Logo courtesy of the City of Marysville

MARYSVILLE, CA (MPG) - At the Sept. 1 meeting of the Marysville City Council, the council considered an application for a Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant for up to $700,000. If awarded, it would fund preliminary development plans for the 14th Street bicycle and pedestrian railroad undercrossing.

The project aims to improve connectivity and walkability, as well as address issues of accessibility, right-of-way, utility and drainage. The city would use the grant funding to develop preliminary conceptual design drawings, allowing it to pursue future grants to cover environmental review, final design and construction.

City Manager Jim Schaad said the council has wanted to move this project forward, but “funding has been a constraint.” In order to submit the application by the deadline in October, Schaad requested an increase in the contract amount for Peterson Consulting Advantage, which will prepare the grant application at a cost not to exceed $11,000.

Councilmember Stuart Gilchrist said he was excited to be moving forward with the project: “This is a game changer.”

Councilmember Marjorie Rollins said, “I think it’s great, the connectivity from East Marysville to West Marysville and back and forth. … It’s all about walkability.”

The council voted unanimously to approve the funding for the grant application. If awarded, the city will have an estimated local match of approximately $90,700.

The council also considered a $2.98 million contract with TJR Resources Inc. for construction of improvements around Ellis Lake.

The city was awarded $2.9 million from the Clean California Local Grant Program to fund improvements focused on recreation, accessibility, safety and cultural enrichment at Ellis Lake. TJR Resources was selected as the lowest responsive, responsible bidder on the project, and the scope of work will include accessibility improvements, path widening, a new bridge to the island, art features and playground amenities.

In July 2025, the council appropriated $1.2 million in general funds to cover project costs over the $2.9 million grant award. The total project cost is currently estimated to be $3.8 million. The $2.9 million grant will be awarded to the city by reimbursement through Caltrans. The city’s local match is expected to be $918,303.

Construction on the project will likely begin by early October, with work expected to take around one year to complete.

Mayor Chris Branscum said, “This is going to be an exciting project. I think it’s going to light up a lot of people in the city. … This is a big step.”

The council voted unanimously to approve the construction contract.

The council also voted to approve a $216,150 construction contract with Ledbetter Electric to complete the Field Lighting Replacement Project at the Wilson Sports Complex Field.

The scope of work includes replacing existing field lighting with new LED fixtures and controls, and all associated electrical work, testing, commissioning and related improvements.

With an additional 10% construction contingency of $21,615, the total project cost is approximately $237,765, and the funding is available within the approved project budget.

Finally, the council held a public hearing on a proposed urgency ordinance authorizing the replacement of three traditional billboards with two electronic billboards. The existing billboards are owned by Outfront Media LLC, which leases the land along Highway 70 from Union Pacific Railroad.

The billboards will be removed for a period of two years as part of the State Route 70 Safety Improvement Project. After the road improvements are completed, Outfront Media would be authorized to replace them with two electronic billboards, which are currently prohibited under city code. Schaad said, “This would only allow them in this location for this specific purpose.”

The agreement also includes a cost share, with 10% of Outfront’s gross revenue from the billboards going to the city. Annual revenue from both electronic billboards could be around $100,000, with the city’s share at $10,000 per year. The city will also have a reserved advertising slot for public service announcements.

The council voted unanimously to approve the urgency ordinance, and the official financial agreement will come back for consideration in October.

The next meeting of the Marysville City Council is scheduled for Sept. 15.