Sacramento Transportation

[urban_encounter]

Originally Posted by 202_Cyclist

This would certainly be a useful project but where would California get the funding for this? New York and Amtrak are trying to secure $20B for the Gateway project to replace and enhance the tunnels crossing the Hudson River and the federal government hasn't been willing to fund this.

I think Californians will vote for it especially if it’s packaged with SoCal rail improvements now that high speed rail appears (thankfully) dead.

There just need to be a well thought out proposal, a spending plan and strong planning and joint oversight. With the demise of HSR there’s an opportunity to use some of those funds (pending voter approval) to enhance rail connectivity between SF-Sac LA-SD and throughout the interior valley.

We’ll see if anything becomes of it.

[CastleScott]

^ I'd vote for it-it makes much better sense. LA-SD could host 110 mph stuff in areas as
well as SF-Sacto could host 120 mph. Just my 2 cents here.

[mt_climber13]

Sorry to de-rail the conversation, but, what is the status of RT Light rail down Truxel and through Natomas to the airport? I believe something was voted on a few years ago about this? I'm not too knowledgable as I've been living and commuting across Northern California for the past few years.

[CastleScott]

Sorry to de-rail the conversation, but, what is the status of RT Light rail down Truxel and through Natomas to the airport? I believe something was voted on a few years ago about this? I'm not too knowledgable as I've been living and commuting across Northern California for the past few years.

I believe RT is looking at a route along the eastside of I-5 as the Truxel route was NIMBYed out in the 2016 vote-it may be a bit before RT gets to the airport (Truxel route would have had too many stops and been annoyingly slow for a business traveler trying to get to downtown from the airport-I voted for it though).

[regboi30]

I think that the light rail routes that converge downtown needs to be put in subway tunnels. The city should put this in a long term future project. Doing this would increase safety around public transit in Sacramento like accidents with pedestrians and trains. Their are multiple properties that can be bought for subway stations and entrance portals.

[TWAK]

Wasn't Truxel built with having LRT in mind? I remember reading that the overpasses were built to accommodate the extra weight.

[regboi30]

With that said It's up to the transit authority to decide which route the light rail extension should take to the airport. New housing and retail being planned for the shuddered arena a future train station can be installed in that area of Sactown. The folks that opposed that route could have paid for the line to be put underground just my 2 cents.

[CAGeoNerd]

There is a Virtual Community Workshop for the I Street Bridge replacement:

http://www.ibridgedesign.com

There are basically two design concepts, and 2 versions of each. I'm not thrilled about any of them but now's your chance to provide concepts. I think there's a lot of potential for the approaches and connections to the bike paths on either side of the river. The bridge itself will end up being "meh."

[ltsmotorsport]

New Ace and San Joaquin service expansion documents/EIR released yesterday. Graphics and specifics starting in chapter 2.

https://acerail.com/deir-chapters-and-appendices/

[TWAK]

Here's a map of the expansion

https://sjjpa.com/valley-rail/

[creamcityleo79]

Originally Posted by TWAK

Here's a map of the expansion

https://sjjpa.com/valley-rail/

I've been keeping an eye on ACE rail expansions and rail in CA, in general and I have never heard of this. This is VERY exciting!!!

Also, am I seeing this correctly that this will connect with CAHSR?

[ltsmotorsport]

It stops at Diridon Station in San Jose, where CAHSR would stop, so yes. Also would be close to the same area in Stockton (and maybe Modesto?), but that leg of CAHSR is much further out.

Funny thing to me is that they're labeling a station as 'Elk Grove' that they have planned at Cosumnes River Blvd. Would make a bit more sense if the station was actually on Elk Grove Blvd as this rail line goes right past it with another empty field adjacent.

[TWAK]

I gotta think they would add an infill station or something along those lines for Elk Grove since that area is not served by LTR after Cosumnes.

[NickB1967]

Originally Posted by creamcityleo79

I've been keeping an eye on ACE rail expansions and rail in CA, in general and I have never heard of this. This is VERY exciting!!!

Also, am I seeing this correctly that this will connect with CAHSR?

Based on the SacRT connections, it looks like the proposed stations are along the old Western Pacific route through Midtown, rather than the old Southern Pacific one around it, where the San Joaquins currently go?

But then the Western Pacific route would completely bypass Lodi. So I am curious exactly how they would route this.

[NickB1967]

Originally Posted by regboi30

I think that the light rail routes that converge downtown needs to be put in subway tunnels. The city should put this in a long term future project. Doing this would increase safety around public transit in Sacramento like accidents with pedestrians and trains. Their are multiple properties that can be bought for subway stations and entrance portals.

Given the low water table, might that need to be elevated, giving downtown Sacramento a "loop"?

[TWAK]

Originally Posted by ltsmotorsport

It stops at Diridon Station in San Jose, where CAHSR would stop, so yes. Also would be close to the same area in Stockton (and maybe Modesto?), but that leg of CAHSR is much further out.

Funny thing to me is that they're labeling a station as 'Elk Grove' that they have planned at Cosumnes River Blvd. Would make a bit more sense if the station was actually on Elk Grove Blvd as this rail line goes right past it with another empty field adjacent.

I believe Merced is where the current construction of CAHSR ends so they could match opening timetables.

Originally Posted by NickB1967

Given the low water table, might that need to be elevated, giving downtown Sacramento a "loop"?

I'm gonna give the documents a full read but they might do a few overpasses and underpasses for the roads and keep it at-grade.

[CAAndrew]

Originally Posted by NickB1967

Based on the SacRT connections, it looks like the proposed stations are along the old Western Pacific route through Midtown, rather than the old Southern Pacific one around it, where the San Joaquins currently go?

But then the Western Pacific route would completely bypass Lodi. So I am curious exactly how they would route this.

Someone on Facebook argued that UP is trying to get passenger service off the Fresno subdivision so that can carry more freight. But this cuts out the Sacramento Valley station, which seems short-sighted.

[CAAndrew]

Originally Posted by CastleScott

I believe RT is looking at a route along the eastside of I-5 as the Truxel route was NIMBYed out in the 2016 vote-it may be a bit before RT gets to the airport (Truxel route would have had too many stops and been annoyingly slow for a business traveler trying to get to downtown from the airport-I voted for it though).

Well, whichever route RT chooses, ridership is going to have to contend with the travel time constraints of LRT. A quick estimate (based off the effective speed of the gold line between College Greens and Iron point) suggests that any such trip between Township and the airport (~9.5 miles) would take half an hour. That's on top of trip time to Township 9.

[SacTownAndy]

Interesting read. I think there's an even more detailed article in the SJ Mercury News but I'm not a subscriber. I'm sure many of us have done the Capitol Corridor to Richmond BART to Downtown SF route. Wondering how this partners with potential future HSR.




Transformative rail program could build a direct Sacramento/SF connection

By Emily Hamann
Staff Writer
Sacramento Business Journal
February 2, 2021

A new program to overhaul the Bay Area rail network could include a major improvement for Sacramento passengers.

Last week the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority and the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District unveiled Link21, a new program aimed at transforming rail, including light and passenger rail, throughout the Bay Area. The program could come to include a series of large infrastructure projects, including a new San Francisco Bay crossing between the East Bay and San Francisco. This crossing could end up allowing for a direct passenger rail trip between Sacramento and San Francisco.

Easier connections between Silicon Valley, San Francisco and Sacramento could help connect the tech and job centers across Northern California into one megaregion.

https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramen...onnection.html

[SacTownAndy]

More detail on the second rail route to the Bay other than the Capitol Corridor

Rail project to add commuter service between Sacramento and San Jose moves ahead


By Emily Hamann Staff Writer
Sacramento Business Journal
8/10/21

Construction on a $400 million project to add commuter train service from Sacramento to Silicon Valley is closer to breaking ground.

This week the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission plans on awarding contracts to draw up the final designs for some of the new train stations that are planned for Sacramento as part of the Valley Rail Program, said David Ripperda, manager of capital programs for the SJRRC.

The project would include five new train platforms in the Sacramento area that passengers could use to take the train to Oakland, San Jose or as far down the line as Bakersfield.

The final designs, community outreach, and land acquisition could take around 18 months, Ripperda said. After that, construction could begin. Ripperda said the commission is still working on determining a date when service would start.

https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramen...l-service.html