Why Yolo County is warning drivers to slow down on this levee road

Yolo County officials are urging motorists to use caution on South River Road, a levee-top roadway that stretches from West Sacramento to the Freeport Bridge along the Sacramento River, due to shoulder erosion that has created hazardous driving conditions.

The county’s Public Works staff confirmed several eroded sections along the corridor, leaving little to no room for vehicles to pull off the pavement, officials said in a statement Monday.

Temporary safety measures were being installed this week, including changeable message signs warning of “no shoulder” conditions and advising drivers to slow to 35 mph. Permanent signage changes are also under consideration, the county said, but no roadwork is planned to shore up the shoulders.

“Constructing wider shoulders in these areas would require approvals from the state of California, as South River Road is on top of a levee maintained by the state and under the federal jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers,” county officials said. “While Yolo County is permitted to perform routine maintenance on top of the levee roadway from West Sacramento to the Sacramento County line at Sutter Slough, any proposed modifications or improvements to the levee structure would require approval by the state and federal agencies.”

Motorists are advised to drive the two-lane road with caution and report any maintenance issues to the county online at yolocounty.gov/living/report-a-concern and click “request road maintanance.”

This story was originally published October 7, 2025 at 10:35 AM.