Problems with (lack of) Sacramento Freeways

[jrouse]

Actually US 50 opened to Folsom Boulevard, about a mile east of Watt Avenue in November 1971.  There was a temporary four lane surface-level entrance to the new US 50 freeway just a block or so to the west of La Riviera Drive. 

The stretch of US 50 freeway between Folsom Boulevard/La Riviera Drive and Sunrise Boulevard opened in April 1973. 

You are correct.  It did temporarily end at Folsom and La Riviera for a couple of years.  I had always wondered why the Shell gas station there had the large sign with the word "S H E L L" (each letter in its own panel), since there was no access from the freeway to Folsom Blvd at that location.  Once I discovered that the freeway temporarily ended at that spot for a time, it made sense

The 143/244/65/102 freeways were voted down by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors in November 1974.  The vote was 3-2 to cancel the plans.  One of the Board Members had a developer brother in law who bought up the SR 143 ROW near American River Drive and Arden Way (along what is now known as Kensington Drive), and he built houses along the ROW. Caltrans under the Jerry Brown (Version 1.0) Administration sped up the remaining sales of rights of way along the 143, 244 and 65 corridors. 

By the time of the November 1974 cancellations, much of the ROW was acquired, the engineering was done and funding was in place for a significant portion of the plan.  Unfortunatelty, Sacramentans are stuck with a lot of commute via arterials with signal lights placed every quarter mile. 

I knew it was killed in the mid-1970s but didn't know the exact history.  Very interesting.

Hopefully, Hazel Avenue will be upgraded to become a semi-expressway connector between US 50 and I 80.  Widening is underway between US 50 and Madison Avenue.  And, there are concept plans for grade separated intersections at Madison and Greenback Lane.  Whether they come to fruition is anyone's guess. 

Where did you see those proposals?

[Concrete Bob]

I saw the proposals on the SACOG website.  It was listed in their 2025 MTP.  Whether the interchanges at Madison Avenue and Greeback Lane will ever be built remains to be seen.  There are also plans for grade separations at Hazel and Gold Country Drive, and an overpass over Folsom Boulevard and the LRT tracks.