New Expressway Connects Elk Grove To More Cities

It’s no surprise that Sacramento County, especially Elk Grove, grew significantly over the past 25 years. Families have had their own families, businesses have grown, and new schools have opened (and re-opened). In these recent decades, our once-sleepy Northern California county has grown into a beautiful, booming, place to live. However, growth brings traffic, congestion, and the need for housing.

With this in mind, Sacramento County officials recently announced a $500 million expansion of a three-segment road connecting Interstate-5 to Highway 99 just south of Elk Grove. With two parts of this road in Elk Grove and one part in Folsom, this major project is called the Sacramento Capital SouthEast Connector Expressway.

The Connector

The new Sacramento Capital SouthEast Connector Expressway or ‘Connector’ as it is sometimes referred to, is a 3new 4-mile expressway connecting I-5 to Highway 50. According to the project’s website, the Connector could relieve area traffic and drive economic development. In addition, the project’s website says the Connector could also improve local safety and security, as well as add more open space to our region.

The Connector Expressway will reduce more than 500,000 hours per year of time spent sitting in traffic. It will also save more than $9 million annually in travel time costs and lost productivity and result in reduced congested roadway travel by more than 38 million miles per year.

https://www.connectorjpa.net/overview.html

​The project’s first phase includes construction of four continuous lanes from Interstate 5 and Highway 99 in Elk Grove to the new Silva Valley interchange at Highway 50 in El Dorado Hills, expanded at-grade intersections at all major access points, and a continuous path for pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians.

https://www.connectorjpa.net/overview.html

The Connector project costs almost half a billion dollars over 15-20 years. According to local reports, the project will likely rely on state or federal funds. If so, the Connector could be a prime target for the new infrastructure spending bill moving through Congress.

The Connector’s website says it offers commuters a whole new route when Highway 99, 50, and Interstate 5 get too busy. It will have four lanes and touch three of our area’s largest cities, including Elk Grove. Folsom and Rancho Cordova will have two miles between them, and Elk Grove’s Grant Line Road, Kammerer Road, and Bradshaw Road will all connect, eventually leading to Interstate 5. The new extension promises more opportunities for homes, schools, and businesses. Click here to visit the project’s website.