Board approves Carson Crossing Drive agreement after DOT says coordinated signals will limit congestion

The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 18 approved a road-improvement agreement for Gateway El Dorado Hills that paves Carson Crossing Drive and adds traffic signals intended to serve future commercial and industrial development.

Rafael Martinez, director of transportation for El Dorado County, told the board the Department of Transportation reviewed queuing, level-of-service and synchronization and expects the new signals to be coordinated using intelligent transportation systems technology. "This signal is going to be approximately 1,300 feet away from Suncast," Martinez said, and the department intends to connect the new signals into a fiber-optic conduit so signals can "talk to one another" and optimize progression and platooning.

The agreement before the board authorizes the chair to sign a road improvement contract between the county and developer Pacific Realty Associates LP. Martinez said the road will be maintained by the developer, not the county, and that DOT will require conduit installation to enable future signal coordination.

Residents who spoke during the public-comment period said they remained concerned about six new signals within a 2.4-mile corridor and urged the board to consider alternate designs, including roundabouts. "There has not been any public studies done in terms of the impact of this road onto Carson Crossing Road," said resident Robert Williams, who said the new connection could increase neighborhood cut-through traffic.

Martinez said a roundabout was considered but rejected for this location because of constraints including a nearby creek and required footprint, and because the geometry favored a signal. He said the county will keep options such as turn lanes in its mitigation toolbox for future development.

Supervisor questions focused on spacing between signals, the potential for spillover congestion on Latrobe Road, and public outreach timing. The board voted to approve the agreement; staff recorded the motion as passing by voice vote.

The county’s DOT said it will continue to work with the applicant and nearby residents on mitigation and future connectivity to reduce truck traffic on neighborhood routes. The road will be built, per the agreement, to serve the uses proposed in the Gateway project and will remain under private maintenance unless a future change is negotiated.