To celebrate construction completion of the Watt Avenue at U.S. Highway 50 Interchange Improvement Project, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, Sacramento County Department of Transportation (SACDOT), Caltrans and the Sacramento Regional Transit District hosted a ribbon-cutting event on January 16.
The Watt Avenue at U.S. Highway 50 Interchange Improvement Project made significant modifications to the interchange to reduce congestion, install dedicated transit facilities, and improve access and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians. O.C. Jones & Sons General Engineering Contractors was awarded the construction contract of $22.5 million for the project in September 2012.
“Prior to completion of this project, the interchange had an outdated design for movement of vehicles and – as with most interchanges – it was difficult for bicyclists and pedestrians to get from one end of the facility to the other. Today, with completion of the project, we are excited about the benefits it will bring to all modes of travel, including improved safety and reduced delay for motorists, and unique transit, bicycle and pedestrian features, which set it apart from any other interchange in California. We believe this project will prove to be a model for other jurisdictions when faced with the difficult challenge of moving all modes of transportation through an interchange,” said Mike Penrose, Director of SACDOT.
Major improvements at the interchange include:
Widening the existing Watt Avenue overcrossing at US-50 to add two additional through lanes and two auxiliary lanes over the freeway; adding high occupancy vehicles lanes to the freeway on-ramps; widening and realigning freeway off-ramps to terminate at Watt Avenue at two signalized intersections.
Construction of a new dedicated transit lane on Watt Avenue from north of the interchange to the existing Watt/Manlove Light Rail Station.
Construction of a
continuous bicycle and pedestrian pathway separated from vehicular traffic along the east side of Watt Avenue between La Riviera Drive and Manlove Road, with grade separated undercrossings at the freeway ramps.
Speakers at the event included:
Congressman Ami Bera
Assemblyman Ken Cooley
Assemblyman Kevin McCarty
Members, Board of Supervisors: Serna, Kennedy, Peters, Nottoli
Andrew Brandt, Caltrans – Deputy District 3 Director Maintenance
Mike Wiley, General Manager/CEO – Regional Transit
Mike McKeever, Chief Executive Officer – SACOG
Mike Penrose, Director – SACDOT
