Commuters Urged To Use Alternate Routes During Westbound Work On U.S. Highway 50

Caltrans is urging commuters to find alternate routes. Day one of the project Tuesday caused massive delays. 

Traffic on U.S. 50 was backed up Tuesday to Howe Avenue. Crews are removing concrete from the left lanes of the roadway between 18th and 24th Streets and only two or three lanes remain open.

Dennis Keaton with Caltrans says Interstates 5 and 80 were under-utilized alternate routes.

"Maybe the public got a little bit lax because of how well things went for the eastbound side and I'm hoping this was a wakeup call to let them know we're still gonna wind up having some delays," says Keaton.

Thirty-minute delays were common during the busiest commutes with stop and go traffic throughout the day.

Regional Transit [  ] has added two trains each on the orange and blue lines and two more to Folsom during peak commute hours.

This stage of construction is scheduled to last until June 10.

Alternate Routes:

Traveling from Rancho Cordova/Folsom to Downtown Sacramento:

• Use US-50 West to Business-80 North to “N” or “H” Street off-ramps
• Do not stay on US-50 West after Business-80 interchange

Traveling from Elk Grove/Galt to Downtown Sacramento:

• Use I-5 North to “J” Street off ramp
• Do not take Freeway-99 North to US-50 Westbound

Traveling from Rancho Cordova/Folsom to Natomas/Davis:

• Use US-50 West to Business-80 North to Watt Ave North, to I-80 West.
• Do not use US-50 West to Davis or US-50 West to I-5 North to Natomas.

If traveling on Business 80 West during Phase 2 (Closed connector ramp from Business-80 West to US-50 West):

• Get on US 50-E and use Hornet Drive (Howe/Power Inn exit) to turn around onto US-50 West

For WB Business 80 to downtown, use Highway 160

• Hornet Drive closed to Folsom Blvd Traffic
• No access to Folsom Blvd from College Town Drive. For access to College Town Drive (CSUS) from Folsom Boulevard, please use State University Drive.