Saluting Labor: SouthEast Connector Paves Path to Opportunity

Doyle Radford Jr. on the Grant Line Road Safety and Freight Mobility Project

While the Capital SouthEast Connector will make travel safer and greatly improve traffic flows on local highways, it also has enormous social benefits as a ladder of career opportunities.

“This project creates opportunities and pathways for second-chance individuals,” said Laborers Local 185 Business Manager Doyle Radford Jr. during a recent event. “People who don’t typically get opportunities will get a chance to work in the trades and learn valuable skills to improve their lives.” 

His organization has a robust apprenticeship program for inexperienced or experienced workers in many fields including concrete placement, pipe laying, asphalt paving, erosion control, and the building of fences, bridges, and buildings.

Thousands of workers on the Connector, from heavy equipment operators to welders, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and virtually every trade, will literally pave the way to a better future for the region.

The Capital SouthEast Connector Expressway, stretching from Elk Grove to Highway 50 in El Dorado County, is more than just a roadway project. It is a transformative initiative designed to widen and upgrade a historically dangerous route into a modern, efficient, safe corridor to help meet the transportation needs of our growing population.

This expressway project stands as a testament to how public infrastructure can create equitable opportunities for individuals and enhance the region’s quality of life. By providing jobs and opening doors for career-seeking individuals, the Connector is building pathways to better lives.

The laborers who bring these projects to life do so with skill, dedication, muscle and sweat. Their work is about more than just laying asphalt and concrete; it is about creating opportunities, enhancing safety, and producing economic prosperity.

According to a 2022 economic study, the completed Capital Southeast Connector Expressway will generate $1.8 billion of increased regional economic output, and $770 million of new labor income. It will save commuters between $500 million and $1.5 billion in travel time over 20 years compared to using current roadways.

The Capital SouthEast Connector Expressway is a shining example of what can be achieved through collaboration, determination, and hard work.

The project’s importance was highlighted recently when it received a $25 million federal RAISE grant. The RAISE program—Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity—recognizes projects that contribute to evenhanded outcomes, especially for communities that have historically been underserved.

The RAISE funds will be used to widen a section of Grant Line Road and correct deadly curves and elevations that obstruct the view of oncoming traffic. Longstanding drainage issues that currently cause flooding and hinder first responders during emergencies, will also be fixed.

From an environmental standpoint, the SouthEast Connector Expressway has been designed from its inception to avoid negative environmental impacts where possible, and the modern design will eliminate many negative environmental impacts from the roadway’s current structure.

In partnership with the South Sacramento Habitat Conservation Plan, the project is designed to ensure the long-term viability of area plant and wildlife species while preserving agricultural and ranch land. 

When completed, the Capital SouthEast Connector will reduce greenhouse gases, pollutant emissions, vehicle miles traveled, and regional congestion. The project has obtained environmental permits and has agreed to purchase lands to replace impacted agricultural land or vernal pools.

From every perspective, the Capital SouthEast Connector is a winning proposition. Your support is vital to the project’s successful completion. To express your support or if you have questions, please email us at ConnectorSupport@connectorjpa.com.

Derek Minnema is a civil engineer, and the chief executive leading the Capital SouthEast Connector Joint Powers Authority.