Watt Avenue @ US 50 Interchange

Project Description

This project proposes to provide multi-modal improvements along one of the region's most critical transportation corridors, Watt Avenue. The segment of Watt Avenue between Kiefer Boulevard and Fair Oaks Boulevard includes a key link to the U.S. Highway 50 corridor and is adjacent to one of the few available crossings of the American River. Improvements proposed are based on the findings of the South Watt Area Transportation Study (SWATS), which developed a multi-modal transportation master plan for the southern Watt Avenue corridor.

The project proposes to modify the existing full "cloverleaf" interchange on US Route 50 (US-50) at Watt Avenue in order to reduce congestion, increase safety, and accommodate alternate modes of travel. Modifications will include the following:

• removing the northwest and southeast loop on-ramps to eliminate the short weaving sections in the outer lanes of northbound and southbound Watt Avenue and in the ramp transitions along eastbound and westbound US50;
• installing two signalized intersections to allow left and right turns from US 50 onto Watt Avenue;
• constructing a new center structure connecting the existing northbound and southbound US 50 overpasses;
• installing the initial working segment of a dedicated Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) facility in the median of Watt Avenue;
• constructing a two-way bicycle and pedestrian multipurpose trail along the east side of Watt Avenue through the US 50 and La Riviera Drive interchanges with undercrossings at the ramps;
• constructing related intersection and transit access improvements

The project is being closely coordinated with the Light Rail Transit Grade Separation Project over Folsom Blvd, Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates (SABA), Sacramento City/County Bikeway Advisory Committee (SacBac), and with Sacramento Regional Transit's vision of BRT on Watt Avenue.

Schedule

Preliminary Study, 2002 to 2008
Environmental Review, 2004 to 2010
Design, 2010 to 2011
Right-of-Way Acquisition, 2010 to 2011
Construction, 2012 to 2013

Funding

Partial funding has been approved for the project planning activities through construction from the following funding sources:

• State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP),
• Traffic Congestion Relief Program (TCRP),
• Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP),
• SAFETEA-LU Federal Demonstration (Earmark) Funds,
• Sacramento County Measure A Sales Tax, and
• Other local transportation matching funds.

We are anticipating additional funding from Federal and State sources to help finance the construction of this project. The estimated total project cost including all phases of work is $57.8 million.

Contact Information

For additional information or to provide a comment about the project:

John Jaeger
Project Manager
916-874-7507
jaegerj@saccounty.net

Anthony Voo
Project Engineer
916-874-7871
vooa@saccounty.net