Fix 50: Emergency Crews Readying For Two Months of Traffic Headaches

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — It's less than two weeks until the start of traffic daytime headaches for commuters as a project will shut down portions of a major Sacramento freeway.

While preparation work for the Fix 50 project is already underway in the late night hours, the bulk of the project will start on April 20.

The project will fix a heavily traveled stretch of elevated road that goes by many different names from 24th to 18th Street.

Over the course of two months, major lane closures are expected, forcing drivers to either find alternate routes, or get ready to possibly add an hour to their commute.

Only three eastbound lanes of Highway 50 will be open down for a month first, then the same will happen to westbound lanes.

We got answers and found out Sacramento Fire will have someone stationed at the Caltrans traffic command center to watch cameras and traffic on side streets. That way fire trucks can be warned of areas to avoid.

"If we have to call for an alternate route, to make sure we can still get to that emergency in a timely fashion to make that difference," he said.

King says extra ambulances will also be on standby in the area if needed.

Doug Morse with the Sacramento Police Department says they will have an air unit to monitor traffic and then give that information to emergency crews on the ground.

He says cops will also be on hand during the project.