A long-envisioned connection between Folsom’s north and south trail systems is now officially moving ahead, following the Folsom City Council’s approval Tuesday night of a design and engineering contract for the Highway 50 Class I Trail Undercrossing and Trail Improvements Project.
The council voted December 9 to authorize a $497,312 agreement with Wood Rodgers, Inc. to complete the engineering, environmental clearance, and design documents for the new trail undercrossing, which will create the first Class I connection across Highway 50 within city limits. The total budget for the design phase, including staff time, is $572,312. Funding will come from Folsom Plan Area impact fees, Transportation Development Act funds, and Measure A allocations. undercrossing
The project site runs parallel to Placerville Road within the Sacramento-Placerville Transportation Corridor, south from Iron Point Road, where it will link to the existing Class I trail on the south side of the highway. Officials emphasized that no such connection exists today, leaving bicycle and pedestrian users dependent on surface streets and crossings that are not designed to handle growing trail demands.
In her report to the City Council, Parks and Recreation Director Kelly Gonzalez noted that the project has been identified for years as one of the city’s most critical active-transportation needs. “This project is listed in the Active Transportation Plan as a ‘Phase One – High-Priority’ improvement,” she wrote, explaining that it would “complete the critical gap in Folsom’s only planned Class I trail connection to the Folsom Plan Area.” Gonzalez added that once complete, the undercrossing would become “the only Class I connection between the 55 miles of Class I trails north of Highway 50 and the existing and planned 30 miles of Class I trails south of Highway 50.” undercrossing
The City Council had previously authorized the city to pursue State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) funding for the project, and in August the Sacramento Area Council of Governments recommended a $1.274 million construction-phase grant. Gonzalez said staff are currently coordinating with Caltrans and SACOG to have the grant formally programmed by the California Transportation Commission in early 2026. “Staff will return to the City Council at a future date, following CTC approval, to accept the grant award,” she explained in the report. “To avoid unnecessary delays in delivering this project to Folsom residents and trail users, staff desire to proceed with completing the design phase using local funds in order to move directly to construction once the STIP grant funds have been programmed.” undercrossing
The project encompasses three major improvement components: construction of the Class I undercrossing; safety upgrades to the existing Class I trail connecting north of Highway 50 to Iron Point Road, including improvements at the East Bidwell Street/Iron Point crosswalks; and pavement rehabilitation along Placerville Road from south of the Hampton Inn to McCarthy Way. Each of these segments will be included in Wood Rodgers’ design work, which city staff described as essential to building a fully connected, modernized, and safer trail system serving both existing neighborhoods and the rapidly expanding Folsom Ranch area.
City staff said the consultant selection process was rigorous. Four firms submitted proposals in response to the city’s request, and a joint review panel from Public Works and Parks & Recreation evaluated each submission based on experience, qualifications, technical approach, and understanding of the project’s unique challenges. Wood Rodgers earned the highest average score, with staff highlighting what Gonzalez described as the company’s “superior understanding of the project constraints” and “innovative approaches to addressing Caltrans coordination for both the trail undercrossing and pavement rehabilitation components.” Staff also praised the firm’s “well-rounded team with strong technical expertise and a proven track record of success on similar types of projects.” undercrossing
Because this work falls under the state’s qualifications-based selection requirements for professional engineering services, the city was not allowed to consider cost proposals until after the top-ranked firm was identified. Only then was pricing negotiated, with the recommended contract amount finalized at $497,312.
Gonzalez emphasized that moving ahead with design now is critical to keeping the project on schedule and maximizing the benefit of the pending grant funds. “Completing the design now gives us readiness,” she noted, explaining that having shovel-ready plans will allow the city to transition directly into construction once STIP funding is fully authorized.
Environmental review will also be completed as part of the design phase. The consultant team will prepare documentation required under both the California Environmental Quality Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. Gonzalez told council members that staff will return at a later date seeking certification of the environmental documents before construction can begin. undercrossing
City estimates place construction costs at roughly $1.7 million, but those figures will be updated after preliminary engineering is complete. The STIP grant is expected to fund the majority of construction, supplemented by Measure A funding and other transportation allocations.
For Folsom residents, particularly those in Folsom Ranch, city officials say the project will finally close a longstanding gap that prevents seamless, safe travel between neighborhoods, shopping centers, schools, and major open-space assets on both sides of the highway. Gonzalez stated in the staff report that creating this link has been part of the city’s vision for years and said advancing the project now ensures that “once funding is finalized, the city can move straight into construction.”
The design process will begin immediately following council approval, with additional updates expected throughout 2026 as engineering and environmental work progresses.
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