Sentinel staff report–
Plans for a $7 million trail project extending from Wachtel Way to Sunrise Boulevard will be presented to the public at an open house meeting on Jan. 8. Input from the public will also be received at the meeting.
According to a news release sent out by the city on Wednesday, the trail will be paved and largely follow an existing SMUD electric transmission corridor in the northeastern area of Citrus Heights, leading to the project being called the “Electric Greenway Trail Project.” The trail is planned to begin on Wachtel Way, pass through C-Bar-C Park, travel into a portion of Orangevale, continue through Tempo Park, and conclude at Arcade Creek Park Preserve on Sunrise Boulevard, near Greenback Lane.
The trail will also pass by residential properties, which was a controversial aspect of a creek trail project that was proposed several years ago. Comments made by city staff about the project during a council meeting last month indicated the trail will utilize existing easements on private property along “some rear yards.”
The project also includes a new signalized crossing on Fair Oaks Boulevard, pathway lighting, sidewalk and gutter installation along a segment of Oak Avenue, drainage improvements, traffic signal modifications, and landscaping.
The trail will largely be funded by grant money, with $5.86 million of the estimated $7 million project coming from an SB 1-funded grant, according to a resolution approved by the City Council last year. The project is designed as part of a multi-year effort by the city to incorporate a system of “dedicated paved trails into the larger transportation network.”
The city says it is currently in the process of preliminary design and environmental analysis for trail project. A design consultant firm, Omni-Means, has been hired to lead the design, environmental clearance, and right-of-way phases of the project.
See detailed trail map and prior staff report: click here
The Jan. 8 meeting will be hosted by the City of Citrus Heights, in partnership with the Orangevale and Sunrise park districts. It will be held at the Sunrise Tech Center Multi-Purpose Room at 7322 Sunrise Blvd., from 5-7 p.m. According to the city’s news release, community members are invited to “drop by anytime during the Open House to learn about the project and provide feedback on the planned trail.”
Additional information about the trail project is viewable on the city’s website. Those with questions about the project are invited to email electricgreenway@citrusheights.net.
Want to share your thoughts on the Electric Greenway Trail Project? Click here to submit a letter to the editor. The Sentinel’s policy is to publish every letter that comes in.
