Our meeting yesterday developed our list of top issues for 2018.

• Route optimization
• Light rail extension and expansion
• Coalition work to improve “Measure B” and support if sufficiently improved

Route optimization: SacRT is undertaking a route optimization study for the bus network. A contract was let to Jarrett Walker Associates, which we view as a very positive step. Jarrett Walker is the author of Human Transit, the best source of information on how to design effective transit systems. He and his staff have undertaken transformative redesigns of several transit systems, most notably Houston. We are concerned, however, that SacRT is not investing enough in the contract and re-design to really transform the entire network, but might just result in tweaks. We are also concerned that months after initiating the process, SacRT still has not defined a public engagement process. Without robust public engagement, particularly in neighborhoods with high percentages of people of color and low income, and low service, the project cannot be successful. So, STAR will be tracking and influencing the route optimization study to ensure that it has a great outcome.

Light rail: Light rail is the backbone of the transit network, in both a practical and design sense. The existing system suffers from three issues: high-floor rail cars, shared street segments that delay service, and freeway running alignment that reduces service and development opportunities. Nonetheless, it is an effective framework. SacRT and local politicians have been pushing hard for the next extension to be the Green Line to the Airport. Other extensions include Blue Line to Elk Grove, Blue Line to American River College, Citrus Heights, and Roseville, and service westward to West Sacramento and Davis. Though neither STAR or SacRT has looked closely at expansion to other alignments, we will look at and perhaps recommend a north-south line, perhaps along Watt or Sunrise, tying together the northeast and east lines. STAR is on record as opposing the Green Line as the next extension until all potential routes are studied in consistent way for their impact on ridership. We support conversion of the entire light rail fleet to low-floor with level boarding platforms, and double-tracking the Sunrise to Folsom section of the Gold Line to allow more frequent service, as well as longer service hours.

Of course bus routes and light rail routes, and the frequency and span of service, cannot be considered in isolation. We agree with the concept that many bus lines should serve light rail stations, though this does not work for large areas of the county where light rail does not exist. We also support the concept that high frequency service, 15 minutes or better, is key to a highly functional system, while also recognizing that there are major equity questions around coverage, as there are large transit deserts that have moderate density and can support bus routes, but don’t have them.

Measure B Coalition: We will work with all the transit supportive organizations and communities to ensure that the transportation sales tax measure likely to be on the November 2020 ballot serves the critical needs of transit. We don’t know what this measure will be called, but one working title is “son of B” named for the failed Measure B that was on the ballot in 2016, but A+ is also used. The failed measure was loaded up with roadway and highway expansion projects including expensive interchanges, and had only a weak commitment to maintenance, or “fix-it-first.” While we support maintenance and hope that it will be prominent in the next measure, we don’t support continued expansion of roadways, which not only takes away funds from transit, but directly harms transit by further subsidizing privately owned motor vehicles and their drivers. Roadway expansion also exacerbates the maintenance shortfall, adding yet more miles and lanes that we don’t have and won’t have the funds to maintain. STAR is on record as supporting the funding proposal put forward by SacRT General Manager Henry Li that transit should receive 2/3 of the half cent sales tax, so that the total sales tax funding for SacRT under measures A and B would we one-half cent. No functional transit system in California operates on less than that, and they range up to two cents. The state of SacRT is due in large part to long term under-investment in transit, and now is the time to change that. If SacTA and local politicians simply recycle the 2016 Measure B, with its poor allocation of resources, we will work passionately to defeat it.

The other issues we considered are:

• STAR leading the Measure B efforts
• SACOG Metropolitan Transportation Plan/ Sustainable Communities Strategy update, and the lack of effective land use and transit planning in the region
• Expanding service and lowering fares on the Capitol Corridor and San Joaquins regional rail
• Bus shuttles to the airport from the quadrants of the Sacramento urban area, including Roseville and Citrus Heights, Folsom and Rancho Cordova, and south Sacramento
• Improving bus stops, bus information at stops, and walking and bicyclist access to bus stops
• Sacramento Valley Station planning, ensuring that transit comes first and development complements it, and that streetcars do not receive precedence over light rail
• SacRT Campus move from midtown to the suburbs
• Continuation of $20 student pass program beyond the six-month pilot
• Transit pledge, asking all SacRT board members, and perhaps all electeds and staff, to commit to using transit during a week, or month, or on a certain frequency
• All-door boarding of buses with Connect Card, to speed up dwell time at bus stops
• Better involve people of color (P.O.C.) and low income in our work and priorities
• SacTA revision of Transportation Enhancement Plan (TEP) for better projects and fiscal accountability

Obviously all of these things are important, and issues we’d like to work on. If you’d like us to do more, then we need your help. SacTRU is working on several of these, and we will support and encourage their work. Many other transit, transportation and equity advocates have roles to play, including leading on various issues, and we will support them as well.

• STAR