Support of SacRT’s 2022 TIRCP application for zero emission buses

February 21, 2022

The Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) supports the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) application to the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) for the purchase of twenty-seven electric zero emission buses (ZEBs) and related charging infrastructure.

These new ZEBs, along with those already in use by SacRT, will reinforce the region’s commitment to greenhouse gas reduction and be a good example for others. Since the transportation sector is responsible for about half of the region’s greenhouse gas emissions, replacing gas powered buses with electric buses is a necessary and important climate action step. It will help improve the region’s air quality, reduce greenhouse gas and other harmful emissions, improve the health of residents and visitors, and demonstrate the effectiveness of clean transportation to the public.

Click here to read our letter in full.

Want to help improve transportation in Sacramento?

Do you walk, bike or roll using a wheelchair or mobility scooter? Or if you don’t, do you have thoughts on how to make transportation more effective?
Would you like to help improve our sidewalks, bikeways, crosswalks and access to transit?

If the answer is yes, here’s your opportunity to help.

The City of Sacramento is looking for community members to apply to be part of one of the three Sacramento Active Streets community planning teams.

The three planning teams will focus on North Sacramento, Fruitridge/Broadway and South Sacramento areas.

“Each plan will identify locations to improve walking, biking, and access to transit – like sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes and more,” said Leslie Mancebo, the City’s transportation planner. “A critical part of the planning process will be community engagement, and we are currently putting together these community planning teams to serve as local experts/advisors throughout the process.”

The City’s Active Streets plans are designed to improve safety and comfort for walking, biking, rolling and accessing transit.

Members of the community planning teams will advise City staff throughout the process to ensure that community voices and priorities are heard. As a member of a community planning Ttam, selected participants will be responsible for:

  • Attending up to seven approximately one-hour meetings between March 2022 and June 2023
  • Suggesting opportunities for community engagement events (e.g., farmers markets, school resource fairs, etc.)
  • Helping spread the word about the plans and about ways to get involved
  • Advising City staff to ensure voices of all residents are captured in the plan
  • Each planning team member will receive a $75 gift card for each meeting attended.

Those interested in applying can do so on the City’s website. Applications close March 4.

Linking local land use and transportation – Join Us 2/10

Please join ECOS’ Climate Change Committee on Thursday, Feb. 10, 6 PM!

Clint Holtzen, SACOG Planning Manager, will inform us of plans for the 2024 Blueprint (MTP/SCS or Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy).

Background: On Thursday, Feb. 3, SACOG’s Transportation Committee adopted the Policy Framework for the 2024 Blueprint. The growth projections go out to 2050. See SACOG’s website for a process overview and background on the Blueprint: https://www.sacog.org/2024-blueprint-mtpscs.

We will also discuss:

We will also discuss tasks that you might want to volunteer for!

Click here to view the agenda.

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

ECOS letter in advance of Sac City Council transportation workshop

On February 7, 2022, the Environmental Council submitted a letter to the City of Sacramento in regards to their transportation workshop, scheduled for February 8, 2022.

The Council has acknowledged the need to address the impacts of climate change by declaring a climate emergency in December 2019. However, we are far from meeting the City’s carbon neutrality goal – we need plans and funding. The City is making progress on building electrification, but the most important sector for meeting our climate neutrality goal is transportation, which accounts for over half of our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Click here to read the letter in full.


Photo by Bruno Thethe from Pexels