Empire Ranch Road Interchange DEIR

Empire Ranch Road Interchange with US 50
Draft Environmental Impact Report / Environmental Assessment

The proposed new interchange will be located in the City of Folsom just west of El Dorado Hills (see the Project Area map at the bottom of this web page). This will serve both Folsom and El Dorado Hills. Some comments about this interchange's anticipated importance to EDH are at the bottom of this web page.

Documents for Folsom's environmental studies are contained in the following pdf files linked in the list below. The EDH Citizens Alliance is grateful to the City of Folsom for granting permission to make these documents available on www.edhca.net.

Draft EIR (5,815,694 bytes)
Final Traffic Report (19,119,922 bytes)
Traffic Report Appendices (13,770,523 bytes)
Preliminary Environmental Site Assessment (2,922,135 bytes)
Preliminary Geotechnical Report (2,590,400 bytes)
Noise Study (8,407,415 bytes)
Air Quality Study (4,933,660 bytes)
Biology Study (5,088,952 bytes)
Cultural Study (9,727,953 bytes)

The public review period for the EIR/EA began on December 6, 2006 and ends on January 22, 2007. Printed copies of the EIR/EA documents are available for viewing at the Folsom Public Library (300 Persifer Street) and at the Community Development Department (50 Natoma Street) in Folsom. Oral comments from the public were accepted at a meeting of the City of Folsom Planning Commission on December 20, 2006. Written comments will be accepted through January 22, 2007. Comments should be sent to Gail Furness de Pardo, Interim Assistant Community Development Director, at 50 Natoma Street, Folsom, CA 95630. Alternatively, comments may be sent by email to gdepardo@folsom.ca.us. If you have questions call (916) 355-7222.

Project Area

Empire Ranch Interchange project area

This interchange is likely to be extremely important to future traffic in EDH in these ways:

The Empire Ranch Road interchange will serve as an alternate connection to US 50 from northern EDH, with connections from Sophia Parkway and from EDH Blvd. north of US 50 via Saratoga.
We anticipate development of a southern extension of Empire Ranch Road at least to White Rock Road and probably farther along the west side of the EDH Business Park. This will be essential for reducing traffic congestion that otherwise will radiate from Town Center as EDH residential buildout continues south of US 50 and as Business Park buildout advances.
We anticipate that this interchange will somewhat surface street traffic loads from the future Elk Grove Connector by providing a route to US 50 and to northern parts of EDH that will bypass the area near Town Center which will be at maximum risk of traffic congestion.