RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - Supervisor Rosario Rodriguez used her first community meeting in Rancho Murieta on May 4 to deliver what she called a “surprise” announcement: Sacramento County will now repave the full length of Scott Road between the area north of Boys Ranch Road and Latrobe Road, completing a long-sought project for Rancho Murieta residents.

Speaking at the meeting at the Rancho Murieta Association Building, Rodriguez said the county already planned to rehabilitate Scott Road north from Boys Ranch Road this summer, but she has now committed additional district transportation funding to pave the southern stretch from Boys Ranch Road toward Rancho Murieta in a future phase scheduled for summer 2028. Scott Road connects to Latrobe Road, which then links to Stonehouse Road and Jackson Highway.

Rodriguez said the decision grew out of conversations with Sacramento County transportation officials when she first began reviewing district road priorities last year.

“So, a year ago, when we looked at the map, when we looked at the map, I get very, very … I don’t get a lot of money,” Rodriguez said. “And I started asking questions, ‘Where have we not paid attention to in the last 20 years?’ And our DOT guy said, ‘Scott Road.’ And I said, ‘OK, let’s give Scott Road some love.’”

Rodriguez noted that she previously dedicated about $2.9 million in SB 1 gas tax funding to rehabilitate the northern section of Scott Road from Boys Ranch Road northward, calling it the largest road project funded in her district that year.

Matt Hedges, who is chief of staff for Rodriguez, explained in a May 5 social media post that residents had welcomed the original announcement, but also noted that the southern portion of Scott Road toward Latrobe Road was in even worse condition. Hedges said Rodriguez therefore decided to dedicate another $2.8 million from this year’s allocation to ensure the remainder of the road would also be resurfaced.

“Allocating this much funding to one road was not an easy decision, especially in a district with many road needs,” Hedges wrote. “But Scott Road has been neglected for far too long, and Supervisor Rodriguez believed it was important to follow through and make sure the entire road was addressed.”

Rodriguez told residents the county could not justify improving only part of the roadway.

“You can’t have one portion that is beautiful, and then have the other portion that’s not,” she said. “So, it was easy.”

During the meeting, John Merchant said the repaving project would help address mounting traffic and safety pressures on Scott Road caused by regional growth and delays in completing the Capital SouthEast Connector.

Merchant said Rancho Murieta leaders originally supported the Capital SouthEast Connector because it was expected to eventually modernize the Grant Line and Jackson Road intersection with turn lanes in all directions. But he said the timeline has stretched dramatically.

“Now it appears that it will be at least 10 years before we reach Grant Line,” Merchant said. “So, the real concern for us going forward is between Caltrans and the mitigation money of all of the Sunrise Corridor, what can they do to reduce that timeframe?”

Merchant said continued delays would place increasing strain on Scott Road.

“Until we get an expedient road, you’re going to put more and more pressure on Scott Road,” he said.

He also referenced an environmental impact report prepared for a proposed solar project, saying traffic studies documented about 1 million annual trips on Scott Road.

“There’s more and more pressure to use that,” Merchant said, adding that Rancho Murieta residents have repeatedly requested turnouts along the road for safety reasons.

Merchant further urged Rodriguez to investigate whether transportation mitigation funding collected for Sunrise Corridor development projects could be redirected to improve the Scott Road connection to the Connector corridor.

After the meeting, Merchant said residents were grateful to simply see the long-discussed improvements finally moving forward.

“I think, No. 1, it’s great,” Merchant said. “We’re at a point 30 years later that we will take anything we can get. All we’ve ever gotten is yellow signs.”

But Merchant cautioned that improving the southern portion of Scott Road could be far more complicated and expensive than many residents realize.

“It’s not just paving a road,” he said. “There’s drainage, there’s hills, there’s blind spots.”

Merchant said the county could also face easement or property-ownership complications along portions of the route. “There’s also, I believe, they may need, legally, something … easements or something,” he said.

He said he especially appreciated the county’s plans to pave the northern portion of Scott Road because increasing drainage problems are already emerging there due to upstream development.

“We know that development to the north is generating a lot more volume,” Merchant said, referring to runoff flowing into Deer Creek. “That’s why we flood more than we used to at the bridge or at the culverts.”