Tag Archives: Local Transportation

Residents Invited to View City’s Initial ‘Transportation Priorities Plan’ at These Two Meetings

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August 17, 2022 – From the City Express, the news website for the City of Sacramento government

The City of Sacramento has reached phase two of its Transportation Priorities Plan and unveiled the initial project prioritization. Community members are invited to two virtual meetings on Aug. 24 and 27 to learn more and provide feedback.

The Department of Public Works in 2021 began working on the first-of-its-kind priorities plan and engaged communities to hear about their transportation values and gather input on recommendations.

“When it comes to investing in transportation, we wanted to know what matters most to Sacramento’s communities,” Transportation Planning Manager Jennifer Donlon Wyant said. “The input in phase one has allowed us to conduct the initial prioritization of the over 700 approved transportation projects in the City.”

Throughout 2021 and in early 2022, staff engaged communities through virtual gatherings, surveys, a youth-focused program and meetings with local organizations.

In March 2022, City Council adopted a set of criteria and process to prioritize the transportation investments based on those community values. This prioritization is needed because there are many transportation needs and the majority of transportation funding is from competitive grants, officials said.

It is estimated the City would need about $5 billion to complete all of the identified transportation improvements and maintenance projects.

The criteria approved by Council include: improve air quality, climate and health; provide equitable investment; provide access to destinations; improve transportation safety; and fix and maintain the transportation system.

Staff used this criteria to prioritize approved transportation projects. Projects that best meet community values are considered high priority projects. Medium priority are projects that meet some community values but not all. Lower priority projects do not align well with community values for transportation investment.

“As we move into phase two, we’re excited and ready to share the initial prioritization and hear from our communities,” Donlon Wyant said.

Residents can learn more about the initial prioritization and share input in many ways.

  • Register for a virtual gathering session (6 p.m. Aug. 24 or 10 a.m. Aug. 27)
  • Complete a comment form, available in multiple languages
  • Provide feedback on an online map, available in multiple languages
  • Meet the team at community events across the city throughout August

Transportation measure comes under fire in some circles, Sacramento Business Journal, July 15, 2022

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This fall, Sacramento County voters will weigh in on a sales tax measure with a cornucopia of proposed boosting for local transportation: road fixes, transit improvements and more.

One proposed use of measure proceeds, though, has drawn criticism in some corners, including from a regional transportation planning agency. About 11.5% of all annual tax revenues would be allocated to Caltrans for state highway improvements and to the Capital Southeast Joint Powers Authority for the Capital Southeast Connector project.

To groups like the Environmental Council of Sacramento, the latter project is out of line with smart growth.

“We feel it’s inducing sprawl and vehicle miles traveled,” said Ralph Propper, a past president of ECOS and chair of its climate change committee. “It wouldn’t meet state mandates.”

Click here to read the article in full.

ECOS Letter re City of Sac Transportation Priorities Plan

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On March 15, 2022, ECOS submitted a letter to the City of Sacramento regarding their Transportation Priorities Plan. Below is an excerpt from our letter.

ECOS recommends:
1) The schedule for developing the TPP plan should be accelerated so projects can be eligible for funding sooner and built sooner.
2) SacRT’s transit system should be the backbone around which the City’s transportation projects are selected, to make existing transit station areas and transit corridors more walkable and livable. This approach is consistent with state law (SB375, SB743), regional policies (SACOG Blueprint, Green Means Go), and it would enable the leveraging of federal grants.

Click here to read the letter in full.

Comments re Sacramento’s Transportation Priorities Plan

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On March 14, 2022, ECOS, along with several other environmental groups, submitted a letter to the City of Sacramento about the City’s Transportation Priorities Plan.

Once again, we write to implore you to act swiftly to take comprehensive and bold action to transform transportation in the City and the region. Such a transformation is nonnegotiable if we are to begin to respond to the imminent threat of climate change; it is also essential in fostering equity, addressing traffic safety, increasing the livability of our neighborhoods, and improving air quality.

Just a few weeks ago the Council held a workshop titled Climate and Transportation. Yet the Transportation Priorities Plan before you, which proposes analyzing 700 transportation projects that have been proposed by council members over the past twenty years, would appear to adopt the status quo and does not establish addressing climate change as one of the criteria. Our city is in dire need of a transportation plan that reflects the current century. Again, we urge you to direct your City Manager to set aside staff and resources to develop and implement a comprehensive active transportation and public transit framework for the city.

Click here to read our letter in full.

ROGER DICKINSON

Todd Smith and Roger Dickinson to speak 3/10

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Please join ECOS’ Climate Change Committee on Thursday, March 10, 6 PM to hear Todd Smith discuss the Sacramento County Action Plan and Roger Dickinson speak about a potential new transportation ballot measure.

6:00: Welcome and Introductions

6:10: Sacramento County’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) draft was released (revised from September): https://planning.saccounty.net/PlansandProjectsIn-Progress/Documents/Climate%20Action%20Plan/Revised%20Final%20Draft%20CAP_February%202022.pdf
Comments on the CAP are due March 23.
Also March 23 (6 PM start): the Board of Supervisors will hold a CAP WORKSHOP (presentation and CAP discussion), and a presentation on its Climate Emergency Declaration’s Task Force.

Todd Smith, Sacramento County Planner, will provide an overview of changes to the CAP. Help us prepare comments. Get involved!

6:45: Transportation Ballot Measure for November election

Would increase sales tax in Sacramento County to generate almost $9 billion over 40 years for transportation improvements. Signature gatherers are being led by a coalition of developers, construction companies, and construction trade unions. As a “citizens group” (“A Committee for a Better Sacramento”; details: www.movesac.org), it needs 50%+1 for passage, rather than 67% if proposed by a government agency.

Its language is similar to the Measure A that was pulled in 2020 due to Covid … EXCEPT: $300 million to build the Capital Southeast Connector (Folsom-Elk Grove expressway [I-5 – US-50]). AND: it gives the Southeast Connector Authority the ability to determine whether it meets greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction requirements, rather than SACOG. This would lead to sprawl development and increased vehicle miles traveled, and prevent our region from reaching State-mandated GHG reduction.

Roger Dickinson will provide overview. He is Policy Director for Civic Well (formerly Local Government Commission); previously Executive Director of Transportation California, and State Asemblymember.
We will discuss our options.

7:15: Sacramento City
Transportation & Climate Workshop; Update, Climate Implementation Plan
March 15: City Council to consider and budget for transportation priorities: transit and complete streets — with infrastructure for walking, rolling, riding transit and driving.

7:25: Introduction of new ECOS activists, and their interests

Prior to adjournment, we welcome announcements, and other matters you may raise.

Link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155
To phone in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 665 616 4155

Biden is offering billions for transportation. Here’s how Sacramento can get its share

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February 17, 2022 | By the Sacramento Bee Editorial Board | The Sacramento Bee

The need for a significant change in how we move around the area has never been greater. Transportation accounts for 56% of the city of Sacramento’s carbon emissions, making it a major contributor in the region’s upsetting consistency in earning the American Lung Association’s recognition as one of the most polluted areas in the country. The smoke we inhale each fire season is a downstream result of climate change caused partly by our overreliance on cars. Long-term exposure to smoke and vehicle pollution poses an increased risk of mortality, especially for lower-income communities.

Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/editorials/article258464983.html#storylink=cpy