Bennett Engineering Services is pleased to announce the selection of the City of Citrus Heights’ Mariposa Avenue Safe Routes to School project as an APWA Sacramento Chapter “Project of the Year” in the transportation category. This project was the first to install green-painted bike lanes in the City of Citrus Heights and has become the catalyst for other green-painted bike lane projects throughout the city.
Bennett Engineering Services provided engineering design and project delivery services for the final, fourth phase of the project, resulting in the complete 1.2-mile Safe Route to School corridor providing complete street connections between Greenback Lane and Madison Avenue, including a vital connection to transit service on Greenback Lane. This project directly benefitted students and residents accessing Skycrest Elementary School, San Juan High School, and San Juan Park. Phase 4 of the Project completed the bicycle and pedestrian network between Northeast Circle and Madison Avenue including installation of the following items:
- New sidewalks to provide continuous sidewalks on both sides of the roadway
- Upgraded sidewalks and driveways for ADA compliance
- New curb and gutter
- New bike lanes
- Drainage improvements
- New street lighting
- Upgrades to the traffic signal at Madison Avenue and
Mariposa Avenue - Pavement rehabilitation and resurfacing
The project included a community engagement program to inform and involve the community throughout the entire process. Engagement included translation services upon request (all phases) and communication in various languages including Spanish and Russian (Phase 4), using flyers and outreach materials as some of the methods used to reach community members in the project area. The Skycrest Elementary School principal and staff members were also instrumental in communicating with their students and families, assisting with translation services, and working with the adjacent neighborhoods to obtain feedback and engage them in the design process. The city also held most of the community workshops and informational meetings at the school and during other school-sponsored special events, to increase accessibility and engagement opportunities.
Planning of any capital improvement project typically includes coordination with the process to review redevelopment of properties adjacent to the project. One such development along the Phase 4 segment included a 46-unit housing development that was conditioned to install sidewalk and street lighting along its Mariposa Avenue frontage. This public/private partnership not only helped to increase the walkability and safety of the residents but also reduced the scope of the grant funds needed to complete the Safe Routes to School project. This allowed the city’s limited resources to be expended in the most efficient way possible.