Railroad Timber Bridge Replacements: Basalt Creek & San Antonio Slough

Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District (SMART) is requesting sealed bids for replacement of two timber railroad bridges with steel open deck bridges on steel piles and precast abutments on its Mainline in Sonoma County, with bids due November 4, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PST and a pre-bid meeting and site visit scheduled for September 30, 2026 at noon in Novato.

The scope comprises replacement of Basalt Creek bridge (MP 29.31) and San Antonio Slough bridge (MP 31.74) with longer steel structures installed behind existing abutments and headwalls that remain in place. Both bridges are on active railroad right-of-way; continued rail operations are critical throughout construction. SMART will provide one weekend shutdown for bridge deck installation. Contractors must comply with strict environmental restrictions: no work before September 1st and in-water work completion by October 15th. Substantial Completion is due November 30, 2027, with full project completion by December 31, 2027. Bidders must be qualified, experienced, and licensed contractors and must provide a Bid Form, Questionnaire and Financial Statement, a letter from a public or private railroad official, and a W9 Tax Form or equivalent. Attendance at the pre-bid meeting requires hard hat, safety vest, and boots; failure to bring required PPE may prevent site-tour participation, though attendance is not mandatory for bidding.

The Engineer's Estimate ranges from $1.65 million to $1.9 million, funded through Federal Transit Administration 5337 State of Good Repair Funds and SMART Measure Q Local Funds. Questions are due October 14, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. PDT. RSVP for the pre-bid meeting is required by 5:00 p.m. on September 29, 2026. Three addenda have been issued as of October 6, 2026. The project is classified under NAICS 237310 (Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction) and 238120 (Structural Steel and Precast Concrete Contractors).