New pedestrian tunnel set for completion by Olympic trials

Construction on the new pedestrian and bicycle tunnel opening up access between campus and 65^th Street and Elvas Avenue is on track to begin in early spring, 2000.

Sacramento City Councilmember Steve Cohn said it will be completed by June 30, just in time for the July Olympic Track and Field Trials.

Tim Mar, project manager from CH2Mhill, said in a public meeting held in August that the $2.9 million project will be funded by the Federal Transportation Efficiency Act and city matching funds.

Citing concerns raised about safety issues, Councilman Cohn said every precaution to ensure safety is being pursued. Lighting the area will help make it convenient and safe and landscaping will be done to enhance the surroundings.

"I don’t think we’ll have much of a safety issue," Cohn said.

Some of the improvements to look for include:

• Widening of 65^th Street between Q and Elvas Avenue to add on-street bicycle lanes.

• Construction of a landscaping strip along the east side of 65^th Street between Folsom Boulevard and Elvas Avenue.

• Addition of on-street bicycle lanes on Elvas Avenue between 62^nd Street and the new bridge undercrossing.

• Three new traffic signals at the intersections of 65^th and Q Street, 65^th and Elvas Avenue and 62^nd and Elvas Avenue. Modification of the existing 65^th Street and Folsom Boulevard traffic signal will also occur.

• A new bicycle way along the north side of H Street between the American River and Carlson Drive. The path would connect to the existing bicycle trail on the south side of H Street via a new bike way under the H Street bridge.

• Closing sidewalk gaps along 65^th and Elvas Avenue within the project limits.

• Closing a sidewalk gap along the north side of J Street west of Carlson Drive.