Council discussion highlights congestion concerns, infrastructure priorities and long-term planning strategy
he Folsom City Council on Tuesday advanced a key step in pursuing millions of dollars in regional transportation funding, advancing a broad slate of roadway, traffic and pedestrian improvement projects aimed at addressing congestion, connectivity and long-term growth across the city.
The council voted 5-0 to authorize city staff to submit up to nine grant applications through the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ 2026 federal funding cycle, positioning Folsom to compete for a share of funding expected to total more than $200 million across the six-county region.
Although the item was initially placed on the consent calendar, Vice Mayor Anna Rohrbough requested it be pulled for discussion to allow for public review and full council input on the city’s priorities.
“I don’t really have any issues with any of these priorities,” Rohrbough said. “But I think anything like this that’s prioritizing major projects — the council should all kind of buy in on it in public rather than a consent item.”
City staff outlined the structure of the highly competitive program, which is administered by SACOG and distributes federal transportation dollars through Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) and Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) programs. The current cycle covers funding years 2028 through 2030 and, for the first time, includes all six counties in the region under a performance-based framework.
According to staff, approximately $203 million is expected to be available regionwide, with Sacramento County projected to receive a significant portion of that total.
Zach Bosch, a senior civil engineer with the city’s Public Works Department, told the council that projects were selected and prioritized based on a range of criteria, including readiness to meet strict program timelines, cost effectiveness, funding match requirements and alignment with both city and regional planning goals.
Those priorities resulted in a project list that spans multiple categories, including roadway preservation, system performance improvements and clean air and mobility initiatives.
Among the most prominent projects are several major roadway rehabilitation efforts, including pavement improvements along East Bidwell Street, Prairie City Road and Iron Point Road—corridors that serve as key transportation arteries for both residents and businesses.
The city is also seeking funding for significant pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, including a proposed overcrossing on East Bidwell Street and another on Folsom Boulevard near the Glenn Drive light rail station. Both projects are designed to improve safety and strengthen connections between neighborhoods, trails and transit.
Additional proposals include converting the East Natoma Street and Folsom Lake Crossing intersection into a roundabout to reduce delays and improve safety, as well as advancing Phase 1 of the Empire Ranch Road interchange over U.S. Highway 50—an improvement tied closely to ongoing growth in the Folsom Ranch area.
Projects in the city’s core are also part of the package, including complete streets improvements along East Bidwell Street in the central business district and active transportation enhancements along Riley Street connecting East Bidwell Street to Sutter Street.
During council discussion, Rohrbough emphasized that the selected projects reflect many of the traffic and infrastructure concerns frequently raised by residents.
“These are major things our public really cares about,” she said, pointing to corridors such as Riley Street, East Bidwell Street and Empire Ranch Road. “We’re on it. We’re doing it well.”
She also noted that while she had previously opposed the Folsom Boulevard pedestrian overcrossing, she supported including it in the grant application package and expressed confidence in how staff prioritized the projects.
Rohrbough acknowledged that it can be challenging for the public to understand how long projects take, particularly as development continues to expand in areas like Folsom Ranch.
“Folsom Ranch was planned years ago. We’re finally getting to the stage where we actually can go out for these grant opportunities to solve some of the issues that we’re facing,” she said.
City staff previously coordinated across departments, including Public Works, Community Development and Parks and Recreation, to identify and rank projects based on adopted plans such as the city’s General Plan, Capital Improvement Program and transportation safety strategies.
The council’s action does not guarantee funding but authorizes the city to formally compete in the regional process. If successful, Folsom would be required to provide a local funding match of roughly 11.47 percent and return to the council to accept the awards and identify funding sources.
In previous SACOG funding cycles, the city has secured more than $11.5 million for projects including interchange upgrades, traffic system improvements and streetscape enhancements.
Applications for the 2026 funding cycle will be submitted in phases beginning in May, with final award decisions expected later this year. If approved, funded projects would move forward between 2028 and 2030, helping the city leverage federal and regional dollars to address transportation demands as Folsom continues to grow.
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