Public Works Projects
Below are examples of some recently completed public works projects.
Esplanade Corridor Safety & Accessibility Project
City of Chico, Department of Public Works
Completed in 2025
The Esplanade and Oleander Complete Streets Project improved safety, access, and connectivity for people walking, biking, driving, and traveling through one of Chico’s key north-south corridors. The project included a separated, paved Class I multi-use path along the Esplanade from 11th Avenue to Memorial Way. This bicycle and pedestrian path now helps connect downtown Chico, California State University, Chico, Chico Junior High School, Chico High School, Enloe Medical Center, nearby neighborhoods, and the existing Airport Class I multi-use path at 11th Avenue.
Oleander Avenue, which runs parallel to the Esplanade to the east, also received improvements between 10th Avenue and Memorial Way. These included updated bicycle shared-lane pavement markings, improved stop controls, and a new roundabout at Oleander Avenue and Memorial Way near Chico Junior High School.
Additional pedestrian safety improvements were completed throughout the project area. New traffic signals were installed at Oleander Avenue and 1st Avenue, as well as at a mid-block pedestrian crossing in front of Chico High School between Washington Avenue and Lincoln Avenue. Existing traffic signals were upgraded with pedestrian crossing equipment, updated traffic detection, revised signal timing to support new pedestrian phases, and pedestrian refuge islands where appropriate.
The project also included new or improved sidewalks and ADA-accessible curb ramps to support safer, more accessible travel for all users.
Salem Street Bridge Replacement
City of Chico, Department of Public Works
Completed in 2026
The Salem Street Bridge Project replaced the existing bridge over Little Chico Creek with a new cast-in-place concrete bridge designed to improve safety and long-term performance for both vehicles and pedestrians.
The completed bridge features a post-tensioned concrete slab spanning approximately 70 feet. Construction included removal of the existing structure, creek diversion, excavation, and installation of new concrete abutments supported by deep foundations. The project also involved falsework installation and removal, along with scour countermeasures at the abutments to help protect the bridge foundation from creek-related erosion.
Additional improvements included new pavement approaches, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, wing walls, updated signage, and new striping. Together, these upgrades created a safer, more durable crossing over Little Chico Creek and improved travel through the Salem Street corridor.
Notre Dame Bike Path
Chico, CA
Anticipated Completion: Summer 2026
The Notre Dame Bike Path work is part of the larger Notre Dame Boulevard Bridge project for the City of Chico, a public works effort designed to improve connectivity across Little Chico Creek. The overall project will connect existing sections of Notre Dame Boulevard while adding dedicated bike lanes, pedestrian improvements, and a multi-use path that supports safer movement through the area. As part of that larger improvement, the existing bike path is being rerouted to pass beneath the new bridge, reducing conflict points and strengthening access for cyclists and pedestrians.
Franklin Construction supported the bike path portion of the project with asphalt paving and related pathway improvements through a natural corridor near Little Chico Creek. Crews placed and compacted asphalt along the new path alignment, coordinating trucking, paving equipment, rollers, and field crews within a narrow work area bordered by open land, mature trees, fencing, and existing site constraints. The work required careful sequencing and finish control to create a smooth, durable path surface that will serve daily users once the larger bridge and connectivity improvements are complete.
As a public works project, the Notre Dame Bike Path reflects the practical importance of smaller-scale infrastructure within a much larger transportation network. While the bridge will create the primary new crossing, the surrounding path improvements help make that connection usable for people traveling by bike or on foot. Franklin’s work helped turn the planned route into a functional paved pathway, contributing to a safer and more connected corridor for Chico residents.
Ceanothus Avenue Reconstruction
City of Chico Department of Public Works
Anticipated Completion:
The Ceanothus Avenue Reconstruction project is a City of Chico public works project adjacent to Pleasant Valley High School, improving a key corridor between Manzanita Avenue and East Avenue. The project is designed to close existing infrastructure gaps along Ceanothus Avenue with roadway reconstruction, new curb, gutter, sidewalk, pedestrian improvements, striping, pavement markings, and access improvements near the high school. The project includes bulb-outs at Paseo Haciendas Court for the Pleasant Valley High School pedestrian crossing, along with a designated northbound right-turn lane and new driveway access into the campus.
Franklin Construction’s work supported the reconstruction of this active school-area roadway with excavation, grading, trucking, and site preparation for new roadway and frontage improvements. Crews worked within a constrained corridor bordered by residential properties, mature trees, existing sidewalks, and school-related traffic patterns, requiring careful coordination of equipment, material hauling, layout, and access. The work helped prepare Ceanothus Avenue for safer, more complete public infrastructure serving drivers, pedestrians, students, families, and the surrounding neighborhood.
By addressing missing infrastructure and upgrading access near Pleasant Valley High School, the project will help create a more functional corridor for vehicles while also improving pedestrian movement along and across Ceanothus Avenue.
