Developer-funded agreement moves major traffic, safety and pavement improvements forward along one of Folsom’s busiest corridors
A long-planned set of traffic, safety and roadway upgrades along East Bidwell Street is officially moving into the design and engineering phase after the Folsom City Council approved a $1.12 million professional services agreement Tuesday night.
The approval allows the city to begin detailed engineering and preliminary design work for the East Bidwell Street Operational Improvements Project, a comprehensive effort focused on reducing congestion, improving intersection operations and addressing pavement conditions along a heavily traveled stretch of roadway between Scholar Way and the eastbound U.S. 50 on-ramp.
City officials describe East Bidwell Street as one of Folsom’s most critical arterial corridors, serving as a primary connector for residential neighborhoods, commercial centers and major medical facilities.
“The East Bidwell Street corridor is one of the City’s most heavily traveled arterial routes and a key connection to commercial, residential, and medical destinations,” Public Works Director and City Engineer Rebecca Neves said in the staff report prepared for the council. “Operational improvements are necessary to address congestion, improve safety, and maintain acceptable levels of service as development continues in the area.”
The project is closely tied to ongoing development in the Broadstone area, including expansion of the Sutter medical campus and surrounding commercial and residential uses. Under previously approved development agreements, private developers are required to fund traffic mitigation improvements needed to offset project-generated impacts along East Bidwell Street and Iron Point Road.
As outlined in city documents, the developer funding model ensures that improvements necessitated by new growth are paid for by those projects, rather than drawing from the city’s general fund.
“The development agreement establishes that the city will deliver the required East Bidwell Street operational improvements as a capital improvement project, aligning infrastructure construction with the phasing of private development,” Neves said in the report.
The scope of improvements to be advanced through design includes extending and adding left-turn pockets along East Bidwell Street, converting an existing westbound through lane at Broadstone Parkway into an additional left-turn lane, and making targeted intersection upgrades at East Bidwell Street and Iron Point Road.
Additional elements include construction of a new northbound left-turn lane, a new right-turn movement connecting Iron Point Road and East Bidwell Street, and enhanced bicycle and pedestrian connections that tie into the U.S. 50 undercrossing and the East Bidwell Rail Trail.
In addition to traffic capacity improvements, the project incorporates pavement repairs and long-term pavement preservation along the corridor. City staff said combining pavement rehabilitation with intersection and signal improvements reduces overall disruption by minimizing repeated lane closures.
“By coordinating pavement rehabilitation with traffic and signal improvements, the city can bring the corridor to a consistent condition while extending pavement life and reducing future maintenance needs,” Neves said.
The council approved a contract with Wood Rodgers Inc. to provide engineering, design, right-of-way coordination and public outreach services for the project. The firm was selected following a competitive request for proposals process that included written evaluations and interviews conducted by city staff and a representative from the development team.
City staff noted that the final contract amount reflects a negotiated scope reduction from the consultant’s original proposal, resulting in a lower overall cost while maintaining required project elements.
Design work will include surveying and mapping, geotechnical investigations, traffic operations analysis, utility coordination, Caltrans permitting, right-of-way determinations and a robust public outreach effort. Outreach activities are expected to include public meetings, project updates and direct communication with nearby businesses and residents as plans advance.
A preliminary project schedule presented to the council shows surveying and mapping beginning in early 2026, followed by geotechnical work and the start of design later that spring. Final design and right-of-way activities are expected to extend into early 2027, with construction tentatively targeted for mid-2027, pending completion of design, permitting and environmental review.
Of the $1.12 million approved for design and engineering, the majority is funded through developer contributions tied to the Broadstone Crossing development, with a smaller portion allocated from Measure A gas tax funds specifically for pavement rehabilitation work. City staff emphasized that the city’s transportation funds used for the project are fully offset by private funding.
“This partnership model ensures development pays its fair share for the impacts it creates while allowing the city to deliver coordinated improvements that benefit the broader community,” Neves said.
City officials said staff will return to the City Council with updates as design milestones are reached, including presentation of final plans before construction approval is requested.
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