Traffic expected with Fix50 lane shifts through Sacramento. Here’s what to expect on freeways

Traffic shifts on Highway 50 in Sacramento are continuing as part of the Fix50 project, causing road delays throughout the week.

According to Caltrans, the ongoing Highway 50 Multimodal Corridor Enhancement Project is working to rehabilitate pavement and add 14 miles of high-occupancy lanes from between Interstate 5 downtown to the Watt Avenue interchange.

The $483.5 million project is the largest road works project in the Sacramento region, the project’s website said.

Here’s what to expect as workers begin to move lanes around:

Where are the lane shifts?

Caltrans District 3 spokesperson Sergio Sanchez said crews will start moving the left two lanes of Highway 50 at 9 p.m. Tuesday, which will cause some congestion. However, the new shift will be open to traffic by 5 a.m. Wednesday.

But a variety of Highway 50 lanes are expected to close through the course of the week.

There will be a new alignment on westbound Highway 50 from 39th Street to 24th Street. Those traveling on westbound Highway 50 from Bradshaw Road toward Howe Avenue, just east of 51st Street should move to the two right lanes after the Bradshaw Road exit ahead of the split to access the Howe Avenue exit.

The left side of the split won’t be able to access the Howe Avenue exit ramp.

Motorists heading into Yolo County or the Bay Area are encourage to use those two left lanes to avoid congestion, Caltrans said.

According to the project’s website, daytime work will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, requiring the following westbound lane closure:

Tuesday, Dec. 3:

▪ No. 1 (left-most) lane at the 10th Street off-ramp.

▪ No. 1 lane from 10th Street and 11th Street at W Street.

Wednesday, Dec. 4:

▪ No. 1 lane from 10th Street to 11th Street at W Street.

▪ No. 1 lane at the 16th Street off-ramp.

▪ No. 1 lane from 16th Street to 17th Street at W Street.

Will there be any ramp closures?

Yes, but not during high-traffic hours.

Sanchez said there will be no ramp closures during the day when traffic is heaviest.

“The project is divided in segments,” Sanchez said, who added that the shift is happening in the project’s second segment, between 26th and 39th streets. “(Any) current and scheduled project ramp closures are mostly happening only at nighttime and on other project segments.”

Night work takes place from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., the project’s website said. These are the following lane and ramp closures on both sides of the freeway:

Monday, Dec. 2:

▪ Eastbound No. 1 and No. 2 lanes from Howe Avenue to Watt Avenue.

▪ Connector from northbound Highway 99 to westbound Highway 50.

▪ Eastbound No. 1 and No. 2 lanes from 5th Street to 26th Street.

▪ Westbound No. 3, No. 4 and auxiliary lanes from Howe Avenue through 65th Street.

▪ Westbound Howe Avenue on-ramp.

▪ Westbound Hornet Boulevard on-ramp.

▪ Westbound 65th Street off-ramp.

Tuesday, Dec. 3:

▪ Eastbound No. 1 and No. 2 lanes from Howe Avenue to Watt Avenue.

▪ Connector from northbound Highway 99 to westbound Highway 50.

▪ Connector from southbound State Route 51 to westbound Highway 50.

▪ Westbound No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 lanes from 51st Street to 26th Street.

▪ Westbound No. 1 and No. 2 lanes from Stockton Boulevard to 26th Street.

▪ Westbound No. 3, No. 4 and auxiliary lanes from Howe Avenue through 65th Street.

▪ Westbound Howe Avenue on-ramp.

▪ Westbound Hornet Boulevard on-ramp.

▪ Westbound 65th Street off-ramp.

Wednesday, Dec. 4:

▪ Connector from northbound Highway 99 to westbound Highway 50.

▪ Connector from southbound State Route 51 to westbound Highway 50.

▪ Westbound No. 1 and No. 2 lanes from Stockton Boulevard to 26th Street.

▪ Westbound No. 3, No. 4 and auxiliary lanes from Howe Avenue through 65th Street.

▪ Westbound and eastbound Howe Avenue on-ramps.

▪ Westbound Hornet Boulevard on-ramp.

▪ Westbound 65th Street off-ramp.

▪ Eastbound No. 3 and No. 4 lanes from Howe Avenue to Occidental Drive.

Thursday, Dec. 5 through Friday, Dec. 6:

▪ Westbound No. 1 and No. 2 lanes from Stockton Boulevard to 26th Street.

▪ Westbound No. 3, No. 4 and auxiliary lanes from Howe Avenue through 65th Street.

▪ Westbound and eastbound Howe Avenue on-ramps.

▪ Westbound Hornet Boulevard on-ramp.

▪ Westbound 65th Street off-ramp.

▪ Eastbound No. 3 and No. 4 lanes from Howe Avenue to Occidental Drive.

Will there be traffic delays?

Yes; traffic is expected to build on many parts of Highway 50, especially near the junctions with other freeways on both sides of the W-X portion, which is also known as the Capital City Freeway.

Sanchez said Caltrans strongly advises “motorists to be aware of the signs, to check the Caltrans QuickMap app to know road conditions in real-time, to follow the speed limit, and to avoid distractions while driving through a construction zone.”

He added that motorists looking to exit to the northbound Capital City Freeway connector toward I-80, the southbound Highway 99 connector toward Elk Grove and the 26th Street exit should stay in the far-right lanes.

How long is the project expected to continue?

The traffic shift will be in place until May 2025, Sanchez said.

All work is scheduled to begin as listed according to the project’s website but is subject to change due to traffic incidents, weather, availability of equipment and any construction-related issues.

This story was originally published December 2, 2024 at 4:48 PM.