The Downtown Mathilda Bridge Project improves the Mathilda Avenue Bridge over Caltrain tracks and Evelyn Avenue. The goals of the project are to:
- Widen the bridge and approaches to provide standard lane, shoulder, and ramp widths;
- Rebuild the off-ramp to a standard configuration, providing access to both East- and West-bound Evelyn.
- Improve curbs/barriers, sidewalks and pedestrian ramps to meet all accessibility requirements;
- Eliminate the existing bridge’s “Functional Obsolete” Caltrans rating;
- Provide new ornamental street-lighting, aesthetic bridge edge treatment, and new landscaping;
- Provide more parking at the completion of the project;
- Re-aligning Evelyn for proper bridge clearance, and closing Charles Avenue with a cul-de-sac;
- Administering environmental compliance, mitigation monitoring. and grant requirements, including: Buy America, Prevailing Wage, Equal Employment Opportunity, and other obligations.
- New intersection and traffic signals at Mathilda & California, and Mathilda Off-ramp & Evelyn;
- Rebuilding San Andreas Court with improved pedestrian access, pavers, and landscaping.
- Reroute underground utilities to accommodate widened bridge foundations.
Project Cost
The $25.5 million project is largely grant funded with a local agency share as follows.
| Highway Bridge Rehabilitation Grant |
$22,321,333 |
Federal Grant administered by Caltrans |
| Measure A |
$524,000 |
Local Share |
| City gas tax or traffic mitigation |
$2,708,375 |
Local Share |
| Total |
$25,553,708 |
Includes design, construction, and
project management |
Traffic
Traffic lanes will be shifted, as necessary to keep two lanes open in each direction over the bridge. Lane Closures are not permitted during commute hours: Northbound between 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and Southbound between 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Lanes will be reopened to traffic after construction. Construction-related vehicles are not allowed to park on neighborhood streets. Other temporary pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle detours will be done as needed for safety.