Granite Construction Inc. (Granite) has been awarded an approximately $173 million contract by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Sacramento District, to construct multiple features along the Sacramento River in California.
The project is designed to reduce the regional risk of flooding along the river by decreasing the elevation of the water surface. Granite’s work involves widening the dam as well as building a new fish passage structure and a vehicular bridge connecting Old River Road to northern West Sacramento. The fish passage structure will help prevent federally and state-listed species from becoming stranded in the river and within the levees after flooding.
The 25-span vehicular bridge will allow local traffic to cross the new dam structure and maintain access to communities north of the project.
Construction will include extensive excavation and construction of new levee embankments. The structural concrete for the project will include the dam crest structure with an adjacent buffer basin, the fish passage and fish ladder facility, and the vehicle bridge structure. In addition, riprap will be placed along the seawalls. Granite’s Capay aggregate plant will supply more than 25,401 tons (28,000 tonnes) of aggregate for various parts of the project, including structural backfill materials and the road base. In addition, Granite’s Bradshaw asphalt plant will supply 5,433 tonnes (6,000 tonnes) of hot mix asphalt (HMA) and will be used to build roads and driveways.
“The Weir Expansion Project is a critical infrastructure project for our city and region,” says Carter Rohrbough, Granite’s vice president of regional operations. “By expanding the dam and diversion, we will be able to reduce the risk of regional flooding and provide important protections for our community and the environment.”
The project is scheduled to begin in July 2023 and is expected to be completed in December 2026.
