Quote:
Originally Posted by Korey
What would the best route be for a central city (Sac) streetcar? And should the money be spent on one?
And yeah I think we're all disappointed there hasn't been more tod/infill. I would love to see a Rancho Cordova or North Sacramento that looks like something form the Rosslyn corridor in DC (granted a metro with quadruple our population).
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There have been a couple of studies done to design a central city streetcar--one in 2008, another in 2011, based on a partnership between the cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento. The first study's route started at West Sacramento city hall, ran up West Capitol past Raley Field and over the Tower Bridge, up Capitol Mall and north on 7th/8th Street using Light Rail lines. The line then turned east on K Street to a loop around the Convention Center, with its farthest eastward point at 15th Street before looping back around to return to West Sac.
The 2011 study made two changes: instead of running on Capitol Mall, the line was projected to run north up 3rd Street (which is due for two-way conversion soon anyhow) to the Sacramento Valley Station passenger depot. It would join Light Rail tracks on 7th and 8th south to K Street, run down K to 13th and loop around the Convention Center, but with a "tail" continuing down K Street to 19th Street, where the line would reverse just short of the Union Pacific mainline.
The other feature of the 2011 plan was a set of potential expansion lines from downtown to other neighborhoods. One ran south down 3rd Street into Southside, for an extension to future development south of Broadway. Another ran down 15th/16th to Broadway. Theoretically, if there is a way to cross the Union Pacific tracks (currently not feasible without a bridge, and a bridge isn't feasible at K Street) it could continue as a route into East Sacramento to Sac State.
Another option not explored but I happen to like: Run south on 15th/16th and connect with existing Light Rail and use the Bee Bridge to run over the UP mainline, and turn south at Alhambra Boulevard or 34th Street to Broadway/Oak Park, terminating at Stockton/Broaday--or even continuing south down Stockton Boulevard to the city limits.