Sac State shuts down popular shortcut

Karina Yepez

Delineators have recently been installed at the State University Drive East near Capitol Public Radio to prevent drivers from making illegal left turns into the parking lot.

The delineators, or reflective cones, block incoming and outgoing traffic from entering and exiting the area.

Ken Barnett, campus police chief, said that his office had received many complaints about the intersection.

“Drivers were cutting across roadway at unsafe speeds, unlawfully, almost causing head-on collisions,” Barnett said. He said that temporary traffic calming devices had been installed last year and removed so that the new delineators could be installed.

Isabel Landin, senior Spanish major, is one of many commuters who use Folsom Boulevard when exiting Highway 50 in order to get to campus. Landin said before the delineators were installed, she witnessed other drivers make the illegal left into Parking Lot 9.

Landin said she thought the additions to the road would prevent accidents and illegal turns. Many drivers cut through Capitol Public Radio in order to avoid waiting at the traffic light at the corner of State University Drive East and College Town Drive, at the southeast corner of campus.

Sacramento resident Kevin Frazier said he takes the Folsom Boulevard exit off of Highway 50 while on routes for Western Truck Parts. Frazier said that before the delineators were installed his commute time was greatly impacted around the Sac State area.

Map of Former Shortcut

View New Traffic Delineators in a larger map

Karina Yepez can be reached at [email protected].