Folsom accelerates sidewalks near new Alder Creek School

Due to Alder Creek Elementary School student safety concerns, Folsom city officials agreed this week to build sidewalks near the campus years before planned. Subdivision street improvements for Mangini Ranch Phase II in Folsom Ranch south of Highway 50 did not include sidewalks along Old Ranch Way and Savannah Parkway at the future "Neighborhood Park 2" site. The sidewalks were intended to be built in coming years. Folsom staff anticipates only beginning the design phase of the park in fiscal year 2025-26. Directly east of the Park 2 site and sharing a property line is the brand new Alder Creek Elementary School campus. New residents and Alder Creek parents quickly noticed a pedestrian problem after school started last month, amid overall traffic headaches in growing Folsom Ranch. "It is currently a traffic nightmare, and there are concerns for the safety of those children that are crossing Savannah Parkway," said Joanne Brausch, a traffic safety committee member and 35-year resident of Folsom. Brausch addressed the Folsom Planning Commission about the matter last month. It became apparent sidewalks are needed along Old Ranch Way and Savannah Parkway to provide safe routes to school right now, long before Park 2 is built, staff said. The Folsom Public Works Dept. requested bids from qualified contractors for the construction of roughly 760 feet of six-foot-wide concrete sidewalks. The engineer's estimate for the project was $100,000. The Public Works Dept. recommended the low bidder, Central Valley Engineering & Asphalt, Inc. The Folsom City Council approved the contract Tuesday under the non-controversial consent agenda. The contract is authorized for $101,869, with a contingency total not to exceed $112,056. Sufficient funds for the project are available in the Folsom Specific Plan Area capital improvement fund, staff said.