Sacramento Streetcar

The Downtown Riverfront Streetcar Project[1] is a proposed 1.5-mile (2.4 km) streetcar line intended to connect West Sacramento to Sacramento's downtown business districts and the greater transportation network. The project is being undertaken by a consortium including the City of Sacramento, the City of West Sacramento, the Yolo County Transportation District, and the Sacramento Regional Transit District.

Downtown / Riverfront Streetcar
Overview
StatusProposed
LocaleSacramento / West Sacramento
TerminiSacramento Valley Station
Sutter Health Park
Websitewww.riverfrontstreetcar.com/
Service
TypeStreetcar
Operator(s)Sacramento Regional Transit District
Rolling stock2 streetcars
Technical
Line length1.5 mi (2.4 km)
Track gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead

Planning

In 2008 West Sacramento voters passed Measures U and V, a raise in sales tax dedicated to streetcar funding.[2] At the time, the streetcar was envisioned as a 4.4-mile (7.1 km) line running from Midtown to West Sacramento.[3] While distinct from the RT Light Rail system, it would have shared some right-of-way and assets with that system; RT would likely also operate the line.[4] If built, the service was expected to attract 5,800 daily riders.[5]

The project received $50 million from the federal government for construction in May 2017.[6] By June 2017, $200 million in local, state, and federal grants had been secured to build the streetcar line. A special district that includes businesses close to the streetcar agreed to a tax to offset operating costs; it was expected to generate $50 million over 25 years.[7]

Plans stalled in 2019 as construction bids came in significantly higher than expected, with the lowest bid at $184 million, or $76 million higher than anticipated.[8] The Sacramento City Council dissolved its special-use district dedicated to streetcar maintenance in August 2019.[2]

After failure of the initial plan, the line was retooled into a shorter 1.5-mile (2.4 km) route running from Sacramento Valley Station to Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento via Tower Bridge with one additional stop.[3] As of 2020 the plan requires updating environmental documents,[1] additional funding from host cities, and FTA approval.[9]

See also

References
  1. "STAFF REPORT" (PDF). SacRT. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  2. Hamann, Emily (14 August 2019). "Streetcar backers searching for alternative projects, uses for funds". Sacramento Business Journal. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  3. Rhee, Foon (17 September 2020). "Streetcar to nowhere?". Sacramento News & Review. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  4. Bizjak, Tony (26 April 2016). "Sacramento streetcar proponents are back with pricier plan". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  5. Environmental Assessment/Initial Study and Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration Downtown Riverfront Streetcar Project (PDF) (Report). Sacramento Area Council of Governments. May 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  6. Khalil, Joe (2 May 2017). "Sacramento Streetcar Project Gets $50 Million in Federal Funding". KTXL. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  7. Lillis and Bizjak (21 June 2017). "A streetcar tax just passed in Sacramento". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  8. Bizjak, Tony (14 January 2019). "Sacramento streetcar project in serious jeopardy as price tag soars". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  9. Clift, Theresa (15 September 2020). "New light rail line over Tower Bridge between Sacramento, West Sacramento moves forward". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
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