Updated 2016-12-12 to add some information on the extensions.

The has been a lot of discussion this year about creating a high frequency network for the Sacramento region, but most people don’t have a picture of what this would look like. Hence, one person’s ideas on paper (Dan Allison). STAR is in support of a high frequency network, but has taken no position on any particular route.

This extended network would include the existing high frequency network which consists of light rail blue line, light rail gold line (only as far as Sunrise), and bus routes 1, 30, 51, and 81.

The map below shows one possible configuration of the an extended high frequency network. This sketch design is based simply on one person’s perspective on transit service in the region; it is not based on analysis of ridership, population, income, equity, or any other hard data factor. An actual design would need to include all of these. But the sketch design does consider in a general sense population and demand for service.

High frequency service is 15 minutes or better during the core part of weekdays, usually 6AM to 7PM, and may or should include earlier and later service, and weekend service. However, there is no official definition of high frequency span, and nothing about those issues is addressed here. The term “trunk line” is also used for these core routes.

Extensions

Extension routes include:

• Gold Line, from Sunrise to Folsom, increase service from 30 minutes to 15 minutes; this is already being explored by SacRT
• Greenback, extend Route 1 from Sunrise to Folsom light rail station (see note below)
• Sunrise, from Sunrise light rail to Douglas Blvd
• Madison, from Sunrise to Watt/I-80 light rail station
• Fair Oaks, from Sac State to Madison (connecting with Madison route on east and Route 30 on west)
• El Camino, from Fair Oaks to Truxel (no connection to the freeway and airport service is possible because there is no northbound on-ramp of southbound off-ramp)
• Howe/Power Inn, from Marconi light rail station to CRC light rail station
• Fruitridge, from Freeport to Power Inn (connecting with Howe/Power Inn route)
• Florin, extending Route 81 east to Power Inn
• Elk Grove, from CRC light rail station to “downtown” Elk Grove (current service is only commuter hours)
• airport, from Sacramento Valley Station to airport, along I-5 (see note below)
• Davis, from Sacramento Valley Station to Davis Station

Notice that most of these extensions connect to light rail at one or both ends, which is intentional. These connections to the base system allow easy transfers and long distance travel that would be difficult or impossible on a bus-only trip.

The purpose of the Greenback extension from Sunrise to Folsom is to provide a route between jobs and residents in Folsom, and jobs and residents in the northern part of Sacramento, without going through downtown. It would go through a low-density area that otherwise would probably not deserve service, but as a regional connection, it is very important.

The purpose of the airport route is to provide the same high frequency service that Green Line to the Airport would provide, at a much lower cost. Yolobus currently serves the airport once an hour (twice if you include service via Davis, but no one in their right mind would do that). High frequency service to the airport would be a “proof of concept” that could eventually lead to light rail if bus is successful.

Grid Network

An optimal high frequency network is set up on a grid system, using primarily arterial streets. However, the Sacramento region has a broken grid system for three reasons:

• natural features, specifically the American River and Sacramento River
• the early road network, which radiated from downtown to destinations such as Stockton, Folsom, Roseville, Marysville, etc.
• poor transportation design, where many important streets simply end when there was no reason for them to
• freeways which break up the grid into isolated parts

So, an extended high frequency network in the Sacramento region will be less than optimal, but still a huge improvement over the very limited high frequency network we have now. The sketch design reflect that.

Not addressed here is the cost of operating an extended high frequency network. Though some savings may come from replacing less frequent routes, and eliminating unproductive routes, this network would definitely require more operations funds than SacRT currently has.

The sketch design also does not address what might occur within Roseville and Folsom. Both cities have their own transit systems, and I am much less familiar with these two cities and their needs, so no speculation is made. I am also not claiming that all the routes shown should be operated by SacRT, but that is one likely option.

• SacRT