City of Sacramento
City Council Report
915 I Street, 1st Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2022-01542 8/30/2022 Consent Item 10.
Sacramento Regional Transit Streetcar Alignment (S15131800) File ID: 2022-01542
Location: District 4
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution supporting the pursuit of an alignment for Sacramento Regional Transit’s Streetcar from West Sacramento utilizing Capitol Mall, 3rd Street, and N Street.
Contact: Fedolia “Sparky” Harris, Principal Planner, (916) 808-2996, [email protected]; David Edrosolan, City Traffic Engineer, (916) 808-5974, [email protected], Department of Public Works.
Presenter: None.
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Resolution
3-Exhibit A
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: Under a Memorandum of Understanding initiated in 2004, the Cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento agreed to jointly develop and provide funding support for a streetcar system between the two cities. Under the original plan, development of the 4.4-mile project was managed by a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) and to be constructed and operated by Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT). The original alignment entered the City of Sacramento from West Sacramento by crossing the Tower Bridge and turning north onto 3rd Street to connect into the Sacramento Valley Station.
This plan proved to be financially infeasible. In August of 2020, City Council authorized the City Manager to dissolve the Riverfront JPA and to relinquish City ownership of the Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar Project to SacRT (Motion 2020-0215). The project has evolved into a shorter streetcar line to be owned and operated exclusively by SacRT that crosses the Tower Bridge from West Sacramento, turns south on 3rd Street, and then turns east on N Street tying into the existing light rail tracks along 7th Street and 8th Street.
City of Sacramento Page 1 of 3
File ID: 2022-01542 8/30/2022 Consent Item 10.
Policy Considerations: This action is consistent with the following General Plan policy. The City shall consider a variety of transit types including high speed rail, inter-city rail, regional rail, light rail transit, bus rapid transit, trolleys (streetcars), enhanced buses, express buses, local buses, car sharing, bike sharing, neighborhood shuttles, pedicabs, and jitneys to meet the needs of residents, workers, and visitors (M 3.1.5).
Economic Impacts: None.
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The proposed action would support a revised alignment for the streetcar project that was identified and evaluated in a mitigated negative declaration (MND) and environmental assessment. The lead agency for the MND was the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG). The proposed action is an administrative action of the City that would not result in any physical changes and is not a project under CEQA. See CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5). Any of the physical changes that could be affected by the revised alignment, if and when it is considered by the City, would be evaluated in environmental documents prepared pursuant to CEQA and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Sustainability: Not applicable.
Commission/Committee Action: None.
Rationale for Recommendation: On August 18, 2020, City Council approved a motion to dissolve the Riverfront JPA and to relinquish City ownership of the Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar Project to SacRT. SacRT is redesigning the streetcar alignment to use 3 rd Street and N Street to tie into the
existing light rail tracks on 7th Street and 8th Street instead of traveling north on 3rd Street into the Sacramento Valley Station. This alignment avoids significant issues associated with future development of the 3
rd Street and Capitol Mall site as well conflicts with the Sacramento Valley Station Area Plan approved in May 2021.
Financial Considerations: To date, the City of Sacramento has expended $8,910,162 towards the Downtown Riverfront Streetcar Project (S15131800) out of $9,059,164 budgeted over seven fiscal years leaving a balance of $149,002. The City has obligated $149,000 from the Innovation and Growth Fund (Fund 2031) towards the design and environmental analysis of the revised streetcar alignment and will not contribute additional funding towards the Project.
This Resolution does not affect the $149,000 obligation.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
Background: Under a Memorandum of Understanding initiated in 2004, the Cities of Sacramento and West City of Sacramento Page 2 of 3
File ID: 2022-01542 8/30/2022 Consent Item 10.
Sacramento agreed to jointly develop and provide funding support for a streetcar system between the two cities. Under the original plan, the project was to be managed by a joint powers authority and to be constructed and operated by SacRT. Since 2012, the project has been managed by the SACOG and SacRT.
In March 2017, the Cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento approved a Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement (JEP), City Agreement No. 2017-0382, that created a separate legal entity, the Riverfront Joint Powers Authority (JPA) to acquire, plan, design, finance, construct, own, operate, and maintain a fixed-rail streetcar system that will operate within and between Sacramento and West Sacramento.
On May 5, 2017, President Obama signed the omnibus spending bill for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 that included $50 million in Small Starts Grant funding for the Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar Project.
Upon approval, SacRT would receive the $50 million as the designated recipient for Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grants in the Sacramento Metropolitan Area. The original project managed by the JPA proved to be financially infeasible. On March 20, 2019, the JPA issued a stop notice to SacRT consultants and staff to cease work on the project.
In the intervening period, SacRT, the Cities, the JPA and SACOG have worked with the FTA to determine a path forward to utilize the appropriated federal funds, with local match, to complete a 1.1 -mile portion of the original project, within the anticipated budget that would be owned, operated, and maintained by SacRT exclusively. In August of 2020, City Council authorized the City Manager to dissolve the Riverfront JPA and to relinquish City ownership of the Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar Project to Sacramento SacRT. Final dissolution of the JPA is still pending action by the West Sacramento City Council.
The original alignment originates from Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, travels east on Tower Bridge Gateway across the Tower Bridge to Capitol Mall in the City of Sacramento, and turns north on 3
rd Street connecting into the Sacramento Valley Station. The revised alignment turns south on 3rd Street after crossing the Tower Bridge into the City of Sacramento and then turns east on N Street to connect into the existing light rail tracks at 7
th Street and 8th Street.
City of Sacramento Page 3 of 3
RESOLUTION NO.
Adopted by the Sacramento City Council
SUPPORTING THE PURSUIT OF AN ALIGNMENT FOR SACRAMENTO REGIONAL TRANSIT’S STREETCAR FROM WEST SACRAMENTO UTILIZING CAPITOL MALL, 3RD STREET, AND N STREET
BACKGROUND
A. Since 2006, Sacramento Regional Transit (“RT”), the Cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento (“Cities”) and the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (“SACOG”), have collaboratively pursued a streetcar project that would connect the Cities across the Sacramento River (the “Project”); B. The Riverfront Joint Powers Authority (“JPA”) was established to acquire, plan, design, finance, construct, own, operate, and maintain a fixed-rail streetcar system that will operate within and between Sacramento and West Sacramento.
C. RT completed final design of the Civil, Track, Systems and Station work for the Project and, in October 2018, issued an Invitation to Bid (IFB) for Construction of Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar Civil, Track, Structures, Stations & Systems.
D. The bids received in response to the IFB in January 2019 were far in excess of the amount budgeted for that portion of the Project.
E. RT, the Cities, the JPA and SACOG have been working with the FTA to determine a path forward to use the appropriated federal funds, with local match, to complete a shorter alignment, within the anticipated budget.
F. The original alignment originates from Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, travels east on Tower Bridge Gateway across the Tower Bridge to Capitol Mall in the City of Sacramento, and turns north on 3rd Street connecting into the Sacramento Valley Station.
G. The revised alignment turns south on 3rd Street after crossing the Tower Bridge into the City of Sacramento and then turns east on N Street to connect into the existing light rail tracks at 7th Street and 8th Street.
H. Consistent with prior relinquishment approved by Council, the revised project will be owned, operated, and maintained by RT negating any potential exercise of franchise rights.
I. To date, the City of Sacramento has expended $8,910,162 towards the Downtown Riverfront Streetcar Project out of $9,059,164 budgeted over seven fiscal years. leaving a balance of $149,002.
J. The City has obligated $149,000 from the Innovation and Growth Fund (2031) towards the design and environmental analysis of the revised streetcar alignment and will not contribute additional funding towards the Project.
BASED ON THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE BACKGROUND, THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City of Sacramento shall support Sacramento Regional Transit pursuit of a proposed streetcar alignment from West Sacramento utilizing Capitol Mall, 3rd Street, and N street by performing review and approval of plans and specifications consistent with customary practices and costs with no expectation of additional funding from the City of Sacramento.
Table of Contents:
Exhibit A: Map of Revised Alignment