In a community where the vast majority of the population commutes, roads are everything. On October 8, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors approved the 2013-18 Five Year Transportation Improvement and Program Guide (TIPG) that outlines upcoming County transportation projects.
“The TIP Guide’s ultimate goal is to ensure a safe and easy travel for residents within an environmentally sound and cost efficient framework,” said Mike Penrose, Director of the Sacramento County Department of Transportation (SACDOT).
Upcoming projects include the replacement of 14 bridges, major roadway and intersection improvements, pavement repair projects, corridor enhancements and pedestrian and bicycle facility improvements.
“The past two years have been busy for SACDOT,” said Dan Shoeman, Chief of Planning and Design. “At any given point we’ve had up to 30 projects going simultaneously, and we would like to continue at that pace. As the needs of the County evolve, so do we.”
But plans aren’t limited to daily commuting roads. Areas throughout the County will see streetscape improvements, new traffic signals, widened bike lanes, and in-fill of sidewalk gaps to provide safer routes for pedestrians.
The TIPG also details funding for the planned projects. The 2013-2018 guide includes 47 projects, totaling just under $408 million during the next five years. Of the total cost, state and federal funds will account for nearly half. Programs, such as “Safe Routes to School,” provide grants to repair sidewalks to enhance the safety of pedestrians and cyclists as well as to encourage students to walk and bike to school.
Highlights of the newly approved plan include:
Corridor Improvements
Hazel Avenue Improvement Project (US-50 to Madison Avenue)
Watt Avenue @ US-50 Interchange
Fair Oaks Boulevard Improvements (Landis to Engle)
Franklin Boulevard Enhancements (47th Avenue to County Line)
Old Florin Town Streetscape Improvements
Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities
Howe Avenue Elementary School, Safe Routes to School (2013-15)
Countywide Bicycle Lane Gap Closure – Various Locations (2014)
Fair Oaks Boulevard Pedestrian Improvements – Day Drive to Arden Way (2014)
Anna Kirchgater Elementary, Safe Routes to School (2014)
Highway Bridge Replacements
Vineyard Road at Laguna Creek (2014)
Elk Grove – Florin Road at Elder Creek (2016)
Franklin Boulevard at Lost Slough (2016)
Twin Cities Road at Snodgrass Slough (2016)
No matter what the size of the project, SACDOT works to minimize the amount of interference to travelers in times of construction. “We want to make the commute easier, not harder. And communities will be consulted to guarantee that we are serving the needs of the area as best we can,” said Mike Penrose.
To report any hazardous road conditions, or to access the complete TIPG, please visit the Sacramento Department of Transportation Website.