SACOG is currently performing a study of transit alternatives between Sacramento and Davis. The project is described as follows:

FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR EXPANDING DAVIS-SACRAMENTO RAIL SERVICE (Caltrans Planning Grant) Project #200-003-32

This project is a feasibility study for adding short-haul service in the Sacramento-Davis rail corridor to augment Capitol Corridor service and respond to regional growth. The study will analyze needs for track and station improvements/additions; rail car, layover, storage, and maintenance needs; ridership projections; capital, operations and maintenance costs; potential funding and institutional/governance models. More frequent rail service between the Davis train depot, West Sacramento, and the downtown Sacramento Valley Station with its many transit connections, would reduce VMT, GHG emissions, and travel demand on Interstate 80 and the Yolo Causeway, and increase mobility and access to reach regional opportunities.

Azadeh Doherty of SACOG provided additional information:

The purpose of this study is to identify the most feasible public transit alternative for deployment between Davis and Sacramento.  The study will start with an identification of various modal candidates, e.g., bus rapid transit, light rail, commuter rail, etc.  The study team will then screen the candidates to the three most likely alternatives and develop conceptual operating plans for each, which will be used to generate ridership and revenue forecasts. The study team will then match anticipated revenues against likely operating and maintenance (O&M) costs and estimate the conceptual capital costs to build and maintain the services.  We also will also review the alternatives for any potential environmental and historical resources that could be impacted by implementation of any of the alternatives.  Finally, we will evaluate three alternatives against specific evaluation criteria and then rank the alternatives accordingly.  The evaluation criteria will be based on the FTA Capital Investment Grant Program/ New Starts project rating criteria.  The objective of the analysis is to determine the alternative that best fits the evaluation criteria and thus is deemed most feasible.

When we have some information and reports available, we will post it on our website. The study is scheduled to be completed by November of 2018.

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