District: District 3 - Marysville
Contact: Raquel Borrayo
Phone: (530) 701-5209
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUBURN – Completion of the State Route 49 (SR-49) roadway rehabilitation and complete streets project in Auburn has been delayed due to unforeseen traffic signal electrical malfunctions.
While the bulk of the roadway and sidewalk improvements were completed this summer, new traffic camera sensor systems were slated for activation by mid-October. During activation last month, an electrical malfunction was diagnosed in 12 of the 17 electrical cabinets that control coordinated traffic signal timing. Caltrans, its electrical subcontractor and the electrical cabinet manufacturer have been actively working to diagnose and correct the issue and restore signal coordination to improve traffic flow.
Caltrans acknowledges the inconvenience this issue has caused the City of Auburn and all of the people who travel this route. “Fixing the traffic signals on Highway 49 in Auburn is a top priority for Caltrans,” said District 3 Director Amarjeet S. Benipal. “Our crews are utilizing every resource available to make repairs expediently and restore normal traffic operations for residents.”
To keep the traffic signals operational without the use of traffic camera sensors, the majority of the signals on SR-49 between the Interstate 80 separation and Dry Creek Road remain in construction signal timing. This setting cycles through all green, yellow and red light phases regardless of traffic.
Caltrans asks for continued patience and advises motorists to account for additional travel time while the signal timing issues are resolved. Motorists are also advised to be alert for temporary flashing red signals while diagnostic testing is completed. The public is also reminded to treat flashing red signals as all-way stops.
Project updates will be posted on the State Route 49 Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan page. The public may also contact Public Information Officer Raquel Borrayo at raquel.borrayo@dot.ca.gov and request to receive project updates via email.
District 3 is responsible for maintaining and operating 4,385 lane miles in 11 Sacramento Valley and Northern Sierra counties. For project updates, follow Caltrans District 3 on Twitter @CaltransDist3 and on Facebook at CaltransDistrict3. For real-time traffic, click on Caltrans’ QuickMap or download the QuickMap app from the App Store or Google Play.
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