Hazel Avenue Widening Phase 2
Location
Curragh Downs Drive to Sunset Avenue
City or County Responsible for Project
Sacramento County
Category
Complete Streets Projects
Author
Stephen White
Sacramento County
4111 Branch Center Road, Sacramento, CA 95827
(916) 874-5354
Project Description
The Project provides the following complete street elements: separated sidewalks with landscaping, bicycle lanes and bicycle detection at traffic signals, bus turn-outs, ADA upgrades including audible pedestrian signals, countdown pedestrian heads, and compliant ramps. The project also provides an additional vehicle lane in each direction to reduce congestion on this facility which serves over 50,000 vehicles/day and is a critical connection to the Hazel Avenue Bridge at the American River. These facilities provide bicyclists and pedestrians from the neighborhoods adjacent to the Project with direct access to the American River Parkway and the nearby recreation facilities at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center and the Nimbus Fish Hatchery. The Project demonstrates how an aging transportation thoroughfare can be transformed into a vibrant and attractive multi-modal corridor. By replacing the existing shared center turn lane with a raised landscaped median, safety is improved while enhancing aesthetics and reducing the impervious footprint of the project, thereby reducing storm drain run-off. The project also included agreements with the electric utility (SMUD) and the telecom providers to underground all overhead facilities with the exception of the 69kV electric which remains overhead. By placing the electric distribution facilities and all telecom facilities underground, the streetscape was modernized and safety was enhanced. The utility companies also benefit from the reduced maintenance costs of underground facilities. Sacramento County also entered into a cooperative agreement with the Fair Oaks Water District (FOWD), the potable water purveyor for the area. Through this partnership, the project was able to replace the FOWD’s aging 12” water main which was leaking at many locations and in need of replacement. By constructing the new main with the project, the FOWD was able to realize economy of scale savings and the public benefitted from the reduced traffic impacts of a single project. Sacramento County also partnered with the Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District which owns and operates nearby Phoenix Park. One of the entrances to Phoenix Park is from Kruitof Way which intersects Hazel Avenue. Through a cooperative agreement with the County, the Park District was able to reconstruct their access road from Kruitof Way for a fraction of the cost of a stand-alone project to perform is work. In addition to these important project elements, the project also incorporates innovative and sustainable project elements including: decorative LED streetlights to reduce long term electricity use/cost, recycled asphalt grindings generated by the project were used on site as base rock, and the project also utilized rubberized asphalt which incorporates recycled tires. The County hopes to replicate the success of this project when we move forward with the next phase and extend similar improvements north on Hazel Avenue to Madison Avenue.
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