May 20, 2020
By Heather Knight
The San Francisco Chronicle
[Shuttering traffic] creates a giant front yard to mingle from 6 feet apart with neighbors who too often go unmet in our busy city. It gives kids, many of whom live in little apartments with no outdoor space, an area near their homes to play. And it creates a stage for whimsical, wonderful things to happen — like live concerts and in-the-street picnics.
ECOS will be holding our board meeting on Tuesday, May 26 at 6pm virtually. We invite you to join us for the following presentation.
Due to the pandemic, we are driving less, and walking and biking more. Many cities have blocked or restricted traffic on streets so walkers and bikers have more room. Also, when restaurants open, they will need to space out patrons – ideally out onto some streets. San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles have embraced “Slow Streets”. How can we get that here?
Speakers: Jennifer Donlon Wyant, City of Sacramento Transportation Planning Manager; and Debra Banks, Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates, Executive Officer.
Click here to learn more about Slow Streets Sacramento, and for opportunities to take action now: https://www.walksacramento.org/slow-streets-sacramento/
Zoom Meeting ID: 818 6537 7865
Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81865377865
Call-in: 1-669-900-6833
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Click here to view the meeting agenda.
Join the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) at the ECOS Board of Directors meeting! These meetings are a great place to network with fellow environmentalists and to keep up with the latest local environmental successes and challenges.
ECOS will be holding our board meeting on Tuesday, May 26 at 6pm virtually. We invite you and anyone interested to join us for the following presentation.
April 8, 2020
Press Release from Sacramento Regional Transit District
Ridership Data Shows Essential Employees Still Commuting
Sacramento, CA – The Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) is adding additional bus service to busier routes in an effort to provide transportation for essential workers while promoting social distancing. On March 23, SacRT temporarily reduced service due to COVID-19 related school and business closures and Administration orders to “shelter-in-place.”
Since that time, SacRT has been closely monitoring ridership and is happy to announce that they will be adding more frequency and earlier start times to five highly utilized bus routes (15, 30, 51, 72 and 87) starting Monday, April 13.
Most routes will have earlier start times and increased frequency of 15 to 30 minutes during peak commute hours. SacRT heard from riders that they needed more peak hour commute options on bus, and the added frequency should help essential employees get to work and allow customers to get to other vital destinations, like grocery stores and medical appointments.
Summary of the added service:
Route 15 (Del Paso): Adding 21 new trips, including six earlier morning trips with 30 minute frequency
Route 30 (J Street): Adding 29 new trips to provide 30 minute service
Route 51 (Stockton/Broadway): Adding 20 new trips, increasing frequency to every 15 minutes during peak commute hours
Route 72 (Rosemont): Adding 30 new trips, including additional morning trips and increasing frequency to every 30 minutes
Route 87 (Howe): Adding 11 new trips, including a new morning trip and increasing frequency to every 30 minutes
SacRT has also added extra buses to routes 51, 67, 68, 84 and 93 during peak commute hours to allow for social distancing. SacRT will continue to monitor ridership and has additional buses standing by to assist on other routes if needed.
Light rail service will continue to operate as follows:
Blue Line (Operates on Sunday schedule seven days a week)
Gold Line – Weekday (Modified Sunday schedule) – Train service departs Historic Folsom starting at 6 a.m.
Gold Line – Saturday (Modified Sunday schedule) – Train service departs Historic Folsom starting at 7:30 a.m.
Gold Line – Sunday (Operates on regular Sunday schedule)
Green Line (Operates on regular Monday – Friday only schedule)
In addition, SacRT will continue to operate most of its peak commuter/express service Monday through Friday (routes 102, 103, 106, 107, 109, 113, 129, 161 and 193); SmaRT Ride microtransit service (in all zones) and Folsom Stage Line bus service (routes 10 and 30). To view the adjusted schedules, visit sacrt.com/schedules.
At this time, most of SacRT’s contracted services, including Elk Grove’s e-tran bus, Rancho CordoVan shuttle, and ADA paratransit services will not be affected. North Natomas Jibe service has been temporarily suspended for 60 days effective April 3 and the launch of the new Causeway Connection (route 138) zero emission electric powered bus service will be postponed until further notice.
SacRT continues to take proactive measures to slow the spread of the virus including fogging and sanitizing our buses, light rail vehicles and facilities every day. To further protect customers and employees, SacRT is installing protective plexi-glass and detachable chain barriers near the driver’s area, and requiring all riders board from the rear of the bus and. In addition, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, disposable gloves, masks and safety glasses have been distributed to employees. SacRT is urging riders to download the free ZipPass fare app or pick up a Connect Card at participating Raley’s/Bel Air markets or by calling Customer Service at 916-321-BUSS (2877) to reduce touchpoints while paying fare.
SacRT wants to remind everyone that public transit should only be used for essential travel to access food, medicine and essential employment. All other trips should be avoided and everyone should follow the guidance of Governor Newsom’s order to shelter-in-place to help flatten the curve. SacRT understands that the service it provides is critical to the Sacramento community and will continue to communicate timely updates as soon as possible. For more information on SacRT preparations to reduce the spread of COVID-19, visit sacrt.com/covid19.
Click here to view the original press release.
Photo by VH S from Pexels
Gretchen Goldman
April 8, 2020
Union of Concerned Scientists (blog)
The most important result is that we found that people living in counties in the US that have experienced a higher level of air pollution over the past 15-17 years have a substantially higher COVID-19 mortality rate. To quantify, we found that a one unit increase in long-term average exposure to fine particulate matter is associated with a 15% increase in COVID-19 mortality rate on average in the analysis. This increase accounts for adjustments for any systematic differences between county level characteristics [such as population density or smoking rates].
Click here to read the full article.
Image from Getty Images.
Mailing address: PO Box 1526, Sacramento, CA 95812
Email: office [at] ecosacramento [dot] net
909 12th St., Suite 203, Sacramento, CA 95814