A new City project will close a railroad crossing on C Street between 19th and 20th streets to enhance cyclist, pedestrian and vehicular safety in the area.

Construction on the project is set to begin Wednesday, Sept. 18 and will shut down a portion of C Street to all traffic.

The project “will reduce potential conflicts between vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and trains as well as improve safety and accessibility to the entrance of the Sacramento Northern Bikeway,” said Philip Vulliet, senior engineer for the City of Sacramento and a manager on the project.

It also will bring new sidewalks, curbs, gutters and improved drainage, Vulliet said.

The work is part of an agreement between the City and Union Pacific, which allowed for the construction of a new railroad crossing at the Ramona Avenue Extension. The extension was designed to improve pedestrian and vehicular connectivity north and south of Highway 50 near Sacramento State University.

The contract for the C Street project was posted April 8 and awarded by City Council July 23. Total construction cost for the project is $528,304, which will be paid for by a federal grant. The contract includes 45 working days, and City staff anticipates completion in December unless there are significant rain delays.

When the project is finished, the railroad tracks will be fenced in, Vulliet said, creating a safer environment for everyone who uses the street and the adjacent bike trail.

Vulliet said that during construction, cyclists and pedestrians will continue to be able to access the Sacramento Northern Bikeway off C Street, which will be protected and enhanced.

“That was a condition with the contractor,” he said. “However, access may temporarily be at a reduced width to facilitate the reconstruction planned around the bikeway entrance.”

Questions about the C Street project or its construction? Please contact Philip Vulliet: pvulliet@cityofsacramento.org

Construction on C Street likely will be completed in December 2019.

