Sacramento and West Sacramento are trying again to build a rail line over Tower Bridge
Weeks after the Sacramento Regional Transit board voted down a $130 million proposal for a passenger rail line over Tower Bridge, the agency board is scheduled for a redo of that vote this week, a surprise move, according to some board members.
The proposal to run light rail cars 1.5 miles from the downtown Sacramento Valley Station, Amtrak’s train depot, to Sutter Health ballpark, formerly Raley Field, is backed by Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, who secured $50 million in federal funds for the project six years ago.
It also has support from mayors Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento and Chris Cabaldon of West Sacramento.
The RT board rejected the plan, however, on Aug. 24 by a split vote under the transit district’s “weighted” voting system. That vote came out 48% to 42% in favor of moving forward with the project.
Because the “yes” side did not achieve more than 50% of the vote, the project proposal failed.
Citrus Heights’ representative Steve Miller, whose vote counts for 10% of the overall weighted total, was not present and did not vote last time. Miller told The Bee on Sunday he is “leaning yes on this because my two biggest concerns have been addressed: Protection of SacRT from construction and operating (cost) overruns and a date certain for West Sacramento to affiliate with RT.”
Assuming the other board members’ votes remain the same as last time, a yes vote from Miller would put the project back on track.
The proposed rail line is a refashioned follow-up to a previous proposal to build a 4.4-mile streetcar line with 21 stops that would have run through downtown and part of midtown Sacramento, then over Tower Bridge and past the ballpark to West Sacramento City Hall.
That project proved to be too expensive at far more than $200 million. The new project would have just three stops. Local and state governments would chip in most of the cost, beyond the initial $50 million in federal funds.
Sacramento City Councilman Jeff Harris, who opposes the project, said he believes the Aug. 24 vote should have settled the matter and that a second vote is inappropriate, given that the project proposal is basically the same as before.
Harris said RT should focus its efforts instead on building a second light rail track to and from the downtown railyard in Sacramento to serve the planned development there, which includes a Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, a Major League Soccer stadium, and other development, including planned offices, housing, entertainment and museums.
The item is set for discussion and vote at the RT board meeting on Monday, Sept. 14.
No formal study has been done yet on what kind of ridership the proposed line would generate. Proponents, among them RT board chair Steve Hansen, say the line is a longterm investment that could serve some day as a first step toward extending light rail to Davis.
One difference between the August proposal and this week’s plan is that the proposal now includes adding West Sacramento to the RT board. Currently, the RT board is made up of representatives from the councils of cities inside Sacramento County and of representatives from the Sacramento Board of Supervisors.
The proposal this time also includes an agreement from the cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento to hold RT financially “harmless” if there are construction cost over-runs or excessive operating costs.
Matsui could not be reached Sunday. She previously had called the Aug. 24 vote “troubling.”
“The city of Sacramento and the city of West Sacramento came to me to request federal funding, and I secured $50 million from the Federal Transit Administration to move our vision forward,” Matsui said in a statement after the Aug. 24 vote. “The SacRT board’s decision is troubling, as it leaves tens of millions of dollars on the table to promote transportation equity and help our two great cities continue to grow.
“Public transit systems like these are crucial to creating a more equitable, sustainable future, and I am supportive of all projects that help drive our region forward.”
Those voting no last time were Harris, Councilman Patrick Hume of Elk Grove, Councilwoman Linda Budge of Rancho Cordova, Folsom Mayor Kerri Howell and Supervisor Don Nottoli, who represents the southeast portion of the county.
Supporting the project were Hansen, Sacramento City Councilman Rick Jennings and Jay Schenirer, and county Supervisors Phil Serna and Patrick Kennedy.
In a statement to The Sacramento Bee, an RT spokeswoman said the new proposal is safer financially for RT.
“Much discussion has ensued since the August 24 meeting and the modifications to the recommended actions will reduce risk to SacRT,” Jessica Gonzalez wrote. “If approved, the actions will stipulate the receipt of external funding to conduct additional work on the project and will specifically hold SacRT harmless for any project development, construction or cost-overruns. “