FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Why is the Sacramento County Department of Transportation conducting a study Hazel Avenue?
2. How is the study being conducted?
3. What is the purpose of the Community Advisory Committee?
4. When will the study be complete?
5. How can the public get involved?

The Hazel Avenue corridor is an important route for commuters, local residents, and businesses. Over time, traffic on Hazel Avenue has increased and now exceeds capacity during the morning and evening rush hours. This creates congestion and gridlock not only on the avenue but also through the corridor. The County is conducting this study to identify the problems and possible solutions for the corridor using current conditions and projected future traffic increases. : top :

The County developed a four-step process for the first phase of the study. Each step actively involved the public in the process. These activities included the formation of a Community Advisory Committee and the convening of general public meetings, and an adjacent property owner workshop. Through these outreach activities, the County completed the following steps:

• Identified problems and stakeholder issues and interests
• Developed a long list of potential solutions/alternatives
• Evaluated and screened the long list of alternatives
• Developed a short list of alternatives for further study

A Technical Advisory committee has also been involved to assist in evaluating the feasibility of the ideas and alternatives proposed by the community and its stakeholders. : top :

The Community Advisory Committee played a key role during the study process. Members were selected based on the results of more than 50 stakeholder interviews conducted early in the process. An extra effort was made to ensure that CAC members represent all of the interests of stakeholders along the corridor and in the community. : top:

Phase I of the study concluded with the development of a short list of alternatives in March 2001. These alternatives were further evaluated in Phase II, and on July 23, 2002, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors accepted the 6-Lane Parkway recommendation and directed staff to initiate Phase III, environmental review, for the project. On September 13, 2006, the Board of Supervisors approved the project and the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the Hazel Avenue Improvement Project. 

The Department of Transportation is now moving forward with the design component of this project which will widen Hazel Avenue from four to six lanes from Madison Avenue to US Highway 50 and includes 5-foot bicycle lanes and 10-foot sidewalks separated from the roadway by an 8-foot landscaped buffer strip. View letter to Hazel Avenue Residents.

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Any community member or special interest representative can get involved by continuing to check this Web site for study updates and by attending public open houses. You can also request to be added to the mailing list and receive the study newsletter and upcoming meeting notification by calling the study information line at (916) 874-6178.
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