Capital region traffic remains steady as state workers begin second week of RTO
Traffic on capital region highways remained steady Monday, despite it being the second week of a return-to-office order for thousands of state workers coming to Sacramento.
Starting last week, workers across California changed their schedules to include four days of in-office work per week, doubling the previous requirement, according to an executive order signed last year by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The mandate was delayed following pushback from workers and their unions, which continue to oppose and demonstrate against the order.
There are more than 108,000 state workers statewide, with about 40% of the state’s civil service workforce working in the capital region. It was unclear how many of those workers received exemptions because they live at least 50 miles from their assigned office, lack available workspace or perform duties that allow continued telework. Some departments were also delaying implementation of the mandate.
Traffic experts said that while miles traveled for these workers are not expected to double, they are expected to increase. Congestion predictions are unclear as employees, both for the state and others working in Sacramento, adjust and try out different modes of travel.
As of 9:30 a.m., the only spots with slow and go traffic were noted in two typical spots, northbound Highway 99 near the Highway 50 junction and westbound Interstate 80 near West Sacramento, and just south of a crash on Highway 99. The three-vehicle crash, reported just before 8 a.m., blocked northbound vehicles near 47th Avenue and backed up traffic to Florin Road in south Sacramento, according to the California Highway Patrol.
One area to the east that experienced heavier traffic starting about 8:30 a.m. was Interstate 80 over Donner Summit — likely people headed west after a holiday weekend in South Lake Tahoe.
Other normal problem spots headed into the city, including Highway 50 near Watt Avenue and the southbound Capital City Freeway south of the Interstate 80 split, remained free flowing.
Though traffic was not showing much strain, workers last week reported issues with finding parking and added expenses associated with increasing their number of commute days.
Before the requirement, workers experienced six years of telework. On Wednesday, July 1, the first day the return-to-office order went into effect, highways also remained generally clear, though much heavier traffic was not anticipated due to the approaching July Fourth holiday and a late-morning protest at the Capitol organized by the SEIU Local 1000.
This story was originally published July 6, 2026 at 11:16 AM.
