Traffic delays expected on these Sacramento-area roads as major construction project begins
Motorists in Elk Grove will experience some delays at major traffic corridors in the city this week due to projects and maintenance.
The Harvest Water Project by the Sacramento Area Sewer District is expected to cause significant delays on the west side of Elk Grove.
A city news release said northbound lanes on Franklin Boulevard between Sims Road and Laguna Boulevard will close beginning Tuesday for the Harvest Water Project’s pipeline construction.
Drivers who frequent Franklin Boulevard, driving northbound toward south Sacramento will be rerouted to a southbound lane that will serve as one-lane traffic going north. Simultaneously, there will be another one-lane traffic detour continuing south.
Elk Grove Public Works inspector Jeff Ternes said construction and related traffic delays are expected to continue through early 2025, in February or March, depending on the weather.
“It’s going to be one lane in each direction,” Ternes said. “If we have a dry year and good weather, we can get more done. But if winter hits early then it’s going to delay the work.”
The project is expected to continue down Franklin Boulevard to Whitelock Parkway, crossing over to Willard Parkway and Blossom Ridge Drive.
In all, the project stretches 41 miles of pipeline, extending from SacSewer’s EchoWater Resource Recovery Facility at Laguna Station Road east of Franklin Road near Interstate 5 south to Twin Cities Road, near the Cosumnes River Preserve.
Ternes said the project is being completed in three phases, the first two having the biggest effect on Elk Grove.
“So we go all the way down on Franklin to Whitelock,” he said. “Please keep in mind once we jump across Elk Grove Boulevard, we go into the green belt on the east side of the road and then when we get down to Willard Parkway, we cut down Willard Parkway and head down Willard Parkway up to Blossom Ridge.”
Ternes believes that once they pass Elk Grove Boulevard, there won’t be as many delays because most of their work would be near agricultural land rather than the city streets.
“The third phase will not be as impactful because there’s more work in what I call a green space off the road and not in the roadway,” he said. “There will be some impacts, but the traffic down at that end of the project is a lot lighter than it is down at this end of the project.”
Overall, Ternes expects “peaks and valleys” regarding the traffic delays and said people who use that road to travel should “plan accordingly.”
“Commute times will be a little worse than other times,” Ternes said. “I would recommend avoiding the roadway if you can… Plan around it.”
Delays in east Elk Grove
Union Pacific Railroad is continuing scheduled extensive repair in Elk Grove.
Union Pacific closed parts of Sheldon Road in July for routine maintenance to prevent tire damage to vehicles that cross the tracks.
Union Pacific Railroad traffic control technician Alphonso Davis said during a phone conversation in July that the maintenance has to be done for “safety purposes.”
Davis said that Bond Road would be next on the list to experience repairs.
Beginning Aug. 24 Union Pacific has extensive repair work scheduled at the railroad crossing at Bond Road, according to a city news release.
The repair work requires a full road closure at that location until Aug. 26.
“They’re going to redo the railroad crossing... pull out those pads that are in there. They’re going to redo the rail, the track and actually the asphalt right there at that crossing,” Davis said in July. “If we don’t repair, a lot of tires are going to get ruined. There will be people making complaints about their rims or tires. They might get their tires popped because those pads, when they start moving, they won’t stay in place.”
The city advises weekend motorists to plan for additional travel time and to use detours onto Elk Grove Boulevard or Sheldon Road via Elk Grove Florin or Waterman roads during the closure.
This story was originally published August 19, 2024 at 11:00 AM.