After Colfax Street, Arden Way gains its major thoroughfare status as a four-lane roadway, intersecting Del Paso Boulevard (old US 40)[1] and running parallel with the Sacramento Regional Transit District's Blue Line light rail tracks and a residential frontage street of Arden Way up until Royal Oaks Drive.

[2] After leaving Sacramento, Arden Way immediately intersects Howe Avenue, another major thoroughfare running north-south.

After Mission Avenue, Arden Way continues east to Fair Oaks Boulevard, where the roadway then downgrades to a two-lane neighborhood street and turns southeast towards its eastern terminus at the American River Parkway.

It was at this terminus (38°35′21″N 121°19′46″W / 38.589168°N 121.329575°W / 38.589168; -121.329575) that a bridge was planned to cross the American River and connect to Rod Beaudry Drive in Rancho Cordova, but it was never built and the two roads remain unconnected.

RT light rail stations Arden/Del Paso, Royal Oaks and nearby Swanston serve Arden Way.