Construction begins on new HWY 50 bus/carpool lane

Caltrans broke ground on a $108 million project that will add 15 miles of new bus/carpool lanes on U.S. Highway 50 between Watt Avenue in Sacramento and Sunrise Boulevard in Rancho Cordova.

Proposition 1B, the $19.9 billion transportation bond championed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and passed by voters in 2006, is providing nearly $55 million in funding for the project. More than $5.2 billion in Proposition 1B funding has been allocated to improve California’s transportation system during the past three years.

"This Proposition 1B funded project will improve safety, help stimulate the economy and decrease traffic congestion in the area," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "The people of California spoke loud and clear when they voted for Proposition 1B because they wanted investment in California's infrastructure and to put people to work immediately."

Sacramento County’s Measure A, a half-cent sales tax dedicated to transportation improvements, contributed $37 million in funding for the project, which is a partnership between Caltrans, Sacramento County, the city of Rancho Cordova, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, and the Sacramento Transportation Authority.

In addition to new bus/carpool lanes, the project also includes:

More than four miles of new sound walls at a dozen locations.

Community enhancements, such as improved lighting and landscaping.

Replacement of two bike/pedestrian overcrossings at Manlove Road and White Rock Park to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

New ramp meters, changeable message signs, and traffic cameras.

"Under the governor’s leadership, Proposition 1B is paying for vital transportation projects that relieve traffic congestion,” said Caltrans Director Randy Iwasaki. “Extending this bus/carpool lane will have an immediate impact for more than 180,000 drivers commuting on the Highway 50 corridor,”

Bus/carpool lanes typically carry 2-3 times more people at peak traffic hours than conventional mixed-flow lanes. There are currently 68 miles of bus/carpool lanes in the Sacramento region on U.S. Highway 50, Interstate 80, and State Route 99. When the bus/carpool lane project between Sunrise Boulevard and Watt Ave is completed in 2013, there will be continuous bus/carpool lanes on U.S. Highway 50 between Bass Lake Road and Watt Avenue, a distance of approximately 21 miles.