VOICE staff
The San Bernardino City Council has awarded a contract to extend State Street from 16th Street to Baseline Street, a project that has been envisioned to improve mobility for over 20 years.
The $7,436,165 contract was awarded last week to Riverside Construction Company, which is expected to construct a new four-lane divided roadway that includes medians, sidewalks, and storm drains.
The new street is located just south of the 210 Freeway and parallels the Lytle Creek Basin and will improve connectivity to the freeway, decrease cut-through traffic in neighborhoods, and provide better access for residents to Arroyo Valley High School and Anne Shirrells Park.
“The West Side residents of San Bernardino have been waiting for this for a long time,” said Councilmember Kimberly Calvin, who represents the area. “Our patience is being rewarded with a great new street that will serve as a major artery for the entire area and position Ward 6 for more economic development opportunities.”
Construction on the half-mile long road will begin next month and is expected to be completed by June 2023. The project will be paid for using Regional Circulation System funds.
The City of San Bernardino ultimately plans on extending State Street to Foothill Boulevard, a total distance of over 1.5 miles, over a series of additional phases.
“These phases will include the construction of two bridges to complete the connection to Foothill,” said San Bernardino Deputy Director of Public Works/City Engineer. “Due to the anticipated cost, additional funding would be needed.”
“These phases will include the construction of two bridges to complete the connection to Foothill,” said San Bernardino City Manager Rob Field. “Due to the anticipated cost, additional funding would be needed.”
State Street currently does not exist between Foothill Boulevard and 16th Street.
“In order to complete the vision of former Ward 6 Councilwoman Betty Dean Anderson, I look forward to collaborating with our state and federal elected officials to secure the funding necessary to complete all phases of the project. This is a monumental moment for our Ward and our City,” Calvin added.