Download Final Study (3.7 mb)
Download Executive Summary (1 mb)

Executive Summary

Figure ES-1: Placerville Drive Corridor and Proposed Cross-Sections

The Placerville Drive Multi-Modal Corridor Mobility Study was a community-based transportation study focused on Placerville Drive in Placerville, California between the limits of the Placerville Drive-Forni Road interchange on the west and the new Placerville Drive/US50 interchange on the east. Working over a nine-month period in 2008, a diverse Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) developed a concept for Placerville Drive that sets a vision to integrate future land use changes with a future destination/down-scaled, multimodal roadway facility.

Five SAC meetings and two Open Houses were utilized to fully develop the Purpose & Need for the project, and to identify, “vet,” and screen a set of roadway concepts with the community. As a culmination of this process, a recommended alternative for Placerville Drive was developed by the SAC.

The roadway concept recommended by the SAC was reviewed and accepted by the City of Placerville Planning Commission and City Council on December 2nd and 9th, 2008 respectively. Following this, the El Dorado County Transportation Commission Board accepted the recommended roadway concept on December 11, 2008.

The recommended/adopted roadway concept consists of changing the existing 2-lane and 3-lane roadway which has no median control or landscaping and serves as a “regional/commuter” facility into a “destination/downscaled” roadway. The new roadway will have a landscaped median, controlled left-turns at select locations and intersections, and will include sidewalks, bicycle lanes and room for transit service needs. In addition, the Hangtown Creek Bridge will be reconstructed and is envisioned as widened for four-lanes, yet utilized as a two-lane facility until the additional capacity is required for traffic service. The recommended/ adopted cross-sections consist of the following components and are illustrated in Exhibit E-1 below:

• At the US50/Forni Road/Placerville Drive, implementation of the proposed interchange redesign as previously adopted by the City of Placerville.
• Between US50/Forni Road/Placerville Drive interchange to Ray Lawyer Drive, implementation of a four-lane (4L) cross-section plus bike lanes and medians.
• Between Ray Lawyer Drive and Cold Springs Road, a wider than required two-lane (2L) cross-section plus bike lanes and medians that is “convertible” to a four-lane (4L) cross-section plus bike lanes and medians. The conversion is slated to occur if and when necessary as dictated by traffic volumes. Improvements elsewhere in the corridor may provide alternate opportunities for regional travel.
• Between Cold Springs Road and the newly improved and extended US50/Main Street/Placerville Drive interchange, a two-lane (2L) cross-section plus bike lanes and medians.

The estimated cost to construct all components of the recommended/adopted concept is approximately $15.6 million (in 2008 dollars).

The “next steps” in this project development effort will be to secure funding, obtain environmental clearance, complete detailed design and construct the project. It is likely the project development will be phased by segment. In addition, as the recommended/adopted cross-section for Placerville Drive varies from the adopted General Plan concept for Placerville Drive, a City of Placerville General Plan amendment is also envisioned as necessary prior to moving forward.