Scheduled improvements at 3rd St. and Sunset
Updated Dates: June 10 – July 29
Rocklin, CA- Work to upgrade the intersection of Sunset Blvd. and 3rd St. will begin on Monday, June 10, and is scheduled to be completed by Monday, July 29.
3rd St. will be closed between Sunset Blvd. and Willard Way for the duration of the project with no vehicle access from or to Sunset Blvd. A detour will be provided. Lane closures on Sunset Blvd. will also occur between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. for the duration of the project.
In addition, a sidewalk detour will require pedestrians to walk on the east side of Sunset Blvd. rather than the west side, between 3rd St. and Pacific St.
The current left turn lane on Sunset Blvd. onto 3rd St. has a capacity for nine cars, which quickly fills up during peak traffic hours. In addition, the existing drainage-a valley gutter-requires cars to slow down before crossing from Sunset Blvd. to Third St., adding to congestion within the intersection.
Improvement plans include extending the left turn lane to allow the queuing of roughly 18 cars and replacing the valley gutter with more efficient drainage. The upgrades will reduce traffic congestion during peak hours significantly.
Residents use the intersection to drop off and pick up their students from Springview Middle School, located on 5th St., and to drive to Johnson-Springview Community Park, one of the largest parks in the City. The intersection also houses Dutch Bros. coffee shop, a popular drive-through coffee chain open 24 hours. These factors make the intersection highly trafficked during peak hours.
“A longer turning pocket will improve vehicle flow on Sunset and allow for faster and safe movement of cars turning from Sunset Blvd. to Third St.,” Public Services manager Matt McClure said.
Four construction companies offered bids on the project, and McGuire and Hester of Sacramento was awarded the job with a bid of $365,740. The project will be partially funded by money Rocklin has received from California’s SB 1 “gas tax,” passed in 2017, as well as other state transportation funds.
