A double-header for Colfax

July 3rd will be a big day for Colfax. In addition to the regular Independence Day festivities already a fixture in Colfax's calendar, this July 3 will bring a celebration of a different sort: the official groundbreaking for the Colfax roundabout. The roundabout, which is the joint project of the Placer County Transportation Planning Agency (PCTPA), Caltrans and the City of Colfax, is meant to improve traffic circulation, provide access to existing businesses and create jobs from new businesses. It will be installed at the existing Maidu Village lot off of Auburn Street and the ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. at 501 South Auburn St., in the vacant lot north of McDonalds. "The success of this project is a prime example of how important partnerships can be between agencies and our communities," said Wes Heathcock, city manager of the City of Colfax. "We will continue to work together to provide improved transportation for the growing economy in Colfax." Councilmember Trinity Burruss, who is also the vice chair of the Placer County Transportation Agency Board, hailed the project as money well spent. "A small, yet significant amount of state and federal funding can go a long way to improve safety and create jobs in our Sierra town," said Burruss. "We are grateful for the help of PCTPA and Caltrans to make this project happen." The event is bigger than Colfax, it seems. "This is really a regional celebration," said Heathcock, citing the fact that the roundabout will increase mobility between Highway 174 and Interstate 80, which currently is not rated for commercial access. The roundabout will now change that. Caltrans Director District 3 Amarjeet Benipal agrees. "These operational improvements to Colfax are an important step toward alleviating congestion and improving safety over the next 20 years. In addition to minimizing queues and delays, the roundabout will enhance the economic viability and livability of the Auburn Street corridor," said Benipal, Caltrans director district 3. Benipal will be making an appearance at the dedication, as will State Treasurer Fiona Ma. Congressman Doug LaMalfa has been invited as well. According to Heathcock, the ability of state and local officials to attend the ceremony was one of the reasons Colfax opted to schedule the dedication for July 3, the same day as the city's Independence Day festivities. "We wanted to maximize exposure to the community," Heathock said, "so it was suggested that we do the July 3rd in the morning, which is way before the festivities start." The July 3rd Celebration begins at 2 p.m. in downtown Colfax, and will feature a myriad of activities for all ages, including food, music, and vendors; live music at Arbor Park from 5-11 p.m.; crafts all day by the Friends of the Library; performances by Ambitions Performing Arts; a bounce house, dunk tank and rock wall; the Little Patriots parade at 6 p.m. followed by the Lions Club parade at 7 p.m., and of course, fireworks to close out the evening at 9:30 p.m. Residents who want to partake in both the roundabout dedication and the 3rd of July activities will have plenty of time to go home in between, eat lunch, slather on the sunscreen, and pack their flags and folding chairs. After all, there's nothing like an Independence Day Parade. It promises to be a fantastic day.