Watt-50 Interchange Project Gets $25.9 Million

The main connector street for Carmichael residents to Highway 50 is getting a major funding boost for construction work, Sacramento County officials announced.

The California Transportation Commission on April 26 awarded $25.9 million for on U.S. 50 at Watt Avenue, according to a news release. Construction on the project is scheduled to start in August.

The funds come from two state funding programs authorized by Proposition 1B, the transportation bond measure approved by California voters in 2006, including the Corridor Mobility Improvement Account and the State-Local Partnership Program. The $42 million project will also receive funding from the Sacramento County Measure A transportation sales tax.

“This project will add great value to the region, not only improving traffic flow along the 50 corridor, but providing much needed jobs and economic stimulus to the local economy,” , Supervisor for District 3, said in a released statement.

The project will modify the Watt Avenue interchange to realign and widen all of the on-ramps and off-ramps to remove the congested sections where traffic has to weave to get on and off of both Watt Avenue and the freeway, add through lanes on Watt Avenue and install two new traffic signals at the freeway off-ramps, according to the release.

A dedicated bicycle and pedestrian pathway through the interchange to separate bicycles and pedestrians from traffic will open up the busy corridor for uses by all modes of transportation, officials said. The project will employ about 800 construction workers over two years.

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