After careful deliberation by the Community Advisory Committee (CAC), options for improving Hazel Avenue have been reduced from nine to four. The action, taken by the CAC at their March 14 meeting, culminates an eight month effort (Phase I) to select a short list of alternatives to be carried forward for more detailed consideration. Working closely with the Hazel Study team and a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), the CAC selected the following alternatives for more in depth evaluation:

1. Bicycle, Pedestrian and Bus Emphasis: This alternative maintains the existing four travel lanes but focuses on alternative modes of travel other than the automobile. A project of this nature would improve bicycle and pedestrian access along the corridor and would include enhanced transit improvements.

2. Arterial Upgrade with Landscaped Median: This alternative also maintains four travel lanes but would convert the existing dual left-turn lane to a landscaped median. This strategy would separate conflicting left-turn movements by moving all left-turn traffic to intersection for signalized U-turn movements.

3. General Purpose Road Widening (to 108'): This alternative would widen Hazel Avenue (by approximately 28 feet) to six lanes to provide additional travel capacity, as well as, improved bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

4. General Purpose Road Widening (to 146'): This alternative would widen Hazel Avenue (by approximately 66 feet) to six lanes to provide additional travel capacity. Parkway-type features including a pedestrian path, landscaped areas and sound walls (where appropriate) would be included.

Five options, initially developed by the CAC in the long list of alternatives, were eliminated from further consideration. These include: the Bus Enhancement and Arterial HOV Lane Alternatives (considered not cost-effective and unlikely to produce substantial congestion relief); the Frontage Road Alternative (considered inappropriate and of limited benefit for a corridor such as Hazel); the Arterial Upgrade with Dual Left-Turn Lane Alternative (likely to be addressed in the evaluation of other selected alternatives and the no-build alternative); and, the Reversible Lane Alternative (considered impractical in a primarily residential corridor due to required unsightly signage and presented operational challenges at signalized intersections).

During Phase II of the Corridor Study, a more detailed look at the alternatives carried forward will be conducted under the guidance of the CAC, TAC, and County. A number of evaluation criteria will be considered as well as the key study goals which include decreasing congestion, providing aesthetic enhancements, and improving safety and recreational access.

"The commitment of the CAC members is impressive. They have volunteered many hours to analyze and assess divergent issues and technical information. Most importantly, they have infused a 'community perspective' into this project," said Theron Roschen, Project Manager with the County of Sacramento.

"The goal of the Hazel Avenue Corridor Study is to identify the best means of accommodating motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians and residents along the two-mile section of Hazel Avenue from Gold Country Boulevard to Madison Avenue - the section of the corridor experiencing the most congestion. For the purpose of evaluation, the CAC chose alternatives that had practical potential to meet the study goals and were different enough from one another to make the evaluation and comparison of the strengths and weaknesses of each alternatives worthwhile." according to Roschen.

The public can learn more about the Hazel Avenue Corridor Study by visiting the Web site at http://www.hazelavenue.org. Comments on the Corridor Study may be submitted directly via the project Web site or to the project Information Line at (916) 874-6178, or directed to Theron Roschen, Project Manager, Sacramento County Department of Transportation, 906 G Street, Suite 510, Sacramento, CA 95814, or by e-mail at roschent@SacCounty.net.

The Sacramento County Department of Transportation is dedicated to providing a safe and efficient transportation system that achieves community mobility for citizens, businesses and industry within Sacramento County.