Capital SouthEast Connector
Route information
Maintained by Capital SouthEast Connector Joint Powers Authority (JPA)
Length	34 mi[1] (55 km)
History	Under construction
Major junctions
West end	I-5 in Sacramento County
East end	US 50 in El Dorado County
Location
Country	United States
State	California
Counties	Sacramento, El Dorado
Highway system
County routes in California

The Capital SouthEast Connector is a 34-mile (55 km) planned parkway in California running from Interstate 5 (I-5) to U.S. Route 50 (US 50). The route runs through Sacramento County, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Folsom, and El Dorado County. This project serves as an alternative route to the Greater Sacramento region's current highway system. It consists of four to six lanes of thoroughfare and expressway. Phase I is projected to be completed by 2025, with phase II around 2030–40.

Route description

When completed, the Capital SouthEast Connector (from the west) begins at the I-5/Hood Franklin Road interchange as a four-lane expressway heading east until the intersection with Bruceville Road, where it connects with the existing Kammerer Road as a four- to six-lane thoroughfare. The Capital SouthEast Connector continues over SR 99 to the existing Grant Line Road interchange and continues northeast along Grant Line Road as a four- to six-lane thoroughfare. As it reaches the intersection of Bond Road, this section of the connector becomes the Sheldon Section until it reaches the Calvine Road intersection. This section is also known as the Special Section due to its sensitivity and proximity with the Sheldon community and adjacent homes, development, and business properties; this section is still under environmental and design review and will be one of the last segments completed of the connector.^[2] Heading northeast from Calvine Road towards Rancho Cordova, this section is designated as a four-lane high-speed expressway (speed limits up to 65 mph (105 km/h)) with grade-separated interchanges. As the connector reaches towards the Sacramento–El Dorado county line, it returns to a six-lane thoroughfare ending at the Silva Valley Parkway Interchange.

History

After the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) abandoned the proposed California State Route 143 (SR 143), SR 148, and the extension of SR 65 (from Roseville/I-80 south to Fresno) due to an anti-freeway revolt from local residents during 1970–90, the Sacramento Area Council of Government (SACOG) proposed a new expressway in southeast Sacramento County to alleviate traffic congestion along SR 99 and US 50. With increased suburban development in Elk Grove, Folsom, and El Dorado County, travel time and delays have caused concerns with local residents prompting SACOG to initiate a much needed alternative route from Sacramento's current freeway systems (which all connect to Downtown Sacramento). This resulted in the formation of the Capital SouthEast Connector Joint Powers Authority (JPA) in December 2006.^[3] Along with the board members of the JPA, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Folsom, Sacramento County, and El Dorado County "formalized their collaboration to proceed with planning, environmental review, engineering design and development of what was initially called the Elk Grove-Rancho Cordova-El Dorado Connector Project."^[3] Currently known as the Capital SouthEast Connector, some initial work has begun on the northern end of the project at the Silva Valley interchange in El Dorado County^[4] as well as the Grantline interchange at SR 99. In February 2014, a two-mile (3.2 km), four-lane segment between White Rock Road and Prairie City Road was completed as one of the earliest stages of the new expressway.^[5] The JPA has made it a priority to start from the west (Elk Grove) and east (El Dorado County and Folsom) ends of the project until both ends meet. Phase I of the project is expected to be completed by 2025, pending financing; phase II within 2030–40.

See also

• Placer Parkway

References

External links

• Capital SouthEast Connector home page