Last week, the Texas Transportation Institute released its latest Mobility Report noting that in 2002 Sacramento commuters spent 36 extra hours traveling due to traffic congestion.

   Here are some other key findings about the Sacramento area from the 2002 data:

• 13,225,000 daily vehicle miles were traveled on freeways.
• 41 additional freeway and street lane miles are needed to relieve congestion
• 61,000 additional people need to carpool or use transit each day to relieve congestion
• Each peak hour traveler consumed 60 additional gallons of gasoline each year due to congestion
• If there were no public transportation, annual congestion delays would increase 3,083 hours

   To ready more, go to http://mobility.tamu.edu/ums/

EB Sunrise ramp meters get activated this week

   Commuters using north or southbound Sunrise Boulevard to board eastbound Highway 50 will be subject to ramp metering from 3- 6 p.m. beginning Monday.

   Ramp metering allows vehicles to safely merge with freeway traffic and at the same time helps to reduce traffic congestion.

   Vehicles with two or more persons will be allowed to use a special carpool lane on the ramp, which allows them to bypass the ramp meter signals when they are activated.

   Caltrans is a department within the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency that operates and maintains California's transportation system under the direction of Secretary Sunne Wright McPeak and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. For more information about the department, please visit the web site at www.dot.ca.gov. Information about the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency is available on at www.bth.ca.gov.

Ped Planning Underway

   The City of Folsom has scheduled its first Pedestrian Master Plan workshop for Sept. 22, 6 - 8:30 p.m., at the Folsom Community Center. The focus of the workshop will be a map-based discussion with working groups to identify potential pedestrian improvements along major roadways, near major commercial areas, around the Historic District and adjacent to schools. The Pedestrian Master Plan will identify existing benefits and disadvantages to the current pedestrian transportation system and will establish policies, objectives and project priorities for improving the system. For more information, contact Mark Rackovan with the Folsom Public Works Department, 916-355-7379.