Dangerous stretch of Old Auburn Road getting improvements

Roseville and Granite Bay motorists should beware that major roadwork is scheduled for two weeks on Old Auburn Road between Sunrise and Fair Oaks boulevards, authorities announced. The city of Citrus Heights announced Saturday that crews will work Oct. 6-17 on the dangerous stretch to improve safety and "make traveling smoother for everyone." The major artery is near the southern Roseville city limits and eventually turns into South Cirby Way. Work will run weekdays, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., staff said. Expect lane closures with flaggers and some delays. The effort addresses the dangerous transportation conditions on Old Auburn, which has a rough history of collisions, authorities said. Old Auburn Road carries between 18,000 and 27,000 vehicles per day. Problems along the corridor include excessive speeds, skewed intersections and inadequate bicycle, pedestrian and transit infrastructure through the nearly two miles between Sylvan Road and Garry Oak Drive. Between 2013 and 2017, there were 163 reported collisions along the corridor, several of which involved bicyclists and pedestrians, including three fatalities and three severe injuries, authorities said. The vast majority of collisions occurred at the intersection of Old Auburn and Sunrise Blvd. However, Old Auburn Road at Sylvan Road and Old Auburn Road and Fair Oaks Blvd. also have high collision density, staff said. All three fatalities between 2013 and 2017 occurred at Old Auburn Road and Sunrise, staff said. Of the injury crashes, 51 percent were rear-enders and 38 percent were attributed to unsafe speed. The $7.4 million Old Auburn Road Complete Streets Plan was adopted by the Citrus Heights City Council in 2020. Improvements include resurfacing, traffic signal upgrades, street lighting, storm drains and separated bike lanes. The city secured SACOG funding for Phase 1A of this project through a Caltrans sustainable communities grant.