RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - The Rancho Cordova City Council approved nearly $10 million in funding for a long-planned interchange on US 50 between Sunrise and Hazel Avenues. The proposed Rancho Cordova Parkway Interchange would be a “south only,” two-mile interchange that will connect Highway 50 to new housing and commercial construction on White Rock Road.

The unanimous vote during the September 6^th meeting will allow City Manager Cyrus Abhar to negotiate a contract in the amount of $9,672,794 with Mark Thomas & Company. The contract will result in civil engineering and structural designs for the new interchange, plus environmental and right of way support.

The San Jose based company, with offices in Sacramento and elsewhere, is responsible for several projects in the Sacramento region. This includes the Cosumnes River Blvd. Interchange at I-5, the Watt Ave. Interchange on U.S. 50 and a 13-mile State Route 4 project in Contra Costa County.

Councilman David M. Sander found himself voting in favor of the project, while taking note of the cost.

“Aye vote, for some very expensive engineering,” he said during the September 6^th meeting. “A new record, I think, on any project we’ve ever looked at.”

Rancho Cordova Mayor Donald Terry agreed.

“It’s a big darn project,” he echoed.

According to a report prepared by City staff, the new interchange project is expected to reduce congestion and improve the flow of traffic at both the Sunrise Blvd. and Hazel Ave. offramps from Highway 50. It is also expected to spur future housing development and job growth, plus create additional access to light rail and other forms of regional transit.

In addition, the project is expected to expand the bike network on Rancho Cordova Parkway south of US 50. The intent is to connect these trails along Rancho Cordova Parkway between White Rock Road and Easton Valley Parkway. They will ultimately connect to the bicycle lane and trail system in the future Westborough development.

Funding for the project will come from several sources. This includes traffic mitigation fees, supplemental transportation fees, Sunridge Park Community Facilities District, and federal grants. The city staff report does not anticipate any impact on the City’s General Fund.

Construction on the interchange is expected to begin in 2025 and is expected to take 3-4 years to complete. The estimated construction price tag is $127 million. The City Council vote also instructed city staff to investigate federal grant opportunities to offset the cost of the project.

The City Council also approved a resolution to move forward with plans to widen Sunrise Blvd. between Kiefer Blvd. and Jackson Road (Highway 16). The project seeks to widen this 1.3 mile stretch of Sunrise from two lanes to four. The project will also result in bike lanes, improved bridge structures and additional traffic signals.