By Sara Beth Williams–
As Phase 2 of the Auburn Boulevard Complete Streets Project moves forward, construction crews are preparing to install new landscaped medians and turn pockets along the corridor.
In an interview with The Sentinel, Leslie Blomquist, city engineer for Citrus Heights, addressed questions about median construction, business concerns, and the overall project timeline.
Blomquist said medians are installed in two phases.
The first set of medians is expected to be installed in late March, before the roadway is resurfaced, weather permitting. The remaining medians will be constructed after the asphalt work is complete, which is currently anticipated in early April through early May,
Resurfacing is very weather dependent, Blomquist said. If it rains, the schedule will shift accordingly. The earliest resurfacing could begin is late April.
Blomquist said the medians will feature standard curb, stamped and colored concrete, and landscaping with shrubbery and trees, similar in appearance to the previously completed section of Auburn Boulevard from Sylvan Corners to Rusch Park.
There are multiple tree species planned. Some trees will be planted within the medians, and many more will be installed along the sidewalks. In total, more than 100 new trees will be added as part of this phase, Blomquist said.
Currently, Auburn Boulevard has many two-way left-turn lane capabilities. With the number of driveways and pedestrian crossings along the corridor, that configuration created a lot of conflict points and increased the risk of crashes, Blomquist said.
Adding medians minimizes left-turn conflicts by focusing left turns at intersections and select side streets. In some locations, specific properties will have designated left-turn pockets, but not all.
The goal is to reduce crash potential and improve overall safety for both drivers and pedestrians, Blomquist said.
For example, the left turn from southbound Auburn into the parking lot at 8144 Auburn Boulevard, kitty corner from Rollingwood Boulevard, no longer exists and is now a bus stop. Drivers will be able to use nearby intersection, for U-turns and access.
Additionally, new crosswalk striping is being added to multiple intersections to allow pedestrians to cross on all sides, whereas before, some intersections like Auburn Boulevard at Twin Oaks Avenue and Auburn Boulevard at Rollingwood Boulevard, had one crosswalk missing.
Most side streets off Auburn Boulevard will receive refreshed stop sign striping, Blomquist said. During construction, whenever a new sidewalk or curb is poured, stop signs have to be temporarily removed and replaced with mobile signs called barricades that read “STOP.”
When the project is done, stop legend striping will go back in when all new striping takes place. Blomquist said the city regularly monitors barricade signs to ensure they are picked up if they fall down. If barricades are missing, residents can call the city to ask for them to be replaced.
Before construction began, some businesses expressed concerns over the addition of new medians, as previously reported. In 2021, 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, as it would prevent big rigs from turning left into both his business, and Harris Industrial Gases.
Since then, the city has said they have worked with the auto body shop owner to address his concerns.
Related: Concern raised over city’s plan for new median islands on Auburn Blvd. – Citrus Heights Sentinel
Additionally, the owner of a muffler shop also expressed concerns. Blomquist said she has worked with multiple property owners, including the owner of a muffler shop.
“His concern was the addition of a left turn lane, he was concerned it might cause cut through from the side street,” Blomquist said. “I worked with him regularly regarding his driveway on Cripple Creek Road and we have installed a swing gate that can be closed.”
Blomquist said the city has met with and will meet with any business or property owners directly. Business owners can contact the General Services department for information on setting up a meeting.
Timeline for construction
The major infrastructure project is still on track to be completed mid-year, weather permitting, Blomquist confirmed.
Remaining work includes curb and gutter improvements along the north and east sides, activation of the new traffic signal at Twin Oaks Avenue in March, roadway resurfacing and restriping in May, and installation of the gateway arch.
The final pieces will be activating the signal light in between Twin Oaks Avenue and Whyte Avenue, which is to be integrated into the new gateway arch, and applying a stone veneer pattern over the concrete arch.
“We’re hoping it will look similar to the arch at Rusch Park,” Blomquist said.
The construction budget is sitting at $31.8 million, and Blomquist added that projected costs indicate the project will finish under budget.
