As of May 2025, residents of West Sacramento have a new way to walk, run, or bike from one side of the city to the other, thanks in part to California Climate Investments funding. In 2018, the City of West Sacramento was awarded an Urban Greening Program grant of $5.2 million to help construct the Sycamore Trail, a bike and pedestrian path that passes over Highway 50. Before the construction of the overpass, residents were often forced to drive from one neighborhood to another. Now many of the same neighborhoods can be considered walkable.
Sycamore Trail Overpass (photo provided by the City of West Sacramento).
The Trail allows residents to more easily walk and bike around the city, which is divided in half by Highway 50. Previously, residents, workers, and students had to navigate through busy roadways to get to schools, workplaces, and transit stops. The City saw an opportunity, through this project, to provide a safe and convenient route for residents and reduce the need for cars when traveling across town.
In May of 2025, the Sycamore Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Overpass held its ribbon-cutting ceremony. The overpass, which serves as a gateway to West Sacramento, incorporates architectural design features that signify the history and progress representative of West Sacramento as a diverse, welcoming, and growing community. The City also landscaped and installed bike racks, benches, trash cans, lighting, signs, railings, community gardens, and a watering system as part of the larger Sycamore Trail project.
Sycamore Trail southern approach ramp (photos provided by the City of West Sacramento).
Residents have spoken highly about the project and its contribution to the community. “I’m a walker. I love exercise. So it’s very convenient for me to get in some good exercise, to see the view of the freeway. It’s good. And I see a lot of people coming to get their exercise,” said Tina Barnette, a resident of West Sacramento who lives near the Sycamore Trail overpass. “It’s very good bicycle riding and different things like that. It’s very, very comfortable with very easy access.
With many construction projects happening along Highway 50, the City had to be proactive in the planning process and managing schedules and coordination. The City sought out community input in the planning and design process, which helped engage residents in the project and ensure that the project met community needs. Washington Unified School District was a particularly important stakeholder, since the southern half of the trail is within school property. Thanks to this careful planning and commitment to community engagement, the City can now count the Sycamore Trail as a huge success for improving quality of life in the community.
Councilmember Quirina Orozco leads the first official crossing of the Sycamore Trail Overpass on May 29. source: Sycamore Trail Overpass Opening Celebrated | West Sacramento News-Ledger)
“The freeway divided the north and south sides of the city, forcing residents into their cars just to get from one neighborhood to another,” said City of West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero during the overpass ribbon cutting on May 29, 2025. “Now we have a safe, beautiful, and sustainable route that allows families, students, and cyclists to walk or bike across the city, connecting homes, schools, businesses, parks, and sport fields.”