Project

The Board of Supervisors approved the Hazel Avenue Improvement project in September 2006. The purpose of this “Complete Street” project is to reduce congestion and increase safety and mobility for all modes of transportation along the two-mile stretch of Hazel Avenue between U.S. Highway 50 and Madison Avenue. The overall project includes the following major elements:

• Widening Hazel Avenue from four to six lanes between Madison Avenue and Gold Country Boulevard, including the American River Bridge.
• Provide 5-foot bicycle lanes on each side of the street and 10-foot sidewalks separated from the roadway by an 8-foot landscaped buffer strip.
• Replace existing dual, left-turn lanes with a median wide enough to include large trees and other landscaping elements.
• Modify signalized intersections to permit left-hand and U-turns and to provide for pedestrian crossings.
• Improved accessibility to the American River Parkway and other recreational areas.

When completed, this project will improve safety and aesthetics, provide multi-modal alternatives along the corridor, accommodate existing and future traffic, and will bring Hazel Avenue into conformance with the Sacramento County General Plan. Development of this project will require full acquisition of 45 residential parcels and partial right-of-way acquisition of 90 additional parcels.

Phase I (U.S. Highway 50 to Curragh Downs Drive)

A Phase 1 Hazel Avenue Improvement Project was completed in September 2011, and included the following improvements from U.S. Highway 50 to Curragh Downs Drive:

• Widening Hazel Avenue from four to six lanes over the American River Bridge from U.S. 50 to Curragh Downs Drive.
• Construction of new bicycle and pedestrian facilities. This includes bike lanes and a barrier separating bicycle/pedestrian/equestrian modes from vehicle traffic on the bridge over the American River.
• Improved connections to American River bike trail.
• Architectural treatments on the bridge structure and decorative street lighting.
• Traffic signal modifications at Curragh Downs Drive, Gold Country Boulevard and Tributary Point.

Additional Project Phases Include:

• Phase 2 - Curragh Downs Drive to Sunset Avenue (Current Project)
• Phase 3 - Sunset Avenue to Madison Avenue  Construction 2020-2021