April 7.
dufferin closure
“A” Street / Citrus Heights Drive Update: Mar-17
The most recent estimated completion date of Citrus Heights Drive that I received from the County was today, March 17th.
I decided to take a quick bike ride and check out the progress.
It isn’t open yet. I have been told that I should receive a new estimated completion date sometime next week.
If you’re interested, here is the route and distance according to Garmin:
“A” Street / Citrus Heights Drive Update: Feb-17
Update 02/22/17: I heard back from the County, and 3/17 is the new estimated date of completion. Apparently, there were some issues that had to be worked out with the City of Riverside before the signal could be installed.
Citrus Heights Drive FKA Fairway Drive FKA Street “A” isn’t open yet. If I hear back from the County, I’ll update this post with the new ETA.
I assume it won’t be long now, especially since Supervisor Jeffries listed Street “A” as a success story in his January 2017 newsletter:
Street “A” Open To General Traffic Soon
In 2009 the City of Riverside closed Dufferin Avenue to through Traffic, angering many of the area residents including the Village Grove Community. During the 2012 campaign Kevin Jeffries committed to these residents that as part of any new proposed development he would require the building of a road to get traffic from McAllister to Van Buren to get around the Dufferin blockage.And so true to his word, he required CV Communities to obtain right-of-way and build a road as part of the first phase of their Citrus Heights development. As his first term came to an end the pavement was completed on Citrus Heights Drive (formerly Street “A”) and the street is scheduled to open soon!
Promises made… promises kept!
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I have been writing about this issue for almost eight years now. If you would like to read any of the history, click here: dufferin closure
“A” Street / Citrus Heights Drive Update: Dec-16
Update #3 – 01/05/17: I have received word from the County that the “weather has pushed back the Street “A” opening until 2/3/17.”
Update #2 – 12/27/16: I have heard that the street is ready to go with the exception of the traffic signal at Van Buren. The traffic signal poles are scheduled to arrive on 1/6/17 and the street is scheduled to be operational on 1/13/17.
Update #1 – 12/27/16 #1: Please scroll to the bottom.
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Last I heard, Citrus Heights Drive in Riverside, California was supposed to open at the beginning of the new year. It looks like they might hit that schedule. I took a little hike in the hills above Dufferin on Christmas morning and snapped a few pictures:
From McAllister…
… to Van Buren.
Gorgeous morning for a quick hike with my daughter and this big guy…
** Update 12/27/16: **
I am trying to confirm how this street will connect to Van Buren. Due to its location and the apparent widening of Van Buren where it intersects with Citrus Heights Drive (FKA Fairway Drive FKA “A” Street), I assume there will be traffic signals. The following information from a January 5, 2016 Riverside City Council Memorandum seems to confirm this (emphasis added), but I will try to get actual confirmation from the City and/or County:
The public infrastructure improvement in the City is a partial road construction project that has recently been approved by the City’s Public Works Department and is a required condition of the project approval. The City improvements identified within the JCFA include:
i. approximately 4,501 linear feet of full width and complete street improvements to be known as Fairway Drive which will connect McAlister Parkway and Van Buren
Boulevard, and
ii. approximately 824 linear feet of partial width street improvements on Van Buren Boulevard which are necessary for the Fairway Drive connection[…]
Project History
In January 2006, the County of Riverside Planning Commission approved Tentative Tract Map 30153 ( “TTM “), which included a 330 lot residential subdivision ( later revised to 343 lots) located in unincorporated Riverside County, easterly of McAllister Parkway, just south of the City. Approval included a condition to construct “A” Street between McAllister Parkway and Van Buren Boulevard. The roadway is approximately 60% in the City and 40% in the County.On April 10, 2012, City Council approved an agreement with the County of Riverside for the A” Street Improvements. The County assumed responsibility for environmental review, right – of -way acquisition, preparation of the plans and specifications and construction of the project.
[…]
2a. Fairway Drive Street Facilities — City of Riverside — Station 41 +46.00 to Station 86 +47.00. Plan Sheets 1, 2 and 5 through 15 of 15.
Approximately 4,501 linear feet of full width street improvements including, but not limited to site preparation, erosion control, aggregate base, asphalt, fog seal, curbs and gutters, cross gutters, sidewalk, handicap ramps, saw cut existing asphalt, removal of existing asphalt, grinding existing asphalt, street signage, utilities crossings, storm drain piping, headwalls, rip -rap, down drains, grading, street light conduit and handholes, signing and striping, traffic signalization and street intersection work.
2b. Van Buren Boulevard Street Facilities — City of Riverside — Station 34 +04.49 to Station 42 +28.20. Plan Sheet 15 of 16.
Approximately 824 linear feet of partial width street improvements including, but not limited to site preparation, erosion control, aggregate base, asphalt, fog seal, curbs and gutters, cross gutters, sidewalk, handicap ramps, saw cut existing asphalt, removal of existing asphalt, grinding existing asphalt, street signage, utilities crossings, storm drain piping, headwalls, rip -rap, down drains, grading, street light conduit and handholes, signing and striping, k -rail and crash cushions; traffic signalization and street intersection work.
“A” Street / Citrus Heights Drive Update: Nov-16
Update #1: Unofficially, I have heard that paving might begin the week after Thanksgiving.
Update #2: I have heard from the County that paving is scheduled to begin on 11/28/16, with an expected opening date of 1/1/17.
Update #3: Paving has begun…
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Some pictures of “A” Street / Citrus Heights Drive in the City of Riverside, California from a few days ago…
Looks to me like paving can’t be too far off. I will update this post with new pictures if paving begins this month. I have also sent an email to the County to get an update on the current estimated completion date.
“A” Street / Citrus Heights Drive Update: Aug-16
Driving down Van Buren today, my wife noticed this:
We both thought that this might be the spot where Citrus Heights Drive FKA Fairway Drive FKA Street “A” ends at Van Buren.
I went back later this afternoon and walked up into the hills to check on the progress of the road. Here are some pictures:
The beginning at McAllister:
Near the middle:
What looks like the end at Van Buren:
Moving along.
“A” Street / Citrus Heights Drive Update: Jul-16
It has been almost seven years since the City of Riverside closed Dufferin Avenue at McAllister Parkway.
Since then, affected residents have been waiting for construction of an alternate route (“A” Street) between McAllister Parkway and Van Buren Blvd. “A” Street was supposed to be completed prior to the closure.
In my last update, I shared some info from the County about the construction of “A” Street. At the time, the estimated completion date was July 2016.
According to the County, the new estimate is December 2016. It seems that the new name of the road will be Citrus Heights Drive.
I decided to venture out early this morning to check on the progress.
Looking southwest toward Citrus Heights / McAllister:
Looking northeast toward Van Buren:
Visit the following link to see past and future updates: dufferin closure.
** Update: I have been told that the delay was due to the discovery of an “un-mapped gas line and several boulder structures which set their timetable back by 5 months”. I have also “heard” (not directly from the County) that the estimated completion date might be closer to mid-2017, although the estimated completion date I received directly from the County is December 2016. Regardless of which estimate is more accurate, I will continue to check on the progress as we near the end of the year. **
“A” Street / Fairway Drive Update: Feb-16
Update from the County:
Contract awarded.
Preconstruction meeting Monday.
Work to begin in 10 days.
Estimated completion July 2016.
** Additional Info 02/28/16 **
I have been asked if I know where Fairway Drive will connect with McAllister and Van Buren. I will try to find a better answer, but here is my best guess: (I created this image by laying a map from this 2014 County document over a map from Google Maps.)
Major RivCo Transportation Projects – La Sierra / Lake Mathews, Jul-15
Some pictures of the transportation exhibits at Supervisor Jeffries’ La Sierra / Lake Mathews town hall meeting last night…
Major Projects in the area:
(I segmented the larger map into nine smaller pieces so you can read the details more easily.)
Cajalco Road Widening Project:
(I plan to explore this project in future posts.)
“A” Street / Fairway Drive / Citrus Heights Update, Jul-15
Although the proceedings aren’t posted on the County’s website as of the time I am writing this, I received word that Citrus Heights II was approved by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors on June 30th.
The Citrus Heights II tract is just south of the previously approved Citrus Heights development referenced in a previous post.
I have also been told that this development will provide the final portion of funding for Street “A”, although the County is still working to acquire a few of the properties needed to construct the street.
** Update 07/15/15 **
This is a picture of an exhibit from Riverside County’s La Sierra / Lake Mathews town hall meeting on 07/14/15 confirming the current status of “A” Street:
** End of update **
From agenda item 16-1 of the Riverside County Board of Supervisor’s June 30, 2015 meeting:
Tentative Tract Map No. 36475 would construct several public roadways on the site. Access to the Project site would be provided via two (2) full access connections from an approved, neighboring development project to the north (TR 36390, marketing name “Citrus Heights”). From Citrus Heights, Project residents would have direct connections to McAllister Street and Street “A”. Street “A” is also known as “Fairway Drive”, an approved public street that will provide a connection between McAllister Street and Van Buren Boulevard. In 2012 the Board of Supervisors authorized Fast Track status to the adjacent SP325 and this project site in recognition that both projects are causing the construction of Street “A”, which will not only provide access to these projects but which also greatly benefits the adjacent communities of Victoria Grove, the Orchard, and other properties around McAllister Street by bringing a connection to Van Buren Blvd.
Information on Citrus Heights II from the same document:
TENTATIVE TRACT MAP NO. 36475 is a Schedule “A” subdivision of 168.33 acres into 171 residential lots on 79.83 acres, two water quality/detention basins on 5.26 acres, four park sites on 3.78 acres, and 21 open space lots encompassing 50.56 acres. In addition, 29.31 acres will be dedicated for on-site infrastructure development (Streets “A” through “R”). Lot sizes for the proposed residential units will range from 14,010 sq. ft. to 116,073 sq. ft. with a minimum lot size of 12,101 sq. ft.
Previous posts about the Dufferin Closure, “A” Street / Fairway Drive and Citrus Heights topics can be found by clicking on the “dufferin closure” tag.