14 replies to this topic

[Silverado]

Something I've been curious about for a while. Oak Avenue Pkwy seems like an awfully big roadway to simply end in sidestreets at its northern end. The powerline right-of-way continues on from the end up towards the dam. Anybody know if the city ever plans to extend Oak Ave. on up to the Dam Road / new bridge???

[slowthegrowth]

I've often wondered that as well. Was it meant originally to meet up with Oak Ave that crosses Folsom-Auburn Rd?

[Silverado]

QUOTE (slowthegrowth @ Jul 13 2004, 03:57 PM)

I've often wondered that as well. Was it meant originally to meet up with Oak Ave that crosses Folsom-Auburn Rd?

The proximity seems too close for the street names to be a coincidence.

[clearwater]

I am not sure, but I heard that Oak Ave was planned to cross the river, but it was voted down and Folsom Blvd was chosen for the bridge. That explains why both sides just end.

[Terry]

Yes, Oak Avenue Parkway was to continue on a bridge and meet with the Oak Avenue Parkway on the other side of the river. But, Bob Holderness was on the city council back when the bridge was proposed and it would have brought the roadway to close to his home on Saddle Court, so he fought it tooth and nail.

I'm not saying I was in favor or opposed to the bridge, just that it seemed to be a personal issue with him, and not a consideration of the entire population for whom he was elected to represent.

[petro]

I agree with Terry. If the bridge would have goen in on Oak Ave we would not have the Foslom Dam Road Mess we have now. It would have served all residents and comuters better than Lake Natoma Crossing. But thats history. I read a post a couple of months back on this forum that gave a very good explanation of the Oak Ave issue and the councelman.

[pampChefLady]

A long-time resident told me that the people who bought homes that back to that access area were told when they purchased their homes that the land would never be developed. When they city planned to put the road in, they sued and won.

Not sure if that's the whole story, but sounds like a pretty likely one considering how stuff in Folsom seems to work...

[camay2327]

I think, but I am not sure, that Oak Avenue is going to be continued over the river. I think that the new bridge is going to be built so it does connect. If anyone wants me to I will check with the city and see what they say...

[slowthegrowth]

Please do (check)! I haven't heard this as an alternative to the DAM mess we're in now from anyone.

[camay2327]

OK, I just called the City of Folsom planning department and I received the following information. Don't quote me on any of this, but, ....

Oak Avenue will not make a connection from South of the river to North of the river. It will not happen. (Not in the plans)

What seems to be in the works is:

The old dam road that goes from East Natoma Street towards the dam is where the connection will more than likely take place.

Heading from East Natoma Street towards the dam, prior to getting to the dam, the road will veer off to the left side of the dam (South side) and will connect with the new bridge (still to be built) and be connected to some street on the north side of the river. No one seems to know where it will connect on the other (North) side of the river but it will finally connect to Folsom-Auburn road.

That is the best I can do for now.

[slowthegrowth]

Thanks for checking!

[Terry]

The old Oak Avenue Parkway plan will never be resurrected. Back when it was proposed in the late 80s, the State of California was working with the City to allow some encroachment on Folsom Prison property for the roadway connecting both ends of Oak Avenue Parkway. When the plan was quashed by Holderness and his neighbors, that stopped all the planning and discussions.

Now 15 years or more later, the State is not willing to be nearly as neighborly, partly because of increased security concerns with the prison, but also because the neighborliness of cities, counties, and federal agencies in general has eroded because of all the planning, traffic and other issues that these entities blame on each other. The feds, in the case of the newest bridge proposal, are offering assistance (and some encroachment favors) because of the dam road closure. I'm still looking for El Dorado and Placer counties to step in with funding since much of the traffic impact to Folsom and to the proposed new bridge will be from those entities.

As to the proposed new bridge connection on the north side of the river, it will be realigned in a more direct line with the current dam road connection to Folsom Auburn (which is closed now).

[clearwater]

With all the traffic on Folsom Blvd over the new bridge, can you imagine if that same traffic coursed through Oak Ave had they built the bridge there ?
I for one am glad it went the way it did.
The Damn road volume and its closure is nothing compared to the volume skirting our city's edge on Folsom Blvd

[Patrick]

Another reason why it seems unlikely that Oak Avenue Parkway will ever get extended beyond the current northern point is the cost to bury all the high tension electrical lines that are currently in the right of way. In order for the roadway to be completed, the lines would first have to be buried.

From what I have been told, the current cost to bury the lines is in the neighborhood of $500,000 per tower and with all the towers involved, the cost would make the project prohibitivly expensive and no one wants to pay for it.

[UncleVinny]

Side note:

Just about every map I've ever seen has Oak Parkway wrong.
The street ends at Willowcreek about 1/4 mile north of Blue Ravine, but EVERY map shows it continuing on another mile or so, meeting up with Willowcreed at a more north-west location.

How many people have gotten lost over that one?

Vin