5th Street Bridge Project

Existing Bridge

The existing 5th Street Bridge spanning the Feather River connects 5th Street in Marysville to Bridge Street in Yuba City. The bridge was built in 1958 after the original bridge was destroyed in the 1955 Flood.

Approximately 2,000 feet long, the structure is one of only two bridges along an approximately 40-mile stretch of the Feather River. As such, the 5th Street Bridge is vital to the regional movement of vehicles and goods between four State Highways (SR99, SR70, SR20, and SR65), between the cities of Yuba City and Marysville, and between the counties of Sutter and Yuba, as well as numerous other smaller communities in the surrounding rural region.

Proposed Project

Previous studies have indicated that the bridge is susceptible to collapse during the design earthquake event. Caltrans has approved Seismic Retrofit funding to bring the bridge up to current standards and this funding can be applied to a replacement of the bridge.

The existing 2-lane bridge is insufficient to accommodate current traffic demands of 30,000 plus vehicles per day and does not meet current width standards. In late September 2010 Yuba City, in cooperation with the City of Marysville and Counties of Sutter and Yuba, initiated preliminary engineering and environmental studies aimed at replacing the existing bridge with a modern 4-lane structure. The project design team will develop and evaluate multiple alignment alternatives, including modifications to the bridge approaches in both Yuba City and Marysville, and will consider vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle modes of transportation. The existing abandoned railroad structure will also be included in the studies.

Initiating the engineering and environmental studies represents the first step in a multi-year process of implementing the proposed project. These studies are necessary to determine how to best address issues surrounding the bridge including potential impacts to cultural and biological resources, maintaining access to existing properties, and providing appropriate flood control. These studies will also be instrumental in securing additional funding necessary to construct a 4-lane replacement bridge.

The City is committed to keeping the public informed throughout this process and understanding the public’s views on the project. The City will facilitate public workshops in both Yuba City and Marysville to discuss the project and solicit feedback from the community on issues related to the design.