District: District 3 - Marysville
Contact: Raquel Borrayo
Phone: (530) 634-7640; (530) 701-5209
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PLACER/NEVADA COUNTIES – Caltrans is releasing today the State Route (SR) 49 Safety Assessment Report highlighting safety findings and proposed improvements to the corridor between Interstate 80 in Auburn and McKnight Way in Grass Valley.
In February 2020, a team including Caltrans and its transportation partners embarked on a safety assessment of the SR-49 corridor to identify safety-related improvements that could be installed in the very near term, identify enhancements that could be added to planned construction projects, and plan longer-term projects to improve corridor safety.
“This corridor is an important regional transportation link in Northern California serving travelers commuting to and from work, residents making shopping trips and visitors traveling to state parks and other recreational activities,” said District 3 Director Amarjeet S. Benipal. “The safety of the traveling public and our employees is always our top priority.”
For analysis purposes, the team divided the corridor into four segments of similar characteristics based on features that include population density, traffic volumes and the rural or urban nature of the area. The existing safety features and collision history of each segment were assessed and used to outline recommendations for improvements to the corridor.
“We encourage members of the public to review the assessment and provide feedback about proposed safety solutions,” said Mike Luken, Executive Director of the Placer County Transportation Planning Agency. “Your comments greatly inform the various agencies collaborating to deliver transportation projects and safety enhancements along the corridor.”
In addition to the SR-49 Safety Assessment Report, Caltrans is releasing a series of four online videos highlighting key elements of the report. The videos can be viewed at YouTube.
“The existing corridor safety features and proposed improvements outlined in the Safety Assessment Report present the current vision for the Highway 49 corridor,” said Dan Landon, Executive Director of the Nevada County Transportation Commission. “Through coordination with citizens and local agencies, we can continue to broaden our vision for the corridor while preserving the historic character of our communities and improving highway safety.”
Caltrans invites members of the public to view the SR-49 Safety Assessment Report at Hwy49Safety. Public input is essential for project development and enables the Department to account for various perspectives and impacts for equity. The deadline to submit comments and questions to Caltrans District 3 has been extended to Friday, Dec. 11, 2020.
Written comments may be submitted by mail to Caltrans District 3, Program/Project Management, 703 B Street, Marysville, CA 95901, Attn: HWY 49 Safety Assessment, or via email at hwy49safety@dot.ca.gov.
Caltrans would also like to thank and recognize the many partners involved in developing the Safety Assessment Report: Federal Highway Administration, Placer County Transportation Planning Agency, Nevada County Transportation Commission, Placer County Department of Public Works, City of Auburn, California Highway Patrol, CALFIRE, and local fire departments.
Caltrans District 3 is responsible for maintaining and operating 4,385 lane miles in 11 Sacramento Valley and northern Sierra counties. The department provides construction updates 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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