Planters damaged again at Fair Oaks and Old Auburn Rd.

By Sara Beth Williams–
Brick planters at the intersection of Fair Oaks Boulevard and Old Auburn Road were struck again by vehicles amid recent rains.

Homemade signs could be seen atop the planter walls at the intersection on Monday night, as has become the norm following crashes into the planters. By Tuesday morning, the signs had been taken down and bricks in the roadway had been picked up.

A local resident reported to The Sentinel that the brick planters at the three-way intersection were hit both Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 20 and 21, knocking bricks loose. Damage to two different planters can be seen by drivers passing by. One planter that sits below the Fair Oaks Boulevard street sign has several bricks displaced, and another planter just to the left beneath the speed limit sign also has several bricks displaced.

Citrus Heights Police could not confirm any calls directly related to any crashes that occurred in the intersection, but did confirm that police responded to reports of a driver doing donuts at Argo Drive and Old Auburn Road on Nov. 20 after 10 p.m., located just down the street from the intersection of Fair Oaks Boulevard and Old Auburn Road. The driver was gone once police arrived. On Nov. 21, police also said officers responded to reports of a driver speeding in the area of Old Auburn Road and Fair Oaks Boulevard, but the driver was unable to be located.

In 2019, several modifications intended to improve safety were implemented at the intersection, which included reducing turn lanes to a single left-turn lane and a single right-turn lane, installing a radar speed feedback sign, adding advanced warning signs, enhancing visibility with reflective tape and left-turn arrows on the northbound traffic signal, and placing additional object markers in the planters.

The city said in a statement last week that the modifications were “aimed to reduce conflict points, slow approach speeds, and improve roadside visibility.” Future improvements are planned as part of the Old Auburn Road Complete Streets Project, which is currently in the design phase. The city confirmed it is actively pursuing grant funding for the construction project.