Input sought for access, safety improvement for SR 49 corridor in Confluence

The El Dorado County Transportation Commission hosted a public webinar April 7 to provide an overview of a multimodal corridor plan for State Route 49 (SR 49) in the American River Confluence area. According to Woody Deloria, El Dorado County Transportation Commission executive director, the project is a collaborative effort with multiple jurisdictions, including Placer and El Dorado counties, Placer County Transportation Planning Agency, the city of Auburn, Caltrans and State Parks, to improve access and safety to recreational opportunities within a seven-mile corridor of SR 49 from Lincoln Way in Auburn to Georgetown Road in Georgetown. Deloria said the study came about based on input "given the fact that the SR 49 corridor in the Confluence has seen a significant increase in traffic over the last couple of years. We are looking at ways to improve the safety and operation of that corridor, and the only way to do that effectively is to get input from the public, residents and users of that corridor." According to the study website, identified characteristics of the SR 49 corridor include a lack of pedestrian accommodations, insufficient parking accommodations and a daily presence of heavy-duty trucks. The study area is broken into four segments, with Segment 3, Post Mile 3.82-Post Mile 36.5 being where visitors go for recreation activities. Jim Damkowitch, project manager with DKS Associates, said the study will examine corridor infrastructure and operations for parking access and operational efficiency improvement, opportunities to re-route heavy-duty trucks and opportunities for emergency evacuation. The study will also look at the feasibility of a free shuttle service, expanding the shuttle service already provided by the city of Auburn. Josh Pilachowski of DKS Associates said one location for a potential shuttle stop would be on SR 49 near the Quarry Trail parking lot to provide westbound service to the location. The second would be just over the bridge in the Confluence to offer eastbound service. Pilachowski said the two locations open the opportunity to pair the stops by putting in protected pedestrian crossings at each lot and along SR49 to connect them. Input provided by residents included heavily advertising the shuttle service for out-of-the-area visitors, reasons for not visiting the Confluence such as dealing with crowding and vehicle break-ins and ensuring an in-person workshop will be held to include input from residents who do not have internet access. The study team confirmed there will be two more workshops scheduled for the summer and fall, with the next one being held in person. The team confirmed community and public input would assist the study in determining ways to improve corridor safety and access. Said Deloria, "... Provide input on this because the value of this study is only as good as the input that we get from the residents and the users of the Confluence." The public can find more information about the study at AmericanRiverat49.com. The website also features an interactive comment map for individuals to submit comments, ideas and concerns to an exact location within the SR 49 corridor.