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Assemblymember Kevin McCarty presents City of Sacramento with $5 million check for safety improvements on Folsom Blvd

For immediate release:

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) presented the City of Sacramento with a $5 million check for safety improvements on Folsom Blvd.

These funds are especially crucial in light of Lupe Jimenez Brown, a parent at Phoebe Hearst Elementary School, who was struck and killed by a driver who ran a red light on January 13, 2022. She was picking up her daughter from school.

“The loss of Lupe Jimenez Brown is a tragedy and my condolences go out to the Brown family,” said Assemblymember Kevin McCarty. “It’s important Sacramento’s pedestrians and cyclists are safe while using busy crosswalks and bike lanes. These funds are especially important I was happy to allocate funding from the state budget for safety improvements to help prevent another tragedy from happening.”

“Getting funding for this road diet means so much to me, my family, and the Phoebe Hearst traffic safety committee,” said Chris Brown. “I would like to personally thank Assembly member Kevin McCarty for his generosity and commitment today for helping to make this stretch of road and the community safer. I want to also acknowledge and thank the Phoebe Hearst traffic safety committee members and the former and active school principals, for their continuous dedication and selfless actions advancing safety in and around the school campus to create a safer place for all our pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers and especially for their unwavering efforts to push for this change. While there is nothing that will bring my wife Lupe back, implementing this road diet is a major step in preventing this type of tragedy from occurring again in the future and building a safer tomorrow for our community. I look forward to the completion of this project.”

“I want to thank Assemblymember McCarty for securing state fund to make this road diet project viable,” said Sacramento City Councilmember Jeff Harris. “When combined with resources that I secured at the city, we have enough to complete the redesign of Folsom boulevard to better promote public safety, which is a primary duty for elected representatives.  This project will reduce traffic speeds as well as promote safe cycling and pedestrian experiences – it’s a win for the community!” 

 “I would like to thank Assemblymember Kevin McCarty and Councilmember Jeff Harris for bringing about much needed road changes. Guadalupe's tragic death hit me hard,” said Sacramento City USD School Board Member Leticia Garcia. “I drove these streets every day to pick up my girls from school, and it could have been any one of us. While these investments won't bring Lupe back, they will increase pedestrian safety for current and future Phoebe Hearst families and East Sacramento neighbors.  

“This may be my first year at Phoebe Hearst Elementary, but I know a safer path to school across Folsom Boulevard has been a major concern for our families for a very long time,” said Phoebe Hearst Elementary School Principal Doyal Martin. “I thank Assemblymember Kevin McCarty for making the safety of our students, staff, and families a priority by funding these improvements along Folsom Boulevard.”

"As the Chair of the Phoebe Hearst Elementary School Traffic Safety Committee, I am extremely grateful for the funding secured by Asm. McCarty to address speeding and unsafe driving along the front of our campus,” said Isaac Gonzalez. “By funding changes to the roadway and the built environment, we expect to see a reduction in overall speeds around our school and reduced instances of vehicle collisions and pedestrian injuries. On behalf of the parents and students who use this road every day, we thank our Assemblymember for his attention and action on this matter."

The project will include a lane reduction between 58th Street and 65th Street to calm traffic and reduce conflict points. The project will install continuous Class II bike lanes between 48th Street and 65th Street, in accordance with the Bike Master Plan, which will require restriction of on-street parking at locations between 48th Street and 53rd Street. Additionally, the project will include re-striping to reconfigure the roadway.

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Kevin McCarty represents California’s 7th Assembly District, which include the cities of Sacramento, West Sacramento and unincorporated Sacramento County. McCarty serves as Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance. Website of Assemblymember Kevin McCarty: https://a06.asmdc.org/