By Mike Hazlip—
With funding for the $23 million second phase of the Auburn Boulevard Complete Streets Revitalization Project now secured and plans moving forward, at least one business owner along the corridor is raising concerns about proposed changes to the median in front of his business.
During this month’s meeting of the Auburn Boulevard Business Association (ABBA), the owner of Nor Cal Auto Body, Chad Riffe, raised concerns over a planned extension of a median divider at Twin Oaks Avenue and Auburn Boulevard.
Riffe said the proposed island would prevent southbound tow trucks along Auburn Boulevard from turning left into his business. He also said the concrete median would prevent northbound big rigs from making a left turn into Harris Industrial Gases.
A city representative said there is still time to make changes to the plans, and said the issue would be brought to the attention of the Auburn Boulevard Corridor team. She said the decision to increase the center divide was an effort to prevent southbound traffic from traveling the wrong way in the northbound lanes to access Bob’s Quality Tires.
In an interview Wednesday, Riffe told The Sentinel that a proposed u-turn at Twin Oaks would not be large enough to accommodate a tow truck towing a vehicle to his shop. Aside from the proposed islands he is optimistic about the project, however.
“It needs to be done,” he said. “If you drive down it does look terrible. I think it’s fantastic, it’s an inconvenience that we’ll have to live through for a little bit.”
See video overview of what’s planned for Phase Two: click here
Kathleen Harris, of Harris Gas, said she had not seen the latest plans, but acknowledged that changes in traffic flow can affect businesses.
“I don’t know what kind of studies they do, but those turn lanes can make or break a business,” she said. She also noted the corridor along Galleria Boulevard near Highway 65 as an example of efficient traffic flow design.
Some businesses along Auburn Boulevard during the first phase of the revitalization effort, from Sylvan Corners to Rusch Park, also noted a negative effect during construction. The first phase was completed in 2014.
“I’m glad it’s done,” business owner Rocky Moffitt was quoted saying in a 2014 Sentinel story, noting his 7440 Club took a hit during the road work outside his doors. “The construction actually has hurt my business during the daytime… but overall it looks great. I love the finished project.”
Other businesses have also voiced complaints to The Sentinel over decreased traffic in the phase one section of Auburn Boulevard due to the new center medians and restricted turn lanes, especially during construction. Some said they almost didn’t survive.
Some drivers have also complained about the lack of a legal u-turn option on a more than half-mile stretch of the boulevard, when traveling north from Sylvan Corners to Pratt Avenue.
Related: Survey finds overwhelming support for steel arch option on Auburn Blvd
Plans for the second phase of construction, from Rusch Park to the Roseville border, show new center medians with designated turn lanes to be installed along most of the corridor. Plans also include undergrounding of overhead utility lines, installation of bike lanes and wider sidewalks, upgrading signals, adding decorative street lighting, planting of new landscaping and trees, upgrading storm drains, roadway resurfacing, enhanced transit stops and a new gateway sign over the boulevard.
Harris said the city’s revitalization effort is a welcome change to the corridor.
“Anything they can do to Auburn Boulevard to increase safety and security is really needed,” she said.
More information about the project is posted on the city’s website. Anyone interested in providing input on the second phase of revitalization can send comments to the city’s Auburn Boulevard Corridor Team, at ABCS2@citrusheights.net.
By Mike Hazlip—
With funding for the $23 million second phase of the Auburn Boulevard Complete Streets Revitalization Project now secured and plans moving forward, at least one business owner along the corridor is raising concerns about proposed changes to the median in front of his business.
Thanks for reading The Sentinel. You are either trying to access subscribers-only content or you have reached your limit of 4 free articles per 30 days. Click here to sign in or subscribe.