RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Rancho Cordova City Councilman Garrett Gatewood recently became the Capital Southeast Connector Joint Powers Authority chairman by a unanimous vote of the board that represents Sacramento County, El Dorado County and three cities.

The Capital Southeast Connector Joint Powers Authority is tasked with constructing the Southeast Connector Expressway, a voter-approved 34-mile-long roadway from Elk Grove to the El Dorado Hills aimed at connecting communities and alleviating traffic congestion on Highway 50.

In addition to being a City Council member, Gatewood owns a business that provides technology service to companies throughout California and across the country from its Rancho Cordova headquarters.

“The connector is an essential project for the prosperity of the region and to ease traffic jams for current residents,” Gatewood said. “As chair, I look forward to forging the coalition needed to push this vital transportation project to completion.”

When completed, the voter-approved Connector Expressway will add significantly to the regional economy, creating new jobs and acting as a catalyst for new economic activity. One study found that the Connector Expressway would produce $528.2 million of economic output, create 2,802 new jobs, and generate $23.5 million additional state and local taxes.

Gatewood has also served on the Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce board, often sharing his vision of Rancho Cordova as a world-class city. An active volunteer in the community, Gtaewood helped found the Invictus Foundation, a nonprofit organization aimed at helping students succeed academically. And he serves with BARO, an organic certifying organization, and Sonder Solutions, an organization that helps hard-to-place individuals return to the workforce.

More information on the project is at https://www.southeastconnectorexpressway.com and on the project’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@southeastconnectorexpressway.