The City of Citrus Heights marked a milestone by breaking ground for the Arcade-Cripple Creek Trail Project, located near the intersection of Greenback Lane and Sunrise Boulevard on, Tuesday, November 1st, 2022.
The groundbreaking event celebrated the start of construction for the 2.9-mile multimodal trail between Sunrise Boulevard (near Arcade Creek Park Preserve) and Wachtel Way. The route will primarily follow an existing Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) electric corridor easement crossing Citrus Heights and unincorporated Orangevale. It connects several neighborhoods to eight parks, multiple schools, and Sunrise MarketPlace.
The project marks the first city-wide trail effort in Citrus Heights. “This project increases walkability and safety by improving conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists throughout our community’s unique system of creekside trails, passive open space, and parks,” said Citrus Heights City Manager Ashley Feeney.
The groundbreaking event featured speeches from the Mayor of Citrus Heights, Porsche Middleton, Congressman Ami Bera, Assemblymember Ken Cooley, Sunrise Recreation and Parks District Administrator Dave Mitchell, Orangevale Recreation and Parks District Administrator Barry Ross, and City of Citrus Heights City Manager Ashley Feeney. The City has partnered with Sunrise and Orangevale Recreation and Parks Districts and other local supporters to bring the trail project to life. “We can’t accomplish these community-enhancing projects without partners like them. From acquiring [grant] funds to navigating the requirements for those funds, we are grateful for their collaboration so that together we can bring infrastructure improvements like this to the City while maintaining fiscal prudence,” said City Manager Feeney during his remarks.
The City of Citrus Heights pursued competitive grants and leveraged various supplemental funding sources for trail planning and construction including a $6.2 million CalTrans Active Transportation Grant, Per Capita Grant funding, and Park Impact Fees. This fiscally prudent strategy has resulted in no general fund dollars used so far to create this amenity for the community.
The Arcade-Cripple Creek Trail Project, anticipated to complete construction in 2023, is part of a broader vision to provide multi-use trails to connect to neighboring communities, amenities, and ultimately the entire Sacramento region. The project will be constructed in phases, moving from west to east (starting at Sunrise Blvd and ending at Wachtel Way). Lane closures on Sunrise Boulevard will occur between October 17, 2022, and November 18, 2022. Opportunities for tree plantings in partnership with the community and the Sacramento Tree Foundation will occur near the end of the project buildout.