FOLSOM — The Folsom City Council has approved a $233,000 construction agreement to replace deteriorating sections of the city’s storm drain system along Bidwell Street, addressing long-standing flooding and erosion issues in the historic area.
The project, presented by Public Works Director Rebecca Neves and approved Tuesday night, authorizes the City Manager to execute an agreement with Imperial Construction & Engineering, Inc. Funding will come entirely from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ (SACOG) Green Means Go grant program, with no local match required.
The storm drain system along Bidwell Street serves runoff from Riley Street, Comstock Drive, Wool Street, Decatur Street, and nearby residential and commercial properties. Much of the line, made of aging corrugated metal pipe, has deteriorated over time. A 2020 inspection revealed a major gap where a section of pipe had never been built, forcing stormwater to bubble up through a manhole and erode the roadway edge, carrying sediment downstream.
The city applied for the Green Means Go grant in 2022 and received a full $305,000 award to replace roughly 500 linear feet of storm drain pipe between Wool and Decatur streets. The work will include new manholes, curbs, and gutters designed to improve stormwater flow and prevent future erosion.
After the city’s first attempt to bid the project in June 2025 resulted in only one proposal, Public Works reissued the request on a different platform. This time, nine bids were received, with Imperial Construction & Engineering emerging as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder at $233,000 — well below the engineer’s $250,000 estimate.
The approved budget includes a 10 percent contingency, bringing the total authorized amount to $256,300. The project is part of the city’s 2025-26 Capital Improvement Plan and will be managed through the Drainage Capital Improvement Fund.
Neves noted that city staff is also exploring the option of adding limited paving improvements to complement the storm drain replacement work, depending on available grant funds once construction begins.
Because the project replaces existing infrastructure and does not expand the drainage system, it is categorically exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Construction is expected to begin later this year, with the project aimed at eliminating one of the city’s long-standing trouble spots for stormwater runoff and helping protect the Bidwell corridor from further erosion.
Copyright © 2025, Folsom Times, a digital product of All Town Media LLC. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
