San Ramon council to consider bridge type for Iron Horse Trail overcrossing

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Rendering of the eastbound view of the tied-arch design option in gray for the Iron Horse Trail overcrossing. (Image courtesy City of San Ramon)

With construction underway on San Ramon’s first Iron Horse Regional Trail overcrossing project, the City Council is set to debate and select a final design option for a second bridge linking the trail over Crow Canyon Road.

Consultants from BayPac and city staff are set to present an overview of final design options for the bridge, along with renderings and details on each of the options.

Previous discussions and renderings of the bridge have been centered on a tied-arch design, with the council set to review additional options consisting of truss and butterfly style bridges, along with color options consisting of rust, yellow or gray.

The benefit of the tied-arch design that has been included in discussions and renderings thus far is that it’s a classic design, but drawbacks include a more complicated construction process and constrained bidding pool compared to other options, according to city staff.

The butterfly arch design is described as having a “more slender and elegant appearance” according to a staff report from division manager Robin Bartlett, but drawbacks are similar to the tied-arch design, including a more complex design and construction process and a limited bidding pool.

Rendering of the butterfly arch design option in yellow for the Iron Horse Trail overcrossing. (Image courtesy City of San Ramon)

The truss arch option would look “bulkier” compared to the other two options, according to Bartlett’s report, but it would be “more consistent with a historic railroad bridge,” harkening back to the historic roots of the Iron Horse Trail as a former train route.

The tied-arch design would be the most expensive option, with costs estimated at $26.9 million to $28.9 million, followed by the truss arch design, which would cost approximately $21.3 million to $23.3 million. The butterfly design option has the smallest projected price tag, estimated to come in at $20.1 million to $22.1 million.

Councilmembers are set to review the report and provide direction to city staff on their design preference at their upcoming regular meeting on Tuesday (Nov. 14) at 7 p.m. The agenda is available here.

Rendering of the truss bridge design option in rust for the Iron Horse Trail overcrossing. (Image courtesy City of San Ramon)

In other business

* On the heels of anniversary celebrations marking the city’s 40th year since incorporation, the council is set to issue a proclamation recognizing the 40th anniversary of the San Ramon Chamber of Commerce to president and CEO Heidi Kenniston-Lee.

* Councilmembers are set to review and consider approving a safe firearms storage ordinance that would require gun owners to store firearms at home in locked containers or disable them with safety devices, with the item coming to the council following a number of public comments and emails to the city urging officials to consider the option following the adoption of similar ordinances locally, including by the Dublin City Council and the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified the road that the Iron Horse overcrossing will circumvent. It will be a second bridge connecting the trail over Crow Canyon Road. Embarcadero Media regrets the error.