In January of 2018, STAR developed its top three issues for the year. See STAR’s top issues post.

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

We spent much of the year working on route optimization, much less on the other two issues.

Route optimization, renamed SacRT Forward, has now finished the development process and will be implemented starting Sunday, September 8. STAR supports the new network which shifts resources toward frequency, though of course we have the same discomfort as the riders and public have about the frequency versus coverage balance, and we want a higher level of funding so that we can have more of both. Almost all bus routes are now either 15 or 30 minute frequency during the weekday, and there is significantly more weekend service. Several routes of low productivity (few riders compared to service hours) have been dropped, with the SmaRT Ride on-demand micro-transit service providing coverage in many of those areas.

SacRT planning staff has said there will be minor tweaks if unexpected glitches show up, but staff and at least most of the board is committed to letting the new network run for two years before determining whether it has been successful or if major changes are appropriate. STAR participated in the two stakeholder meetings and several other community meetings and events, held detailed discussions with SacRT planning staff, and spoke several times to the SacRT board, including our last statement in support.

Light rail extension and expansion: STAR has spoken often and forcefully that the commitment to the Green Line light rail extension to the airport, specified in SacRT planning documents and the failed Measure B, is probably not the highest priority for SacRT. We have talked about the benefits of other potential extensions, and believe that all reasonable extensions should be considered at the same time in order to determine the best ‘bang for the buck’ in ridership and network connections. We suspect that light rail from Watt/I-80 to American River College is the best next project, but await a deep study by SacRT. We seem to have had an effect. SacRT, SACOG and SacTA are now acknowledging that the Green Line is best deferred for a while so that other transit needs can be addressed. It may be that the Green Line, but only as far as South Natomas or the southern part of North Natomas, will still be on the list, but that isn’t clear yet.

The bigger issue, for STAR and SacRT, is the acquisition of low floor, level-boarding rail cars. SacRT has obtained some funding from state and federal sources to purchase new rail cars, but funding so far is only a fraction of what is needed. About half the rail fleet needs to be replaced within a few years, at most, since these are past their normal service life and reliability has already fallen off steeply, and the remainder of the fleet will need to be replaced to bring the system to 100% low floor. STAR has spoken at SACOG asking for more funding for new rail cars, but SACOG has been resistant to commit and significant funding or to allowing SacRT to participate in all funding programs.

Not specifically part of this light rail issue, but very exciting, is that the Gold Line to Folsom now offers evening service (it used to stop at 7:00PM) and better weekend service. The remainder of the light rail network now operates at 15-minute frequency on weekends during the day. The section of the Gold Line from Sunrise to Historic Folsom must await double-tracking before it can go to 15-minute service.

Coalition work to improve “Measure B” and support if sufficiently improved: STAR is a founding member of the SacMoves coalition which serves to encourage SacTA (Sacramento Transportation Authority, the administrator of the Measure A transportation sales tax and sponsor of the failed Measure B sales tax) to use a Measure M like process to develop the next sales tax measure. Measure M is the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Planning Authority ‘Metro’ permanent one-cent sales tax measure that was developed via a community-engaged planning process, and which shift transportation funding significantly away from cars and to transit. SacTA has agreed, in principle, to a Measure M-like process, but the coalition continues to work to see that they understand what that means and follow through. The failed Measure B started with a wish list, compiled from the asks of all the transportation agencies, and never asked questions about what the funding could accomplish or how we would know if it was successful. It the new tax measure is done right, it will start with goals, establish performance measures, and only then develop a list of projects that meet the goals.

In addition to working with the coalition, STAR is monitoring the process with SacTA, and has spoken both supporting a community-engaged process and more funding for transit (and the related walking and bicycling investments).

STAR was so involved in these issues, and many others that were not even on the horizon when the year started, that we did not develop a list of issues for 2019. Yet.

• STAR