By Sara Beth Williams–
Residents traveling along Auburn Boulevard near the northern city limits have been asking a common question in recent months: Why is the city installing another stoplight so close to two existing ones?
According to city officials, the new traffic signal reflects a broader effort to improve long-term safety and access along the corridor for all users, including drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
In a statement to The Sentinel, city officials said that, while the new signal may appear redundant at first glance, it is intended to support safer access, smoother traffic flow, and improved pedestrian conditions as part of a comprehensive redesign of Auburn Boulevard.
As part of the project’s design phase prior to construction, the city completed a comprehensive traffic analysis and transportation study evaluating current and future vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle volumes. That study informed major changes to the roadway, including the consolidation of driveway access points and the construction of a raised median, the city said.
In total, the number of driveways along the stretch of Auburn Boulevard under construction is being reduced by about 50 percent, the city said, adding that the goal is to decrease conflict points where collisions are more likely to occur.
While reducing driveways improves safety, city officials said maintaining access to private property remains a priority. To balance those goals, left-turn pockets are being added where feasible and justified by the traffic study.
Near the north end of the corridor, access to the Citrus Grove and Tea-It shopping centers presented a particular challenge. Based on projected traffic volumes and turning movements, the study found that a traffic signal at the shopping center entrance is necessary to allow safe left turns in and out.
“The traffic signal will provide safe vehicular access in and out of the shopping centers on both sides of the roadway, along with improved pedestrian crossings, enhancing safety along this end of the corridor as part of the overall project,” the city said.
Some residents have also questioned why the signal was placed at the shopping center entrance rather than at Whyte Avenue, an existing public roadway which splits the Citrus Grove shopping center and neighboring Chevron gas station traveling west, and Hoss Lee Academy and several other businesses and the Shell gas station going east.
“Traffic signals should only be installed where they meet minimum traffic requirements, the city explained in response. “Traffic volumes at Whyte Avenue are not great enough to warrant a traffic signal.”
In addition, officials said signals must be spaced appropriately to function effectively. Whyte Avenue is located too close to Orlando Avenue to support another signal without causing operational issues along the corridor.
The new traffic signal is not activated and won’t be immediately, officials said, adding that activation will be one of the final steps in the project, which is expected to conclude this summer.
As well, the city’s “Welcome to Citrus Heights” gateway arch, which hasn’t been completed yet, will have several signal components integrated into its structure. Once the arch is installed and the signal mounted, the intersection will be ready to go live.
Related: $35M Auburn Blvd project expected to conclude mid-2026, officials say – Citrus Heights Sentinel
