FOLSOM—The City of Folsom is moving forward with long-awaited accessibility and safety upgrades at one of its key intersections after the City Council approved acceptance of a $42,000 grant from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. The funding will help support the Glenn Drive and School Street Intersection Improvements Project, a plan aimed at modernizing pedestrian access and bringing the crossing into full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The project, located in Folsom’s Central Business District, serves as a critical connector between Glenn Drive and the city’s Historic District. According to Interim Public Works Director Marcus Yasutake, who outlined the details in his staff report to the council, two corners of the intersection already feature updated ADA-compliant ramps, but the remaining corners remain out of compliance.
“By accepting this grant, the city is able to move forward with needed improvements that enhance both safety and accessibility for all who travel through this important intersection,” Yasutake shared in his staff report presented to Folsom Council.
The scope of the work includes installing new ADA ramps, removing outdated drainage inlets, and regrading sidewalks, curbs, and gutters. The city will also install new drainage inlets connected to the existing storm drain system, mill and replace asphalt across the intersection, and add new thermoplastic crosswalks and stop bars. Officials say the upgrades will not only meet accessibility standards but also improve overall pedestrian safety.
The city initially identified the project as an eligible use of CDBG funds in December 2024. While there were delays in processing through the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA), Folsom elected to award the construction contract earlier this summer to keep the project moving. In June, the council approved a $118,100 agreement with B&M Civil LLC for the work, funded through the state’s SB1 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Fund.
Since then, new challenges have emerged. In April, city crews discovered a sinkhole on Glenn Drive roughly 200 feet from the project site, caused by a failing 24-inch storm drain pipe. While a temporary repair was made, further inspections showed that a larger replacement project will eventually be required along Glenn Drive between School Street and Wales Drive. To avoid future disruption, staff requested B&M Civil extend new 24-inch pipe upstream past School Street as part of the current project.
That addition, combined with the ADA upgrades, required a change order in the amount of $38,082, which the council authorized alongside acceptance of the grant. With the adjustment, the total not-to-exceed contract amount with B&M Civil rises to $167,992.
City staff emphasized that keeping the original contingency funds intact is important, given the potential for unforeseen site conditions once construction begins. The CDBG grant will offset a portion of the ADA-related costs, while the storm drain work will be covered under the SB1 fund allocation.
Both state and federal environmental reviews determined that the project is exempt from further environmental study under CEQA and NEPA.
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