Note: STAR is working on a map that shows the original HCBS routes, and additional routes that should be considered. We will post it within the week.

The High Capacity Bus Service Report (2021) laid out a vision for increased frequency and quality of service along several existing bus routes, as shown below. In some instances, SacRT uses the term ‘high capacity’ as meaning bus rapid transit (BRT), and at other times make it clear that is it a lower quality of service, but higher than regular fixed route buses. Though the Stockton Blvd ‘BRT’ project comes closer to true BRT, SacRT is nowhere proposing true BRT.

However, important bus routes were not included in this study, and should be included in any such document.

• Route 1 Greenback, from Watt/I-80 to Greenback and Sunrise, or Auburn at Silvan Corners, in Citrus Heights. The is the second highest ridership bus route in the network. Most of the route is along Auburn Blvd, where two lanes of low volume traffic could be reallocated to a high capacity or BRT, and Greenback Lane, where three lanes of mostly low volume traffic could be reallocated.
• Natomas BRT and/or BRT to the airport: A route to south and north Natomas, and/or perhaps to the airport, was not included in the study because SacRT assumed that the Green Line to the Airport light rail would fulfill this function. However, STAR, SacRT unofficially, and local electeds recognize that light rail to the airport is 30 to 40 years away, if ever. Therefore, a BRT route to Natomas and/or the airport should be studied.
• Elk Grove BRT: An BRT route from the Blue Line light rail end station at Cosumnes River College to central Elk Grove should be considered. Such an extension would funnel riders to light rail and made most of the commuter routes unnecessary.
• CalState to West Sacramento: Another high ridership route is the combined Routes 30/38, with 15-minute service where they overlap. These currently end at Sacramento Valley Station, but could be extended into West Sacramento, either the transit center near city hall, or the Riverpoint Marketplace shopping center (Ikea), which is a major destination in West Sac.

In addition to high capacity bus routes, light rail extensions should be studied as part of the same process. It makes no sense to separate bus route enhancement from light rail enhancement, as though they were separate worlds. These extensions include:

• Blue Line Extension to American River College: Extending light rail from Watt/I-80 to American River College (ARC), which is the first part of Route 1 Greenback, probably would engender high ridership. ARC is a car commuter college, but many students could be shifted to transit with high frequency light rail service.
• Blue Line Extension to Citrus Height and Roseville: Extending light rail to Citrus Height would convert the high ridership Route 1 to high ridership light rail. However, the benefits are not as clear as for ARC. A further extension to Roseville is possible. Note that light rail extension to the northeast was at the top of SacRT’s light rail projects for years, until it was removed for political, not transit reasons.
• Blue Line Extension to Elk Grove: This is an alternative to BRT to Elk Grove, using light rail instead of buses.

Though the bus enhancement and light rail extensions have been listed separately here, they must be considered together. True BRT is about 2/3 the cost of light rail, though high capacity bus service of the sort SacRT is suggesting might be quite a bit less. It also takes less time to implement BRT than light rail, though not that much. Some high capacity elements can be implemented much quicker, in fact some of them could start tomorrow with the political will.

So the update could be an update to the High Capacity Bus Study, or it could be part of the Long Range Transit Plan, which is apparently being developed by SacRT. We do not know the time frame for the Long Range Transit Plan, but it may be part of the Comprehensive Operational Analysis Plan which is both required by and funded by California SB 125.

• High Capacity Bus Service HCBS
• SacRT light rail