By Sara Beth Williams–
Citrus Heights is on track to see more roundabouts in the future, after the City Council on Wednesday gave the green light to pursue adding new roundabouts to intersections along Old Auburn Road near the city’s border with Roseville and Orangevale.
The option of adding roundabouts was presented during a discussion on the Gateway Activation Project, which seeks to improve safety and traffic flow along Old Auburn Road and Wachtel Way.
Citrus Heights City Engineer Leslie Blomquist presented data to the City Council on the Gateway Activation Project from traffic studies along with feedback from community members, revealing concerns and unsafe conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists along Old Auburn Road, Wachtel Way, and two other nearby streets.
Blomquist highlighted the lack of pedestrian and bicycle connectivity at Argo Drive off Old Auburn Road, which she said has isolated the neighborhood on the south side of the street and has resulted in people running across the street or having to walk long distances in either direction in order to cross safely.
Feedback from residents also revealed that drivers have had difficulty turning left from Argo Drive onto Old Auburn Road due to the heavy flow of traffic, drivers speeding over the speed limit, and drivers doing donuts.
Traffic studies also show that vehicles frequently back up at the intersection of Old Auburn Road and Wachtel Way, creating a long line of queued vehicles in the mornings and evenings.
In response, the city proposed several options, including adding either a pedestrian hybrid signalized safety beacon or a roundabout at Argo Drive, a roundabout or traditional traffic signal light at the intersection of Old Auburn Road and Wachtel Way, and a roundabout at Oakwood Hills Court.
Blomquist said the acute angle of the three-way intersection at Wachtel Way presented a safety concern when installing a signalized light, and compared it to a similar-style intersection on Old Auburn Road that has also presented safety concerns over the years.
Councilmember Tim Schaefer said the current intersection at Old Auburn Road and Wachtel Way is “scary” for bicyclists. Vice Mayor MariJane Lopez-Taff said Old Auburn Road is often used as a “raceway” late at night and theorized a stoplight would make racing worse if lights remain green at longer points during the night.
Following the presentation, the City Council unanimously agreed to give city staff the green light to move forward with pursuing adding three roundabouts and begin an environmental review on the entire project.
All roundabouts would add safe pedestrian crossing lines on all four sides and are designed to lower traffic speed, reducing the chance of severe collisions while also allowing for continuous movement, Blomquist said.
Several benefits of roundabouts include preventing burnouts and donuts at Argo Drive, which Blomquist said was a concern brought up by the community. Roundabouts would also allow for the addition of beautification such as landscaping, artwork, or gateway signage. Additionally roundabouts would allow for continuous traffic flow and alleviate the current heavy queuing of through traffic in the mornings and evenings, as well as lowering maintenance costs.
Roundabouts do require the city to acquire some right of way from private properties nearest to the intersections. An estimate as to how much private property acquisition would be needed was not available. A current cost estimate for acquiring right-of-way from private property owners to complete two roundabouts was not available.
When talking to residents, the city found more residents were familiar with and had encountered roundabouts more often but some were still wary of the prospect. Many residents were not familiar with pedestrian hybrid beacons, which are similar to stop lights but stay off until activated by a pedestrian pushes a button to cross. Blomquist noted that neither are prevalent in Citrus Heights.
The council gave formal direction in favor of pursuing roundabouts as the best option for improving traffic flow and safety concerns on Old Auburn Road, with Councilmember Tim Schaefer commenting that the “pros outweigh the cons.”
EDITORIAL: Citrus Heights traffic is terrible. Could this be a solution?
Sacramento County has envisioned a 70-mile trail loop that extends from Folsom Lake to Downtown Sacramento, which includes the American River Parkway, Dry Creek Greenway, Dry Creek Parkway, Rio Linda Parkway, and Two Rivers Trail, according to a map shared by the city. The Gateway Activation Project is part of the effort to create continuous connectivity along multi-use trails between Citrus Heights and Roseville and the broader region.
Other planned improvements include complete streets roadway design for Old Auburn Road and Wachtel Way. Community Development Director Casey Kempenaar said both streets have inconsistent sidewalks and bike lanes.
The current Gateway Activation Project phase involves more community outreach and collaboration with multiple partners locally, in Sacramento County, and in the City of Roseville. The phase also includes preliminary engineering and an environmental review, which is anticipated to be complete by spring 2026. Applying for grant funds is expected in 2027, followed by construction in 2028.
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