Bike share starts in Sacramento. See where you can get one.

By Tony Bizjak

May 18, 2017

The Sacramento Bee

Bike share arrived in Sacramento Thursday with several dozen ready to rent in downtown Sacramento and along the West Sacramento waterfront.

The bikes, operated by a company called Social Bicyles, rent for $4 per hour, but can be rented in increments as small as a minute. Users tap into a smartphone app, which tells them where the nearest bikes are parked. Riders can then unlock the bikes by tapping a personal code into the pad behind the bike seat.

Most bikes will be parked at 14 designated bike stands in the street at popular central city locations, such as next to The Barn and Raley Field in West Sacramento, in Capitol Park and in front of Zocalo restaurant and across the street from Der Biergarten in midtown.

Read more here.


Bizjak, Tony. “Bike share starts in Sacramento. See where you can get one.” Sacbee. SacBee, 18 May 2017. Web. 26 May 2017.

Please Use Caution If Driving

May 15, 2017

The Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) strives to provide all residents of the Sacramento region with pedestrian, bicycle and transit access to jobs, schools, shopping, services and recreation. 

Unfortunately, Sacramento drivers are hindering this access, as evidenced by three separate pedestrian deaths by motorists in less than two weeks. 

On April 30, 2017, Theresa McCourt died when hit by a suspected drunken driver on 47th Avenue in Sacramento. McCourt was a longtime member of the Sacramento running community. She also “…wrote a column on running for The Bee from 1990 to 1998. The British-born McCourt was also a published poet, freelance writer and editor of the California State Auditor.” Read more at http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article150564292.html.

On May 11, 2017, 35-year-old Alysha McLean was killed on Franklin Boulevard at 42nd Avenue. McLean was attempting to cross Franklin Boulevard when she was struck in the southbound lanes by a vehicle that left the scene. The CHP is asking the public’s help in identifying the vehicle. Read more at http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article150552657.html.

On the same day, May 11, 2017, 58-year-old Mark Alan Stout was hit and killed by a car in North Highlands as he crossed Watt Avenue in his wheelchair. The California Highway Patrol said that Stout was traveling in his wheelchair across Watt Avenue near Myrtle Avenue. Read more at http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article150551147.html.

Source: The Sacramento Bee, May 15, 2017

Meet the New CEO of SACOG, James Corless

Join the Environmental Council of Sacramento – ECOS for our May ECOS Board Meeting! Everyone who is interested is welcome. Bring a friend!

Monday, May 15, 2017

Location: SEIU Local 1000, 1325 S St, Sacramento, CA 95811

5:30 pm Reception

Please come and meet and socialize with ECOS Board Members and guests. Light appetizers and refreshments served. Feel free to bring something to share.

6:00 pm Meeting Begins

Come meet James Corless, the new Chief Executive Officer of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG)

Come meet the new chief executive of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) on Monday, May 15th with ECOS! James Corless is a public transit and smart growth advocate and the founding director of Transportation for America.

SACOG is the region’s chief transportation planning agency. Learn more about them here: http://www.sacog.org/

Transportation for America is an alliance of elected, business and civic leaders from communities across the country, united to ensure that states and the federal government step up to invest in smart, homegrown, locally-driven transportation solutions. Learn more about the organization here:http://www.t4america.org/

“James Corless is the founding director of Transportation for America, where he built an impressive national network of civic, elected, and business leaders who understand that strategic investments in infrastructure are crucial for attracting economic development.” – SACOG http://www.sacog.org/post/james-corless-begins-ceo-appointment

After the discussion, ECOS Committees will report on their current business. Announcements from members and attendees are welcome at the end, as time allows.

Click here for the full agenda. (PDF)

Support for Volkswagen Settlement California ZEV Investment Plan

April 10, 2017

ECOS supports Sacramento as the first recipient of funds from the Volkswagen settlement.

We are writing to express our support of the Volkswagen’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Investment Plan, including the designation of Sacramento as the first Green City with a proposed investment of $44 million. We believe that the City of Sacramento is a strong, capable partner that is ready to deliver on this important opportunity. The Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) has a history of working with the City to deliver ambitious projects and programs that benefit the region.

Read the full letter from ECOS by clicking here.

Stakeholder Meeting for the Downtown Specific Plan

Wednesday, March 29, 2017
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Hacker Lab, 1715 I St, Sacramento, CA 95811
 
The City of Sacramento is developing the Downtown Specific Plan.
 
The plan will focus primarily on:
 
  *  Identifying and evaluating a number of urban infill sites within the project area
  *  Removing barriers to housing development by streamlining the development and environmental review process
  *  Incentivizing Transit-Oriented Development throughout the Central City, including along the streetcar corridor
  *  Maintaining and improving the quality of life for Central City residents, and furthering neighborhood livability by including additional amenities and housing opportunities
 
The project team is hosting a focus group meeting to discuss community amenities, historic preservation, arts and culture, and public health as they relate to increasing Downtown’s housing supply. Take part in developing the plan, and find out the results of a recent community survey.
 
Please RSVP by March 24th by responding to Salvador Ramirez at sramirez[at]aimconsultingco[dot]com or calling 916-442-1168.  If you have any questions regarding this meeting, please contact Gladys Cornell at gcornell[at]aimconsultingco[dot]com or at 916-442-1168.

City Light Impacts on Declining Salmon Populations

March 21, 2017

ECOS submitted the following letter with concerns about outdoor lighting on the Sacramento riverfront and its effects on local salmon populations, such as the endangered Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon, which are particularly important among California’s salmon runs because they exhibit a life-history strategy found nowhere else on the West Coast.

Read the full letter by clicking here.