The City of Folsom is advancing the long-planned Riley Street Safety Improvement Project, a major effort to improve pedestrian safety and connectivity along one of the community’s busiest corridors.
City leaders have approved a design and engineering consultant services agreement with R.E.Y. Engineers, Inc. in the amount of $659,964, clearing the way for preliminary design and environmental review to begin. The action also authorizes a partial Notice to Proceed for project approval and environmental design tasks not to exceed $281,278, funded by $400,000 in federal dollars and $259,964 from the city’s Transportation Improvement Fund.
The project, formerly known as the Riley Street Sidewalks Project, will address longstanding safety issues along Riley Street between East Bidwell Street and Sutter Street. The stretch is a critical connection between Sutter Middle School, the Central Business District, and Historic Folsom. A 2020 feasibility study prepared by R.E.Y. Engineers segmented the corridor into three areas and identified significant deficiencies in sidewalk continuity, ADA compliance, storm drainage, and pedestrian crossings. Missing sidewalks, non-compliant curb ramps, outdated drainage infrastructure, and steep grades between Mormon Street and Sutter Street were all noted as hazards in need of correction.
In 2022, Congressman Ami Bera’s office issued a call for local projects that could qualify for federal funding. Folsom Public Works staff submitted Riley Street for consideration, and the project was ultimately awarded $4 million in Congressionally Directed Spending, contingent on a city cost share of $518,243. Of that total, $400,000 was allocated for preliminary engineering, with $200,000 set aside for right-of-way acquisition and $3.4 million designated for construction. City Council authorized acceptance of the preliminary design funding last year, and future agreements will be brought forward for the right-of-way and construction phases.
The Riley Street project builds on the city’s broader “Complete Streets” goals by not only addressing sidewalks and accessibility but also incorporating pedestrian-friendly features such as landscaping, lighting, and public seating. It also continues efforts to improve drainage in the area, following upgrades completed on Natoma Street in 2018 and 2023.
The city issued a Request for Proposals in May 2025 seeking a qualified consulting team for design, permitting, environmental compliance, and construction support. More than 15 firms downloaded the RFP, but only R.E.Y. Engineers submitted a proposal. Staff reviewed the submittal and found the firm fully qualified. An initial fee proposal of $1,075,751.73 was negotiated down to $659,964 to better align with available funding for this stage of the project.
Preliminary engineering will include topographic surveys, utility coordination, right-of-way determination, conceptual civil and landscape design, and public outreach. Once that phase is complete, city staff will return to Council with options to proceed with final design and seek authorization to initiate the right-of-way phase using the $200,000 federal allocation.
Financially, the project is already programmed into the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program and appears in the city’s approved FY 2025–26 Capital Improvement Program. Of the $587,902 budgeted for the project in the Transportation Improvement Fund, $78,314 has been spent to date. This week’s action appropriates an additional $170,340 from the fund to cover the agreement costs, which will be reimbursed by the federal grant.
Environmental review will take place during the design process. The project is expected to qualify for a categorical exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act as improvements to an existing facility, but the consultant team will prepare the necessary studies and documentation to confirm compliance under both CEQA and the National Environmental Policy Act.
With design funding secured and R.E.Y. Engineers set to begin work, the Riley Street Safety Improvement Project is poised to deliver long-awaited upgrades for students, residents, and visitors traveling through one of Folsom’s most important gateways.
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