Back to School: Prioritizing Safety for Families on Grant Line Road

Vice Mayor Siri Pulipati on the Grant Line Road Safety and Freight Mobility Project

Rancho Cordova City Councilwoman Siri Pulipati had left her son at daycare minutes before her nightmare unfolded. On Grant Line Road, she steered slightly to the right when she saw a wide-body truck barreling toward her.

“I just moved a little to the right, and the next thing I know, my tire hit the edge of the road,” the Pulipati recently recalled. “I blew through the fence and rolled into the middle of the fields. As the ambulance was taking me away, my first thought was, ‘Thank God my child was not in the car with me.’”

While improving traffic flow through the Sacramento region has always been the Capital Southeast Connector Expressway’s focus, improving safety throughout the route has been an equal goal.

The Connector Expressway’s route from Elk Grove to Highway 50 in El Dorado County has always been known for its dangers. During the Gold Rush, it was the rocky dirt track that about 300,000 gold miners used to receive supplies and send their bounty to market. The route is legendary for broken wheels on horse-drawn carts, and dangerously flooded sections during rainstorms. “The threat of banditry and conflicts with Native American tribes also posed significant risks,” noted one historian.

Today’s dangers are related to the number of vehicles speeding along a road designed for travel in past eras. Grant Line Road, a backbone arterial for the south county, poses safety risks for the thousands who rely on it daily. Potholes, sharp curves, and elevations that obstruct the view of oncoming traffic are common, and there are long sections of the road with narrow or essentially no shoulders. Bicycling is a grave risk.

Upon completion, the Capital Southeast Connector Expressway literally eliminates all those problems, and more.

As the school year begins, the familiar challenges of commuting along Grant Line Road are once again at the forefront of concerns for many families in Rancho Cordova and Folsom. The road’s current condition is more than just an inconvenience—it is a danger.

The Capital SouthEast Connector Expressway is not just about repairing a dangerous roadway; it’s about transforming it into a modern, efficient, and safe corridor that meets the needs of our growing population. 

Recently, the project received $25 million in critical federal financial support, underscoring the project’s importance and potential to improve safety and ease congestion.

We will soon be requesting a matching state grant to further advance the work. Securing these additional funds is essential to ensuring that the project can begin widening the road and its shoulders, adding new lanes, and upgrading intersections. The project also includes a new bike and pedestrian path offering safe travel options.

The success of the Capital SouthEast Connector depends not only on the work of engineers and construction crews but also on community support and engagement. Parents and residents can play an active role by staying informed and participating in the process. You can learn more about the project and share your support with elected representatives on our website at www.connectorjpa.com.

Derek Minnema is a father of three young children, a civil engineer, and chief executive leading the Capital SouthEast Connector Joint Powers Authority.