Elk Grove to Finish, Maintain ‘Gateway’ Interchange Landscaping

City will take on responsibility from CalTrans

In a sign of the State of California’s continued fiscal woes, the City of Elk Grove has decided to pay for the landscaping of two major interchanges along Highway 99.

By a 3-0 vote, the Elk Grove City Council decided during their Wednesday, August 25 meeting to pay for the completion of landscaping and continued maintenance of the Sheldon Road and Grantline Road interchanges.

According to a staff report from the city’s public works division, the landscaping for the interchanges was deferred and removed from the construction projects so that the city could complete the interchange structures while addressing CalTrans concerns regarding landscaping considerations. At the time the city was prepared to proceed with the interchange construction, the state’s Gateway Monument demonstration program was suspended.

Subsequently, CalTrans now permits cities to construct their own gateway projects. Completion of the landscaping and gateway monuments for both interchanges is expected to cost $3 million while annual maintenance for both interchanges is expected to be $100,000.

During last weeks meeting public works manager Fritz Buchman said completion of both interchanges should be done by early next year.