Time to consider higher sales tax for Sacramento’s regional transportation work

January 12, 2016

By Sacramento City Councilmember Steve Hansen

Special to The Bee

“It may be time to consider asking voters to support a supplemental sales tax to fund transportation projects. The Transportation Authority board is considering putting a measure on the November ballot. If the measure added a half-cent tax, it would raise $116 million a year. Half the proceeds would repair and repave existing roads, while the other half would build new infrastructure. If the measure enacted a quarter-cent, most of the $58 million per year would likely be used to fix and maintain existing infrastructure.”

ECOS would support an increase in the County-wide transportation tax, as long as it emphasizes non-auto modes and does not include any new road projects. We believe it’s essential that funding of transit (particularly buses), pedestrian and bicycle facilities is increased to encourage healthy, non-auto modes of transportation. ‪#‎ActiveTransportation‬

If you build new roads, traffic will come

SacBee Editorial

November 27, 2015

“It’s a theory called “induced travel,” basically the transportation version of the law of supply and demand. Adding capacity cuts travel time, thus lowering the “price” of driving and leading to an increase in driving. In the paper, UC Davis professor Susan Handy writes that increasing a road’s capacity by 10 percent is likely to increase vehicle miles traveled by 3 percent to 6 percent in the short run and 6 percent to 10 percent in the long term, basically offsetting any gains.”

Light Rail to Airport Open Houses, Dec 1, 2015

The light rail to the airport is being planned, and local residents are encouraged to attend an open house meeting to provide feedback.

Based on Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) forecasts, the population in the area between downtown Sacramento, north and south Natomas, and the Sacramento International Airport is expected to increase by 36 percent (or 811,000 people) over the next 20 years.

The region is showing significant signs of economic recovery, and job growth is leading to housing growth after the building moratorium in Natomas was recently lifted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

This projected development calls for an increase in transportation infrastructure for the area and RT is working to provide access through the Green Line to the Airport light rail extension project. This project will extend the existing Green Line light rail service from the 7th & Richards/Township 9 light rail station on Richards Boulevard to the Sacramento International Airport and provide vital connections to various locations throughout Sacramento, including the Natomas communities.

The project is entering the environmental phase and RT is scheduling meetings that offer an opportunity for the public to provide comments related to the potential environmental effects of the project. Input received will become part of the public record and will be considered during environmental studies.

Staffed information stations with maps and other project materials will be available at the community open house meetings listed below. A brief presentation will begin at 6:30 p.m.

North Natomas
Tuesday, December 1
6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Natomas Park Elementary School
4700 Crest Drive, Sacramento

Downtown Sacramento
Wednesday, December 2
6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Downtown Sacramento Public Library
828 I Street, Sacramento

South Natomas
Thursday, December 3
6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
South Natomas Community Center
2921 Truxel Road, Sacramento

Sac Grid 2.0

The Sac Grid 2.0 project outlines the plan for an improved downtown transportation network for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and motorists. For the past year the City of Sacramento has evaluated existing conditions, researched best practices, evaluated transportation models and met with residents, property and business owners, developers, and other key stakeholders.

The proposed draft preferred transportation network highlights proposed improvements for: the roadway network, bicycle network, transit network, and improvements to enhance the pedestrian experience. Modifications made to the roadway network make room or take advantage of additional capacity to accommodate bicycle and transit improvements. Each map includes a description of types of improvements, as well as a rendering of improvements.

City Council rejects gas station in Curtis Park Village

November 17, 2015

The Sacramento Bee

“Council member Jay Schenirer, who represents Curtis Park, argued it came down to the neighborhood’s strong opposition to building a gas station in an infill area touted as public-transit oriented and pedestrian friendly.

“‘People are very much against this,’ Schenirer said. Five council members voted with him, agreeing a residential neighborhood was the wrong place to put a large fueling center.

“They also worried about putting future transportation funding in jeopardy if they added a gas station to a development that was billed as a way to encourage people to bike, walk or ride light rail and buses.”

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article45303624.html#storylink=cpy

Unmet Transit Needs

Whether you ride daily, occasionally or haven’t tried transit yet, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments is looking for feedback on our area’s bus, dial-a-ride, paratransit and light rail transit services. SACOG accepts transit needs related comments from any area in the counties of Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba.

What are your thoughts on local transit service? Would you like to use it for more trips, but don’t because of issues like where it goes, the schedule or cost? Are there places you really need to go but cannot currently? Please give us your thoughts by attending an Unmet Transit Needs meeting or by relaying your comments to SACOG.

The California State Transportation Development Act (TDA) requires the Unmet Transit Needs Process be conducted annually by Regional Transportation Planning Agencies. SACOG is the Regional Transportation Planning Agency for the counties of Sacramento, Yuba, Sutter and Yolo. SACOG staff conducts the Unmet Transit Needs process annually for these four counties. The TDA requires that SACOG make a determination whether there are “unmet transit needs that are reasonable to meet” in the jurisdictions throughout the four counties. The Unmet Transit Needs meetings are scheduled to begin in October.

What is an Unmet Transit Need?

Unmet Transit Needs are defined as Existing transit services or service variants, including services where transfers may be necessary to complete a trip, that are not adequately meeting the identified transportation needs of residents of the SACOG four-county Regional Transportation Planning Area (Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties) who are likely to use public transportation. This includes, but is not limited to: trips for education and training (excluding exclusive school bus transportation), employment, healthcare services, personal business, recreation, and social services.

What is a “Reasonable to Meet” Transit Need?

SACOG adopted a “Reasonable to Meet” standard based on several criteria that analyze how accommodating that transit need will affect the rest of the transit system that it relates to. If it passes the criteria then it is found reasonable to meet and pending the availability of TDA funds changes will be made to accommodate the need.

Note: To arrange for language translation or sign language interpreters for deaf persons, please call (916) 321-9000 or TDD access (916) 321-9550 at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. Meetings are accessible to disabled persons.

Public Meeting Dates for FY 2015–16 Unmet Transit Needs

Wednesday, November 4, 2015, 2:00 PM
Galt City Council Chambers
380 Civic Drive
Galt, CA
Note: Spanish language translation will be provided.

Thursday, November 5, 2015, 2:00 PM
North Highlands Community Center
6040 Watt Avenue
North Highlands, CA

Monday, November 9, 2015, 10:00 AM
Sacramento Regional Transit District Auditorium
1400 29th Street
Sacramento, CA

Tuesday, November 10, 2015, 2:00 PM
Yuba County Government Center
915 8th Street
Marysville, CA

Monday, October 12, 2015, 4:00 PM
Yolo County Transportation District
350 Industrial Way
Woodland, CA

TBD, January TBD, 2016, 9:30 AM
SACOG Board Room
1415 L Street, Suite 300
Sacramento, CA

Options if you prefer to send or phone in comments

Please be as specific as possible on time and location for any transit need(s) you believe are unmet:

Mail

Sacramento Area Council of Governments
Attn: Unmet Transit Needs
1415 L Street, Suite 300
Sacramento, CA 95814

E-mail

transit_needs[at]sacog[dot]org

Web
Phone
(916) 340-6275
TDD access (916) 321-9550

Fax

(916) 321-9551