment in the nation's infrastructure and competitiveness. California receives federal infrastructure funding based on formula and competitive grants. Based on formula funding alone, the IIJA will bring California an estimated $41.9 billion over five years.

This is the first major update to California’s highway con-

struction signs in six years and there are no additional costs associated with the new signs. Caltrans will not replace current construction signs and will only install the new signs on future projects, maintaining a common element in the state’s highway work zones.

Since November 2021, California has received nearly $19 billion in federal infrastructure funding. That includes $14.8 billion in federal transportation funding to upgrade the state’s roads, bridges, rail, public transit, airports, electric vehicle charging network, ports and waterways. These transportation investments alone have already created more than 42,000 jobs.

The influx of federal funding is on top of California’s multiyear infrastructure investments in transit and intercity rail projects, safe walking and biking options and upgrades to the state’s economy-powering supply chain, in addition to SB 1, which provides $5 billion in transportation funding annually that is shared equally between state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly based on the availability of SB 1 funds, including projects that are partially funded by SB 1.

To provide Californians with the latest news and information on state and federal infrastructure investments, Caltrans expanded RebuildingCA.ca.gov — the website tracking the progress of SB 1 — to contain data on the increased federal funding. Website visitors can learn more about the different federal infrastructure programs, track the amount of funding California is receiving and find projects on an updated interactive map. 

(All photos courtesy of Caltrans.)

Gov. Newsom Invests $680M for Transportation Projects

Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced an award of more than $690 million to 28 new public transportation projects in disadvantaged communities to close out the first wave of a historic infusion of state funding to expand transit and passenger rail service throughout the state, helping to cut planetwarming pollution.

“California is making a multiyear, multibillion-dollar investment to transform and modernize our transportation infrastructure, creating jobs, alternatives to driving and reducing pollution,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom. “Our state is placing a high priority on investing in public transportation projects that aim to shift away from fossil fuels while making public travel more rider friendly. Today’s announcement not only provides better travel alternatives but also helps to speed up our transition to a cleaner, healthier transportation future for all Californians.”

The funding announcement is part of a larger, multiyear, multibillion-dollar investment to upgrade the state’s transit system to support equity, enhance mobility options, improve service and reduce overdependence on driving. The grants, which are adminis-

tered by the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) as part of the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP), follow $2.54 billion in January for a total state investment of more than $3.2 billion in public transportation in just the first four months of 2023.

“California under Governor Newsom’s leadership continues to make historic investments to expand and improve access to public transportation for the people of California,” said Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin. “These investments will help kick-start new transit projects, create thousands of jobs and put our state in a stronger position to compete for significant federal infrastructure funding to deliver even more mobility, safety, environmental and equity benefits.”

With a total budget of more than $2.63 billion consisting of federal, state and local funding, the 28 projects will directly benefit disadvantaged communities and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 2 million metric tons — the equivalent of taking more than 445,000 gas-powered cars off the road.

“Building a resilient and sustainable future for all is possible when we coordinate transit and housing investments,” said Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramírez. “These funding awards help expand the availability of transit options near housing, and especially affordable housing, and provide people the freedom to more easily access jobs, health care, schools and ultimately create greater economic opportunity.”

Projects receiving funding come from all regions of the state — from Humboldt, Sacramento, Santa Cruz and various Bay Area counties in the north to Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties in the south — and will result in the purchase of 277 new zero-emission vehicles statewide and the development of several high-priority mobility hubs and rail projects.

Projects receiving funding include:

• $100 million for North County Transit District, in coordination with the San Diego Association of Governments, to deliver the San Dieguito Bridge Replacement, Double Track and Special Events Platform Project. This will replace a substandard wooden tres-

tle bridge and construct more than 1 mi. of double-track railroad to alleviate a key bottleneck in the LOSSAN corridor, allowing for the capacity to run an additional 10 Pacific Surfliner trains, eight commuter trains and seven freight trains;

• More than $42 million for Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority with several partner agencies to construct a regional mobility bus and mobility hub at the Sacramento Valley Station and install contactless fare payment readers on multiple regional bus systems. Also includes project development for the Hercules station, Sacramento to Roseville service expansion and the Link21 Megaregional Rail Program;

• More than $38.5 million for Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District’s Zero Emission Intercity Transit and Service Expansion Project, which will purchase 24 zero-emission buses to expand service frequency on the heavily traversed Highway 1 and Highway 17 corridors while also redeveloping the Watsonville Transit Station and Pacific Station to include more than 180 mixed-use, affordable housing units. 

Six state and local officials dig dirt with ceremonial shovels behind the new “California 99” State Highway Route sign.

Caltrans Director Tony Tavares (L) and California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin unveil a project sign with the new Rebuilding California logo on it.

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Granite Wins Two Awards for Heavy Civil Job, Partnering

PROJECTS from page 1

Watsonville-based Granite Construction took home two honors: Heavy Civil $15 Million & Under for its work on the Highway 101 Multi-Use Path Overcrossing at Adobe Creek and the Excellence in Partnering Award for its work on the State Route 99 Cosumnes Bridge Replacement Project.

Cosumnes Bridge

Located in Sacramento County near Elk Grove, the original Cosumnes River Bridge was built in the 1950s and had seen considerable wear over time, with structural and seismic deficiencies and critical scour conditions. The project included the removal of four river bridges and two railroad bridges and the construction of three replacement bridges, with 2 mi. of associated roadway improvements to carry State Route (SR) 99 traffic over the critical north/south Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) track and Cosumnes River floodplain. The final product resulted in improved overall safety with wider, design-compliant shoulder widths on the new structures.

Communication, coordination and collaboration were the keys to overcoming project challenges, with the CMGC partnering process facilitating quick, efficient and collaborative problem-solving.

“Being trusted with a complex project such as this is a testament to our organization as a whole,” said Granite Area Manager Mike Wills. “By imagining what is possible and adopting a ‘Yes, if…’ philosophy throughout the project, we were successful and achieved excellence in the result.”

“The foundation of the project’s success was our focus and commitment to excellent partnering with the project’s many stakeholders, especially Caltrans, UPRR and CDFW,” Granite said in a statement. “Additionally, the project team successfully cut two years from the original schedule and realized $30 million in savings.

Cutting two years from the original schedule and netting more than $30 million in savings was only achievable through extreme partnering on the SR 99 Cosumnes River Bridge Replacement project. As the first CM/GC project for Caltrans District 3, it offers a prime example of what is possible when teams come together and partner with a true “pro-

ject-first” mentality.

The project was beset by schedule obstacles, from seasonal flooding and steelhead work windows to expedited permitting and right of way acquisition.

Granite’s Senior Project Manager George Delano shared more details on the equipment entailed for a project of this caliber.

“The bridge over the UPRR tracks is on a large skew and the single span bridge resembles a tunnel with 400-foot-long abutments,” he said. “With no ability to cross the tracks and the need for big picks on the heavily reinforced 35-foot-tall abutments, twin 300-ton crawler cranes [were] used to service both sides of the tracks."

Precast girders weighing 83 tons each were set by Maxim Crane with a Manitowoc MLC300 crawler crane. Some of the picks required two cranes and the on-site 300-ton crawler acted as the second crane, saving the project the mobilization of another crane.

“With potential caving conditions in the floodplain, Malcolm Drilling [used] full-length oscillated temporary casing to protect the integrity of the CIDH piling and avoid the time and cost impacts of potential repairs,” Delano said.

“The entire company congratulates our award-winning project teams,” said Kyle Larkin, Granite president and CEO. “They truly lived up to our core value of Excellence, and we are proud that their efforts have been recognized by AGC of California.”

Highway 101 Overpass

Granite Construction was contracted to deliver the new Highway 101 MultiUse Path Overcrossing at Adobe Creek. Built for the city of Palo Alto, the Highway 101 Multi-Use Path Overcrossing at Adobe Creek project dramatically improved area safety and connectivity by replacing the Benjamin Lefkowitz underpass.

The project comprised four primary elements: the principal span structure, west approach structure, east approach structure and Adobe Creek bridge. To improve end-user satisfaction, Granite incorporated enhanced architectural features such as architectural railings, enhanced lighting and a viewing overlook on the eastern approach.

Working around the Adobe Creek and adjacent Baylands,

Malcom Drilling photo Communication, coordination and collaboration were keys to overcoming project challenges, with the CM/GC partnering process facilitating quick, efficient and collaborative problem solving.

Granite photo

The Highway 101 Overpass Project consisted of four primary elements: the principal span structure, west approach structure, east approach structure and Adobe Creek bridge.

Granite photo

Granite incorporated enhanced architectural features such as architectural railings, enhanced lighting and a viewing overlook on the eastern approach.

AGC of California photo

The project included the removal of four river bridges and two railroad bridges and the construction of three replacement bridges, with 2 mi. of associated roadway improvements to carry State Route (SR) 99 traffic over the critical north/south Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) track and Cosumnes River floodplain.

Cosumnes Bridge Project, Highway 101 Earn Award Honors

Granite was sensitive to numerous environmental constraints. Crews safely worked over this busy section of Highway 101 to erect the steel trusses, which required significant nighttime closures. The team proactively collaborated with stakeholders to deliver a highly successful project.

The new overpass safely links local neighborhoods and businesses with recreational opportunities. It also improves regional connectivity to the rest of Silicon Valley with a Class I trail connection to the San Francisco Bay Trail. It also serves as an accessible alternative to the existing Americans with Disabilities Act non-compliant overpass about one mile north of the new bridge.

“Proactive collaboration with our stakeholders and the community minimized impacts and maintained safety on this project,” said Granite Construction Manager Steve Kaesler. “It’s always nice to see a completed project add connectivity and safety to a community.”

“Every year, AGC of California celebrates the construction industry's innovators who are leading the way in building our state," said Dina Kimble, 2022-2023 AGC of California State Board president. Kimble, president and chief executive officer of Royal Electric Company, was elected to serve her second term as president of AGC of California's State Board. "This year, we recognize a diverse group of people and projects that represent how many facets of California life construction affects,” she said.

“This year’s award recipients represent the diverse ways that people and the projects they build contribute to our communities,” said Peter Tateishi, chief executive officer of AGC of California. “Each of our winners reflects the ingenuity and originality that the construction industry needs to build a brighter future for the state of California.” 

Granite photo

Watsonville-based Granite Construction took home two honors at the AGC of California’s Installation and Awards Gala. It won in the category of Heavy Civil $15 Million & Under for its work on the Highway 101 Multi-Use Path Overcrossing at Adobe Creek and the Excellence in Partnering Award for its work on the State Route 99 Cosumnes Bridge Replacement Project.

CTC Invests More Than Billion Dollars On Infrastructure

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) recently allocated more than $1.1 billion for projects to repair and improve transportation infrastructure throughout the state. The allocation includes more than $533 million in funding from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) and more than $190 million in funding from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.

District 1: Eureka

• Approximately $19.8 million, including more than $17.5 million in federal IIJA funding, toward pavement, guardrail and roadway improvements along Route 1 from Westport at Rockport Street to U.S. 101 near Leggett in Mendocino County;

• Approximately $13.6 million, including more than $12 million in federal IIJA funding, toward improvements at Elk Creek Bridge No. 10-0120 on Route 1 near Fort Bragg in Mendocino County;

• Approximately $6.3 million in support of allocations toward the construction of retaining walls and roadway and drainage improvements on Route 1 south of Pacific Avenue near Westport in Mendocino County;

• Approximately $9.9 million in support of allocations toward improvements at Eureka Slough Bridge No. 04-0022L/R on U.S. 101 in Humboldt County;

• Approximately $7.8 million in support of emergency allocations toward bridge repairs at Fernbridge No. 04-0134 on Route 211 in Humboldt County following the Dec. 20, 2022 earthquake.

District 2: Redding

• Dunsmuir GAP Project (In and near Dunsmuir and Mt. Shasta, from Sacramento River Bridge Overhead to Black Butte Overhead in Siskiyou County): Rehabilitate roadway by replacing existing concrete and asphalt pavement with concrete, construct rumble strips, replace signs, rehabilitate culverts and upgrade guardrail, bridge railing and TMS elements. This project will improve safety and ride quality. This project includes $134.1 million in IIJA funding;

• Sac River BOH Deck Replacement Project (In Dunsmuir, from Central Dunsmuir Undercrossing to north of Siskiyou Avenue at Sacramento River Bridge and Overhead No. 02-0002 in Siskiyou County): Replace southbound bridge deck. This project includes $17.6 million in IIJA funding.

District 3: Marysville/Sacramento

• Interstate 5 in Sacramento County: $33.6 million, which includes $30.8 million

in federal IIJA funding, to construct acceleration and deceleration merge lanes and Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) infrastructure from the Arena Boulevard interchange to 0.4 mi. south of Yolo County line;

• State Route 32 west of Chico: $19.9 million, which includes $17.9 million in federal IIJA funding, to install lighting, widen shoulders, upgrade approaches to bridges and rehabilitate culverts from Gianella Road to Muir Avenue;

• City of Chico: $6.2 million in federal IIJA funding for the Esplanade Corridor Safety and Accessibility Improvement Project. The project calls for installing a multi-use pathway, 12,400 ft. of Class III bike lanes, 3,200 ft. of new sidewalk, new bike boxes, lighting at intersec tions, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ramp improvements, countdown pedes trian crossing signals, refuge islands, a new traffic signal and lighting.

District 4: Bay Area/Oakland

• A total of $29.3 million alloca tion ($25.9 million federal) to extend pave ment service life and improve ride quality for State Route 82 in Mountain View, Los Altos and Palo Alto;

• A total of $15.8 million allocation ($13 million federal) for State Route 121 near Schellville at the intersection of 121 and 116;

• A total of $5 million allocation for the city of South San Francisco on U.S. 101 to reconstruct and reconfigure the existing interchange.

District 5: San Luis Obispo/ Santa Barbara

• A total of $10.3 million to rehabili tate pavement, replace roadside signs and sign panels, install Transportation Management System (TMS) elements and upgrade facilities to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards on State Route 46 from U.S. 101 to east of Airport Road in Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County;

• A total of $1 million for various emergency projects on State Route 1 in Monterey County near Lucia, north of Big Creek Bridge and south of Soledad Drive. Rains in early Nov. 2022 caused system damage at these three locations. At the first location, a rockfall catchment filled up with rock and needed to be cleaned out. At the second location, a rockfall barrier also filled and

damaged the barrier. At the third location, a sinkhole was discovered requiring repairs. Roadwork also will include cleaning out the rockfall catchment, repairing the rockfall barrier and lining the perforated culverts.

District 6: Fresno/Bakersfield

• Roadway Rehabilitation Project in Fresno County: This project will rehabilitate roadway, repair and replace culverts, construct pumping plants and remove or replace bridges on State Route

State Route 40 near Barstow in San Bernardino County.

District 9: Bishop

• The Conway Ranch Shoulder project, just north of Lee Vining at State Route 167 to 0.4 miles north of Conway Ranch Road, has been allocated an additional $2.2 million to widen shoulders, install shoulder rumble strip, correct a compound curve and improve a chain control area.

District 10: Stockton

A project at various locations on State Routes 59, 140 and 152 in Merced County that will seismically retrofit and upgrade the bridge rails of seven bridges and apply polyester concrete overlay on one bridge and architectural treatment on another received $16.6 million, including $14.75

A pavement rehabilitation project on State Route 140 from 1.7 mi. east of Catheys Valley Park to the north State Route 49 junction in Mariposa County received $18.8 million, including $16.6 million in IIJA funds. The project will extend the service life of the highway and improve ride quality. Work also includes upgrading guardrail, rumble strips, drainage systems and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

District 11: San Diego

$36.2 million to the San Diego Association of Governments for Del Mar Bluffs Phase 5. Stabilization efforts planned include installation of piles, lagging and retaining walls, drainage improvements and piped outlets to the beach and other stabilization and erosion control measures on the upper bluffs;

IIJA allocation: $21 million.

District 7: Los Angeles

• A total of $8.9 million to upgrade curb ramps, pedestrian signals, crosswalks, sidewalks and pathways on State Route 164 (SR 164) in South El Monte, El Monte, Rosemead and Temple City. ($7.9 million from IIJA).

District 8: Riverside/San Bernardino

• A total of $11.5 million to regrade median cross slopes to improve safety at

•A total of $1.7 million on State Route 67 near Lakeside and Eucalyptus Hills to rehabilitate culverts, upgrade lighting, enhance highway worker safety and upgrade facilities to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.

District 12: Orange County

• A total of $2.25 million for a project on Interstate 5 (I-5) in and near Irvine, from I-405 to Yale Avenue, to rehabilitate roadway and drainage systems, enhance highway worker safety, replace roadside sign panels and construct stormwater treatment Best Management Practices. 

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AGC CEF Grant Will Engage Next Generation of Construction

The Associated General Contractors of California (AGC of California) recently announced the AGC Construction Education Foundation’s (AGC CEF) workforce development program Build California received a $500,000 Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship (ERiCA) Grant for outreach and community building from the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). AGC CEF is a 501(c)3 nonprofit benefit corporation dedicated to inspiring, developing and equipping California’s current and future construction workforce.

The grant is the largest ever received by AGC CEF and/or Build California, a comprehensive workforce development initiative created to inspire, engage and activate the next generation of California’s construction workforce by shaping positive perceptions of the construction industry, informing young people and their influencers about the real career opportunities in construction and connecting them to local pre- apprenticeship, apprenticeship and other training programs.

Build California’s comprehensive outreach and community building program

addresses perpetuated societal misconceptions about the construction industry’s wageearning potential, safety and job variety and promotes access and positive exposure to girls/women, nonbinary people, former foster youth and other underserved populations between the ages of 12-24. With a modern and popular “lifestyle brand” marketing, social and digital media forward approach coupled with career counseling support those who decide to pursue and apply for apprenticeship/pre-apprenticeship programs, Build California provides a sustainable and stable construction career pathway to millions of Golden State residents. In 2022 alone, the program reached over 28 million people through innovative social and digital media messaging and ads, school presentations, job/career fairs and other event activations.

“Build California plays a crucial role in building the California construction industry’s workforce pipeline to attract the next generation of construction workers,” said Peter Tateishi, chief executive officer of AGC of California. “Build California opens the door to present construction as a career of first choice.” 

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