Sacramento: new ballot measure for light rail to airport & roads?

Yesterday, there were press reports that the Sacramento Transportation Authority will try to get feedback from county voters about the idea to generate more revenue for transportation, to build light rail and road projects, f.e. light rail to Sacramento airport, and a new 35-mile parkway called "Capital SouthEast Connector".

Here is a map of a possible expansion of the Green Line to Sacramento airport:



Image source:

http://www.sacramentogo.com/status-project/light-rail-to-sacramento-international-airport/

This new light rail line would not only serve the airport itself, but also provide reliable and convenient rail transportation to areas north of downtown Sacramento, like North Sacramento, the Gateway Park area and Natomas. It seems like RailPAC is supporting the idea of this light rail line, now it remains to be seen how many organizations and residents speak out in favor of implementing a 0.5% additional sales tax for transportation, to generate funding for this line and other projects.

At least in one press report, there were already several positive statements regarding light rail to the airport:

“I think it’s a good idea,” Benjamin Alexander said, as he waited for his ride home from Sacramento International.

[...]

“If the train could get you out there quickly enough and frequently enough I think people would use it,” Light Rail rider John Mohammed said.

“That would be really great, not just for me but I have people who visit from out of town, so it would be nice to have them get here really easy,” Jennifer Teykaerts, who commutes on Light Rail every day said.

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source:

New Light Rail Extension to Sacramento Airport Proposed, Comes at a Cost

February 10, 2015

By Sonseeahray Tonsall

http://fox40.com/2015/02/10/new-light-rail-extension-to-sacramento-airport-proposed-comes-at-a-cost/

On the other hand, the idea of officials is that new funding stream will not go transit exclusively, and not only include road improvements, but also even construction of about 35 completely new highway miles in the south east of the metro area, as can be seen on this map:



Image source:

http://www.villagelife.com/news/folsom-approves-capital-southeast-connector-alignment/

At least some might be skeptical, that transit might be short-changed with this new funding mechanism, and in the end very little transit improvements might be implemented, still a lot of road construction will take place.

In another press report, Mike Wiley, CEO and General Manager of Sacramento Regional Transit, said:

"So it's really up to the Sacramento community. If that's what they want - we're here to deliver[.]"

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source:

Transportation officials hoping to float a new tax for roads, mass transit
February 10, 2015
By Dave Marquis

http://www.news10.net/story/money/2015/02/10/roads-light-rail-tax-transportation-sacramento/23159523/

So some might think, now it seems like it is up to the organizations and residents, to let SRT know, that not only light rail to the airport is needed, but also a streetcar to West Sacramento, light rail down to Elk Grove, and light rail to Roseville (though this lines would only partially be inside of Sacramento county, up to Citrus Heights, and require cooperation of Placer County, still Roseville has its own Communitywide Sustainability Action Plan and Alternative Transportation plans, and light rail might important for the metro area as a whole). Also in addition to future supplementary sales tax funding, at least some might think that Sacramento county and SRT should do their part, to get the 10 Amtrak Capitol Corridor trains a day to Roseville rolling as soon as possible.

Even in case it officials agree to create a ballot measure for an addition transportation sales tax with a substancial part of the revenue going to transit, then it might probably still be a challange to get it passed, as an approval of two thirds of the voters is required.

Decent rail route. Pity about the proposal to fund rural highways.

neroden said:

Pity about the proposal to fund rural highways.

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Coalition-building, also known as "a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down." Of course, with such coalitions, one supporter's medicine is another's sugar.

John Bredin said:

neroden said:

Pity about the proposal to fund rural highways.

Click to expand...

Coalition-building, also known as "a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down." Of course, with such coalitions, one supporter's medicine is another's sugar.

Click to expand...

This didn't work in Austin on the recently defeated Light Rail/Highway scheme! Rail advocates were opposed to spending money on highways and the expensive, poorly designed routings, highway fans were opposed to " wasting money" on rail and the NIMBYs and BANANAS joined the Anti- Tax Zealots to help heavily defeat the proposal!
Meanwhile traffic gridlock continues to grow, politicians propose more "studies" ( read paid consultants) to " fix" this problem and everybody complains about the traffic!

I live not far at all from Grant Line Road/White Rock Road (the reputed "Rural Highway" listed in the articles.) The reality of that artery is its in desperate need of being upgraded along the complete route into one continuous expressway corridor, and as such it is not just simple coalition-building or blind funding of roadways. If you'll look back at the map above, you will see several major features of Grant Line Road/White Rock Road that make it the gridlock-prone and very heavily used route it's become.

1. At its southwestern point:

• Highway 99 (four-lane limited-access Intrastate freeway) intersects with Grant Line Road at a recently upgraded and very large interchange.
• The City of Elk Grove, a suburb community of Sacramento with 160,000 or so in population and rapidly growing.
• Several major north-south boulevards intersecting that act as feeders for traffic to enter and exit with vehicle counts in the tens-of-thousands every day.

2. In the middle:

• Highway 16, a two-lane moderate to heavy use State Route that serves as a main thoroughfare for traffic traveling to and from Sacramento and The Motherlode region of Amador and Calaveras counties.
• Access at several major interchanges into the City of Rancho Cordova, a community of light to moderate industry with a quickly growing resident population as suburbs are built out. 65,000 or so in population.

3. At its northeastern point:

• US Highway 50, though currently there is no direct interchange. Instead traffic either turns at Scott Road or further up into El Dorado County at Latrobe Road.
• The City of Folsom in Sacramento County, and the unincorporated (and very high-end) community of El Dorado Hills in El Dorado County, both with a combined population of 104,000 or so.
• A large amount of technology based jobs are located in Folsom, such as at Intel's massive campus.

Additional to the regular local traffic that is always traveling along this route, one will also note that it travels at an angle that allows it to be used as a cut-off for those heading northbound on Highway 99 headed to Lake Tahoe or Reno by way of Highway 50, and thus avoiding travel in Sacramento's metro area. It saves time, mileage on the vehicle and money.

All of these factors combine to make a road that is 6 lanes wide at its best (near the interchange in Elk Grove) to a narrow country 2 lane route at its worst (out near Highway 16) that is in very desperate need for upgrading to consistent standards along the full route.

jimhudson: with all due respect, Austin is not the entire nation. :giggle: Plenty of rail referenda have failed, and plenty have passed. In particular to road-and-rail plans, Los Angeles has done well with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_County_Sales_Tax,_Measure_R_%282008%29, which admittedly is only 20-35% road projects.

Thanks John, I realize Austin isn't the Center of the Universe but since I live here it matters to me since traffic is terrible and getting worse weekly!

And while we have a Reputation of being a "Progressive" City that's a dot of Blue in a Sea of Red, other Texas Cities far larger than Austin are doing great things with Light Rail and their Bus systems. ( Houston and Dallas/Ft Worth)

As you said , LA ( and California as a whole) are doing good things with transportation and even the old large cities such as Chicago, New York, PHilly, DC, Boston etc. have functioning public transportation systems and leaders that @ least work @ improvements and upgrades!

I don't want Austin to bend up like Atlanta, a sprawling mess with horrible traffic and terrible public transportation!

Fair enough. I imagine it's disheartening to live in a city where transit is second-rate even with the knowledge that it's better elsewhere. Actually, more so with such knowledge because you know it can be done, it's just that your city can't/won't do it. :unsure:

I don't imagine you could take heart from the fact that Chicagoans roundly excoriate the CTA on social media? :giggle: