GALT, CA - The City of Galt has officially completed the bulk of the construction work on its C Street Enhancement Project, marking a significant milestone in the city’s push to modernize infrastructure along the city’s main thoroughfare.

Gone now are the orange cones and construction signs that lined the C Street corridor. In their place are landscaped medians, protected bike lanes, enhanced pedestrian crossings and upgraded street lighting. The project encompassed a portion of C Street starting at Civic Drive near the Highway 99 off-ramp down to Sixth Street. 

Most of the construction wrapped up on March 15, leaving just a few bells and whistles to be added to the finished project. The total budget for the project was $3.7 million, $2.5 million of which came from Community Design grant funds approved by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments. The remaining $1.2 million comes from local transportation funding. 

“There are some minor outstanding items, but most of it is done,” Trung Trinh, deputy director of Public Works, said. “It’s substantially completed, we have beneficial use of it, and everyone is driving on it now.”

City leaders have hoped to revitalize the central area for many years. The plan was initially mapped out in Galt’s 1989 General Plan but has gone through various changes and evolutions. 

Trinh noted several fixes that he was particularly proud of. Some of the drainage locations are now designed to catch pollutants before they fall into the stormwater drains. The city also leveled out portions of the street along the corridor, most notably near the Galt Plaza. Trinh said staff worked to level out about a two-foot grading differential near driveways coming out of Galt Plaza.  

Trinh said the city is in the process of fabricating a monument sign, which they hope to install in the next six to eight weeks. 

Business owners along the C Street construction zone who spoke to the Galt Herald said they were happy to see the construction wrap up. Construction was completed in two phases and included multiple lane reductions and limitations to street parking to the consternation of local motorists and business owners.   

“We did lose a lot of business at first until they opened the street one way,” TC Auto Care owner Jhonathan Sosa said. “It kind of killed business for a little bit. People would have to come through the back way, and if they didn’t know how to come through the back way they would just leave.” 

Still, Sosa said he is “really happy with the way it looks.” 

“I had to weather the storm, but it looks really nice.” Sosa said.

Sosa said he wasn’t ecstatic with the center medians, a common complaint among business owners along the construction route, but added he was particularly happy with how the city designed the parking spaces and that the city leveled out a dip coming out of the alley onto C Street. 

“So many people lost bumpers going in and out from this alley,” Sosa said. 

Mark Jackson, owner of Next Generation Barbershop on C Street, said at first he wasn’t in favor of the redesign, but it’s grown on him. He said he didn’t lose much business through the process. 

“Cars were shut out from coming into my business the entire time, but luckily I have some good clientele, but it’s kind of grown on me over the past few months,” Jackson said. “I think they did a good job with it. People used to race from this stop light to that stop light at 100 miles per hour. Now you kind of control the flow of traffic a little more.” 

Outside of beautifying the corridor, Trinh said the philosophy behind the design was to help slow traffic along the road. He said it would take some getting used to from some of the Galt motorists. 

Robert Lavine, who owns Farmers Insurance next to Next Generation Barbershop, agreed with Jackson. 

“I knew it was going to look good when it was done, and I like that it slowed down traffic a little bit and made things a little narrower,” Lavine said. “All and all, I think they did a pretty good job.”

Due to the nature of his business, he said he also didn’t lose much in the way of clientele, either. Still, he feels like the roads could have been made a bit wider for people towing trailers or larger trucks that might be using the street. He added some of the turn lanes could have been adjusted. 

“I guess you can’t please all the people,” Jackson said. 

Sonny Dhillon, owner of Dry Creek Liquors on the corner of C and Seventh streets, wasn’t as impressed. He said the construction took longer than expected and having traffic closed for the project “hurt his business for nine months.” 

“It was bad then,” Dhillon said. “I guess it’s good now that it is done; it looks nice, but for what the nine months it took, I expected a little bit more out of it.”

The city did take steps to help support local businesses throughout the construction, including the “Shop, Drink and Eat on C Street” campaign in partnership with Galt Chamber of Commerce. The campaign encouraged residents to support businesses in the construction zone. Anyone who turned in at least 15 receipts would be entered into a raffle for prizes. 

Trinh said he personally attempted to patronize as many businesses along C Street as possible throughout the construction.

Raina Saldivar, owner of the soon-to-open Ink House Social tattoo parlor, said she was glad her business was closed for renovations throughout the construction.  

“I really like it,” Saldivar said. “I like that there are more access to crosswalks. I was born and raised in Galt, so it’s nice to have that crosswalk over there. I remember being over here after leaving Galt High School and would have to go all the way around.’ 

“I think it looks great,” Saldivar added.