NEWS RELEASE						 November 5, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE		Contacts: 
      Dan Regan - SACDOT (591-0047)
						Alane Masui - Regional Transit (869-8621) 
			
Watt Avenue @ Folsom Boulevard 
Light Rail Bridge & Intersection Improvements
~Ribbon-Cutting Event: November 6 @ 10:30 A.M.~

      Sacramento CA – The Sacramento County Department of Transportation (SACDOT) and the Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) are holding a ribbon-cutting event to celebrate construction completion for a light rail bridge and roadway improvements at the Watt Avenue @ Folsom Boulevard intersection. This project has eliminated crossing delays for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians caused by light rail train crossings and has improved safety and the flow of traffic through the intersection. Information about the ribbon-cutting event is as follows:

Date/Time	Friday, November 6 @ 10:30 A.M.

Location	Watt/Manlove Light Rail Station 
      -Park & Ride Lot (entrance on South Watt)

Speakers	Supervisor Chair Susan Peters
		Supervisor Jimmie Yee
		Supervisor Don Nottoli
		Sacramento City Councilman & RT Chair, Steve Cohn	
		Mike Penrose, SACDOT Director
							  
      According to Mike Penrose, Director of the Department of Transportation, “By building a bridge for light rail trains over Watt Avenue, we have significantly reduced
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congestion through the Watt Avenue at Folsom Boulevard intersection. Prior to construction of the bridge, 8 light rail trains passed across Watt Avenue during peak commute hours. Now that light rail trains travel on a bridge over Watt Avenue, this source of delay has been eliminated and roadway users now have a better commute.  In addition, we have made a number of improvements to the intersection.” 
      Mike Wiley, RT General Manager/CEO, added, “With increasing traffic congestion, concerns about air quality and the cost of gasoline, more and more people are choosing transit. In addition to adding safety to a very congested intersection, the grade separation will improve light rail service reliability and allows for future Limited Stop Express Service on the Gold Line.  RT is pleased to be a part of this project.” 
      Watt Avenue is a primary north-south arterial street, a designated truck route for business and industry in the Florin-Perkins area and is one of only three American River crossings in the County unincorporated area. The combination of these factors made improving the Watt Avenue @ Folsom Boulevard intersection a top priority for Sacramento County.  
      Total construction costs of $22 million were funded by Measure A sales tax, the Federal Regional Surface Transportation Program and RT.  Viking Construction was the prime construction contractor for the project.  RT contributed in-kind design and planning and managed light rail track relocation work throughout the project.   Major elements of the project included: 
* Construction of a bridge for light rail trains over Watt Avenue.
* Moving the light rail platform 100 feet east of its current location to accommodate track changes needed for the new bridge.    
* Widening Watt Avenue from two to three lanes from Folsom Boulevard to Kiefer Boulevard. 
* Dedicated right-turn lanes on all roadway approaches.
* All new ADA curb ramps, pedestrian signals and bike lanes at the intersection. 
* New landscaping throughout the project area.
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 	 Please contact Dan Regan (SACDOT) at 591-0047 (regand@saccounty.net) or Alane Masui (RT) at 869-8621 (amasui@sacrt.com), for additional information. 

Visuals to Support Story: Elected officials will cut a ribbon to signify project completion.     

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WATT @ FOLSOM LIGHT RAIL BRIDGE
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Municipal Services Agency
Department of Transportation
Michael J. Penrose, Director




County of Sacramento
Terry Schutten, County Executive
        Paul J. Hahn, Agency Administrator


               Design & Planning: 906 G Street, Suite 510, Sacramento, CA 95814 . Phone: 916-874-6291 . Fax: 916-874-7831
               Operations & Maintenance: 4100 Traffic Way, Sacramento, CA 95827 . Phone: 916-875-5123 . Fax: 916-875-5363
               www.sacdot.com