Though our members have stopped at all of the light rail stations on the Blue Line to Cosumnes River College (CRC) extension (even the currently unused Morrison Creek station), we had not noticed that all of these new platforms, except the terminal platform at CRC, were built to the current standard of eight inches above top of rail, presumably in anticipation of the future low floor rail cars. The entire platforms are at this height. The mini-high platforms that are still provided for disabled access to the old railcars are the same height as all others on the railcar side, but have a lower rise due to the raised platform. The photo shows these higher platforms at Center Parkway station, eight inches above top of rail.

STAR has opposed the platform height decision, because it means that boarding is NOT level, but low, requiring ramps for disabled access. Nevertheless, noticing the Blue Line platforms has caused us to wonder why the platforms being modified now are not being completely modified. For the platforms that have been completed, about half the length of the platform is raised, the other remains the same. The raised area usually only includes a portion of the width of the platform, which therefore requires extensive railing between the new section and the old section. It is not clear why only half the length of the platforms have been modified, since the old cars work just fine with these raised platform. In fact, they work better since the rise covers the first awkward step of the light rail car stair. It is also not clear why only part of the platform was raised, rather than the full width. This means that SacRT will have to go back later and lengthen the raised section, a completely separate construction project requiring station closure yet again. Will the platform width remain split between a raised section and a lower section, with railing permanent, or will the platforms eventually be raised full width, with a completely separate construction project requiring station closure yet again?

STAR has written previously about the unacceptable design of these new platforms: SacRT more platform flaws and SacRT light rail platform flaws. We know that SacRT has struggled to find enough funding for these platform modifications. Are these design flaws a result of that? Or has SacRT just implemented poor designs?

• SacRT light rail modernization