March 27, 2023: Transformational changes are under way as $45.5 million was awarded to 10 projects dedicated to improving walking and biking options throughout the Sacramento region.

The new funding will allow for improvements across the region, ranging from installations of sidewalk connections and curb ramps in Folsom, to new parkway trails in Sacramento County. In Roseville, the implementation of bike lanes and trails will provide clean travel networks for connectivity to jobs and services. At the center of these projects are ambitions to enhance transportation accessibility, which in turn will benefit the livelihoods of communities within the region.

Out of the 10 approved projects, 44 percent are noted to provide meaningful benefits to disadvantaged communities, which translates to $19.9 million in valuable progressions.  

Among the awardees is the City of Elk Grove, which received $6.9 million to build a bridge for biking and walking across Highway 99, as well as a trail gap closure—a project that has been ranked as a top priority by the city’s trail committee. Not only will this bridge boost accessibility, but it is also part of the Ready, Set, Trails! Regional Trail Network, an initiative that strives to establish reliable walking, biking, and rolling routes that connect individuals to daily destinations throughout the region. Kaley Lyons, senior transportation planner for the City of Elk Grove, shared that the city’s dedication to providing transportation choices “is part of a larger vision for the city; providing walking accessibility to Sacramento, Elk Grove will be seen as a city with the ability to move people away from traffic and onto trails.”  

A variety of tools were available to applicants to complete the Active Transportation Plan (ATP) application process and receive funding support. Lyons noted that her team was aided by SACOG’s Project Performance Assessment tool when working on the ATP application. Now that their project has received funding, Elk Grove’s capital program division manager, Christina Castro, reported that the city is quickly pursuing the project’s implementation to set off their vision for trails that will be used for community biking events, hiking activities, and increased interconnectivity with the Sacramento area.

Cities with similar projects funded by ATP are additionally beginning to kick off their plans, with the ATP grant program sparking the necessary foundation for allowing these progressions to be fulfilled.