Project Overview
In partnership with UC San Diego and Caltrans, we built a new Gilman Drive bridge over Interstate 5 (I-5), just north of the La Jolla Village Drive interchange. The three-span, pre-stressed concrete arch structure connects Gilman Drive on the west side of I-5 to Medical Center Drive on the east, providing a vital link between the UC San Diego campuses. It also added a second on-campus crossing over I-5.
The bridge was constructed at the same time as the Mid-Coast Trolley project, an 11-mile extension of the San Diego Trolley Blue Line that runs parallel to and crosses over I-5. SANDAG coordinated closely between the two projects to minimize impacts to the community during construction and to maximize the effectiveness of space and resources.
The Gilman Drive bridge received the Caltrans Excellence in Transportation Award in the Major Structures category in 2019, describing it as, “an iconic structure to be used and enjoyed by generations to come."
Schedule
We started construction on the project in November 2016 and opened it to the public on February 7, 2019. More than 500 people gathered at the ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Gilman Drive Bridge.
Budget
The approximate total cost of construction was $20.6 million. The Gilman Drive Bridge project was funded through a combination of local and private funding sources, including approximately $15.3 million from TransNet.