The evolving Sacramento Riverfront Streetcar project is now likely the light rail extension to West Sacramento. The light rail route would depart from Sacramento Valley Station, and go across the Tower Bridge to West Sacramento in the vicinity of city hall and Sacramento City College West Sacramento Center, passing Sutter Health Park (Raley Field) on the way. Some versions go only to Sutter Health Park. So far as STAR knows, there are no publicly available documents on the exact route. The extension to the south, through the Bridge District, does not seem to be part of the current proposal.

A question that remains unanswered, despite many requests by STAR for clarification, is how the route will integrate with the Gold Line/Green Line at Sacramento Valley Station. There is an active proposal, with some funding, to change the configuration of at the station so that the Gold Line turns north to a light rail station near the train tracks, and then continues to 7th Street and on the alignment of the current Green Line. But apparently neither the city nor SacRT thought to figure out how to integrate a route to West Sacramento. It seems as though it will require a transfer, perhaps by walking to a separate platform. We don’t know.

Nevertheless, continuing with the STAR project of looking at each potential light rail extension, here are the base, density, environmental justice, and median household income maps for the West Sacramento extension, with the route based on going to the city hall area.

General route layout. West Sacramento does not have hospital facilities or job centers close to this route, but does have the higher education facility of Sacramento City College West Sacramento Center. Higher education service is good, but it would make more sense to serve the primary campuses such as American River College before serving the centers. (pdf)

Population density is low, well below Sacramento central city, but is increasing with many new housing developments. At this time, population density is not an argument for the extension. (pdf)

The SACOG Environmental Justice (low income high minority LIHM) feature indicates low income throughout the service area on the west side of the river, and minority and low income on the east side. This provides justification for the extension. (pdf)

The ACS median household income (MHI) feature indicates MHI below 100% to the south, and below 60% to the north. This provides justification for the extension. (pdf)

Overall, light rail extension to West Sacramento is not as strong as some extensions, but has enough justification to remain in consideration.

We did not analyze extensions to the west side of West Sacramento nor to the south side, because these do not seem to be under consideration. Nor did we analyze light rail extension to Davis, which has been mentioned by several entities, because it would pass through extensive areas of agricultural and wildlife lands, so it not a rational solution. Capitol Corridor service is 15 minutes from Sacramento Valley Station to Davis Station, though frequency is low, ranging from 30-minute to 120-minute. The Causeway Connection bus service sponsored by UC Davis and operated jointly by SacRT and Yolobus, between UC Davis main campus and UC Davis Medical Center, provides hourly service but poor connections on the east end.

• SacRT light rail