Congressman Dan Lungren - In the News - Work starts on Folsom's new bridge

In 18 months, Folsom's traffic woes could be water under the bridge-literally.

Folsom council members, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation officials, and Reps. John Doolittle and Dan Lungren broke ground last Thursday on a new $115 million bridge downstream from Folsom Dam. When completed, it will connect Folsom-Auburn Road and Natoma Street.

"This is a beautiful day in Folsom," exclaimed Folsom council member Jeff Starsky as nearly 100 people, from city officials to local developers, gathered under a rain-soaked tent to commemorate the occasion.

The city and residents hope the four-lane bridge and connector road will provide much needed relief for Folsom streets, which have been inundated with commuter traffic since the 2003 closure of Folsom Dam Road for security reasons following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The closure routed an estimated 18,000 additional cars through Folsom and away from the Folsom Dam Road.

"It definitely changed things," said Bill Hoshall, owner of Hoshall's Salon in Folsom Pavilions shopping center. "It put a lot of excessive traffic on Folsom-Auburn Road."

Hoshall said the brunt of the impact was felt in the Historic District, where traffic routes were realigned.

"We've been fortunate to have a strong client base; we've been established a long time. But I'm sure we've potentially lost business from El Dorado Hills and Cameron Park."

Hoshall's biggest complaint was that access to the Pavilions shopping center was restructured.

"There are only two ways to enter it now, and one's a really dangerous suicide lane," he said. "I just go around the back. I wish the city could do something about it."

Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Gold River, was confident the new bridge would have positive results.

"Folsom drivers are not the only ones on the roads. There are people going all the way into El Dorado County and Placer County, but the impact is felt right here. This is going to have a tremendous effect on relieving traffic congestion on streets not designed for it."

"This is an example of when government works, working with the private sector to solve problems that affect everyday people in real ways-getting to work, home, getting the kids to school," he added.

For the past three years, a multi-agency force headed by the City of Folsom and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has worked to accelerate the project, which could be finished as early as December 2008.

The Corps of Engineers will pay for approximately two-thirds of the project and Folsom will pay the remaining one-third.

Funding comes from the federal government, Measure A, a half-cent sales tax for Sacramento County transportation projects, the California Department of Water Resources, and the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency.

Approximately 26,000 vehicles are expected to use the bridge daily when it opens. It has been designed to handle the 40,000 daily vehicles anticipated within the next 50 years.

Unlike Folsom Dam Road, the new two-mile bridge will also handle bicycle and pedestrian traffic with an on-street bike lane.

In January, it was announced that a $74.7 million construction contract was awarded to Kiewit Pacific Company of Concord. Kiewit was the contractor for the Folsom light rail extension and is currently building the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge skyway segment and the Benicia-Martinez Bridge.

"It's truly remarkable how we've gotten here today," said Col. Ronald Light of the Corps of Engineers. "It's taken every ounce of energy of the City of Folsom, local government, and the Bureau of Reclamation."

	Lungren In the News



	Work starts on Folsom's new bridge

	By: Cheri March
	Wednesday, February 28, 2007



	In 18 months, Folsom's traffic woes could be water under the bridge-literally. Folsom council members, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation officials, and Reps. John Doolittle and Dan Lungren broke ground last Thursday on a new $115 million bridge downstream from Folsom Dam. When completed, it will connect Folsom-Auburn Road and Natoma Street. "This is a beautiful day in Folsom," exclaimed Folsom council member Jeff Starsky as nearly 100 people, from city officials to local developers, gathered under a rain-soaked tent to commemorate the occasion. The city and residents hope the four-lane bridge and connector road will provide much needed relief for Folsom streets, which have been inundated with commuter traffic since the 2003 closure of Folsom Dam Road for security reasons following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The closure routed an estimated 18,000 additional cars through Folsom and away from the Folsom Dam Road. "It definitely changed things," said Bill Hoshall, owner of Hoshall's Salon in Folsom Pavilions shopping center. "It put a lot of excessive traffic on Folsom-Auburn Road." Hoshall said the brunt of the impact was felt in the Historic District, where traffic routes were realigned. "We've been fortunate to have a strong client base; we've been established a long time. But I'm sure we've potentially lost business from El Dorado Hills and Cameron Park." Hoshall's biggest complaint was that access to the Pavilions shopping center was restructured. "There are only two ways to enter it now, and one's a really dangerous suicide lane," he said. "I just go around the back. I wish the city could do something about it." Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Gold River, was confident the new bridge would have positive results. "Folsom drivers are not the only ones on the roads. There are people going all the way into El Dorado County and Placer County, but the impact is felt right here. This is going to have a tremendous effect on relieving traffic congestion on streets not designed for it." "This is an example of when government works, working with the private sector to solve problems that affect everyday people in real ways-getting to work, home, getting the kids to school," he added. For the past three years, a multi-agency force headed by the City of Folsom and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has worked to accelerate the project, which could be finished as early as December 2008. The Corps of Engineers will pay for approximately two-thirds of the project and Folsom will pay the remaining one-third. Funding comes from the federal government, Measure A, a half-cent sales tax for Sacramento County transportation projects, the California Department of Water Resources, and the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency. Approximately 26,000 vehicles are expected to use the bridge daily when it opens. It has been designed to handle the 40,000 daily vehicles anticipated within the next 50 years. Unlike Folsom Dam Road, the new two-mile bridge will also handle bicycle and pedestrian traffic with an on-street bike lane. In January, it was announced that a $74.7 million construction contract was awarded to Kiewit Pacific Company of Concord. Kiewit was the contractor for the Folsom light rail extension and is currently building the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge skyway segment and the Benicia-Martinez Bridge. "It's truly remarkable how we've gotten here today," said Col. Ronald Light of the Corps of Engineers. "It's taken every ounce of energy of the City of Folsom, local government, and the Bureau of Reclamation."