BARSTOW – Skanska, a Sweden-based development and construction group, announced their contract with the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority to rebuild the N. 1st Avenue Bridge over the BNSF railyard. The project, expected to begin in January 2023, will accommodate Barstow’s anticipated population growth.
A new two-lane bridge with standard eight-foot shoulder widths and an eight-foot sidewalk will replace the existing two-lane bridge, built around 1930. The work includes:
- Construction of new 7-span post-tensioned concrete box girder bridge over 17 BNSF tracks;
- Realignment of N. 1st Avenue;
- Demolition of the existing 29-span steel truss and steel/timber girder bridge across the BNSF railyard;
- Utility relocation, drainage improvements and lighting improvements.
The bridge serves as the main connector for schools, neighborhoods, hospitals, and other services in Barstow.
Skanska says these necessary safety improvements will continue to make positive changes to the city’s infrastructure.
“The current structure was built over 90 years ago, and this project will provide a modern, safe, and accessible structure,” said Skanska USA Civil’s West Coast Operations Executive Vice President Mike Aparicio. “We are proud to be the team chosen in this first big step toward building a new structural and functional standard needed as the city continues to grow.”
The bridge replacement is part of the city’s plan to gear up for BNSF’s $1.5 billion state-of-the-art master-planned rail facility.
RELATED: BNSF $1.5B facility will bring ‘thousands of jobs to Barstow’
The Barstow International Gateway will be an approximately 4,500-acre new rail facility on the west side of Barstow. It will consist of a rail yard, intermodal facility and warehouses for transloading freight from international containers to domestic containers.
The project aims to relieve congestion around the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The facility will create 20,000 direct and indirect jobs for Barstow and other High Desert communities.
