Sacramento City Council
April 14, 2026

City of Sacramento
City Council - 2PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2026-00701 4/14/2026
Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure Adaptation (SacAdapt) Plan File ID: 2026-00701
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution approving the Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure Adaptation (SacAdapt) Plan.

Contact: Sarah Kolarik, Sustainability Specialist, (916) 808-1421, [email protected]; Rachel Patten, Sustainability Manager, (916) 808-5016, [email protected]; Jennifer Donlon Wyant, Mobility and Sustainability Division Manager, (916) 808-5913, [email protected]; Department of Public Works Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Resolution
3-Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure Adaptation Plan (SacAdapt) 4-SacAdapt Appendix A: Literature Review and Existing Conditions Report 5-SacAdapt Appendix B: Vulnerability Assessment
6-SacAdapt Appendix C: Risk Assessment
7-SacAdapt Appendix D: Implementation Guidance
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure Adaptation (SacAdapt) Plan is a collaborative planning effort between the City of Sacramento (City) and Sacramento Regional Transit Agency (SacRT) to analyze current and anticipated future extreme weather risks to the City’s transportation system, and to identify prioritized recommendations to improve resilience of the transportation system. SacAdapt is funded by a California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Adaptation Planning Grant.

The SacAdapt planning process evaluated existing and projected climate hazards (e.g., flooding, heat, wind, fire) and critical transportation infrastructure (e.g., roadways, signals, bikeways, sidewalks, light rail lines, etc.) to perform a risk assessment, generate possible adaptation solutions,

File ID: 2026-00701 4/14/2026
and develop a prioritized list of adaptation strategies. SacAdapt recommends a total of 59 strategies, across ten categories, to adapt the city’s multi-modal transportation network and public transportation system to four primary climate hazard types. See the Background section for an overview and the SacAdapt Plan for a full strategy list.

Council approval of this plan will support staff to initiate work on proposed adaptation strategies. For example, integration of SacAdapt recommendations into key policy documents (e.g., the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and Climate Action and Adaptation Plan), internal coordination to incorporate SacAdapt recommendations into operating procedures, and the ongoing pursuit of competitive grants and other sources of funding to advance adopted priorities. A Council approved plan positions the City to be eligible for competitive grant funding for strategy implementation, including preliminary engineering design, environmental clearance, final design and construction, and program development and implementation.

This is an action item to pass a Resolution approving the Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure Adaptation Plan as the City’s guide for climate adaptation strategies for the City’s transportation infrastructure.

Policy Considerations: The SacAdapt Transportation Infrastructure Adaptation Plan is consistent with the goals and policies of the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (Resolution No. 2024-0067), including implementing actions:

A-1-3: Climate Informed Infrastructure Planning - “to establish guidance and procedures for the consideration of climate impacts in all City infrastructure and capital projects, including minimum levels of preparation as applicable”; and
A-5-21: Resilient Transportation Infrastructure - “Conduct an assessment of infrastructure at risk from flooding and climate impacts and prioritize improvements to those facilities that are most critical and at greatest risk.”
Economic Impacts: None.

Environmental Considerations: The action requested is review of a citywide planning study to be used as guidance for future engineering, design, and analysis. The informational update in this report is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), because it is an administrative activity that does not involve any commitment to a specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment, as contemplated by Title 14, California Code of Regulations, Sections 15378(b)(5) and is, therefore, not subject to CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3). Projects consistent with the Plan will be subject to review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act during the project-specific Preliminary Design and Environmental phase.

File ID: 2026-00701 4/14/2026
Sustainability: This Plan will prepare the City to improve the adaptive capacity of the City’s transportation network in the face of extreme weather events that will be exacerbated by climate change. These efforts will advance the City’s commitment to prepare for the effects of climate change (Resolution No. 2019-0433), and support implementation of the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP, Resolution No. 2024-0067) Goal A-1-Strengthen City government capacity for integrated, holistic climate adaptive strategies and to reduce climate risks-, and sub-strategies A-1-3-Climate- Informed Infrastructure Planning-and A-1-4-Resilient City Facilities.

Additionally, the Plan will consider mobility for all modes of transportation to reduce dependence on the private automobile, even when the transportation network experiences the negative impacts of climate change. This will support CAAP Measure TR-1-Improve active transportation infrastructure to achieve 6% active transportation mode share by 2030 and 12% by 2045-and CAAP Measure TR-2- Support public transit improvements to achieve 11% public transit mode share by 2030 and maintain through 2045.

Commission/Committee Action: During Phase 2 SacAdapt engagement, staff presented informational items to the Active Transportation Commission on October 16, 2025 and the Disabilities Advisory Commission on November 5, 2025 to receive feedback on the SacAdapt planning process and engagement approach. Commissioner comments emphasized the importance of equity-focused multi-benefit improvements and maintenance. During Phase 3 SacAdapt engagement, staff presented informational items to the Active Transportation Commission on January 15, 2026 and the Disabilities Advisory Commission on February 4, 2026 to receive feedback on the Draft SacAdapt Plan and adaptation strategies and public engagement approach. Commissioner comments highlighted support for the plan and emphasized the importance of evacuation routes and disaster preparedness and education.

Rationale for Recommendation: The action requested is to adopt a Resolution approving the SacAdapt Plan. The SacAdapt Plan is a policy and technical document that will guide staff across multiple departments in their efforts to integrate climate adaptation strategies into policy, projects, operations, and maintenance. SacAdapt will help the city meet its mobility, safety, equity, and climate goals by advancing climate resilience strategies.

Financial Considerations: The SacAdapt Plan recommends adaptation strategies that are estimated to cost approximately $20 million in one-time costs, with annual costs ranging between $50 and $200 million depending on the scale of strategy implementation. Approval of this recommendation does not obligate funding for the improvements, and no funding for implementation of SacAdapt has been identified at this time.

No General Funds are involved with this recommendation.

File ID: 2026-00701 4/14/2026
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.

Background: The City of Sacramento (City) manages over 3,100 lane miles of streets, over 800 traffic signals, more than two dozen flood gates, over 160 bridges, and over 80 miles of shared-use walking and bicycling paths. As the largest transit provider in the Sacramento region, SacRT operates 53 light rail stations carrying approximately 14,600 passengers per day and manages 3,200 bus stops servicing approximately 21,000 bus passengers per day. Climate change impacts (e.g., extreme heat, flooding, wind, and fire/smoke) are already affecting these transportation assets, and the impacts are projected to worsen in the coming decades.

In 2023, the City and SacRT worked collaboratively on an application for funding from the Caltrans Adaptation Planning Grant Program. This application was successful and is funding the collaborative planning effort to develop the Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure Adaptation Plan, or SacAdapt Plan. The City and SacRT are working in partnership on this planning effort because of the interconnected nature of the transportation network assets that each agency manages.

Through this planning effort, the two agencies conducted a multi-hazard risk assessment of their transportation systems and generated recommended adaptation strategies. The resulting SacAdapt Plan provides a long-term implementation plan for adapting Sacramento's transportation network to the increasing impacts of climate change and ensuring the system's long-term resilience. SacAdapt provides the City and SacRT with a prioritized list of policy, maintenance and operations strategies that help achieve the climate adaptation objectives of the City's General Plan 2040 and Climate Action & Adaptation Plan. SacAdapt positions the City and SacRT to secure future funding. By completing this plan together, the agencies can ensure consistency and shared priorities when applying for competitive funding to mitigate climate impacts.

The SacAdapt planning effort was kicked off in Fall of 2024 and the deadline to finalize and submit the plan to Caltrans is April 30, 2026 to fulfill the grant requirements. The SacAdapt planning effort includes five major tasks (Literature and Exiting Conditions Review, Vulnerability Assessment, Resilience Strategy Identification and Prioritization, Community Engagement, and Final Plan Development). These five tasks are divided into three project phases, with each phase including a significant community engagement component. During each community engagement phase, the Project Team leveraged multiple strategies to encourage community participation including a project webpage (cityofsacramento.gov/SacAdapt); a City Express post; City and SacRT social media posts and newsletters; emails to community partners; digital toolkit; and multiple in-person pop-up events, workshops, and presentations.

The three project phases are:

1. Understand current and future risks and needs. Phase 1 took place between late-2024 and mid-2025 and coincided with Task 1 (Literature and Existing Conditions Review) and Task 2

File ID: 2026-00701 4/14/2026
(Vulnerability Assessment). Phase 1 community engagement was conducted between January and February 2025 and focused on gaining insight from the community about how travel around Sacramento is impacted by extreme weather events. Input from the community helped the project team understand the needs and concerns of the community. Community feedback was used in conjunction with feedback from agency experts to identify the climate change impacts that are of highest concern to the transportation system. In total, the Project Team engaged over 280 residents and received 421 survey responses through the following events in Winter 2024-25:
· December 4: City Community Ambassadors Presentation
· January 16: City Connect Mixer
· January 29: Mobile Workshop #1 on the SacRT Gold Line · January 30: Mobile Workshop #1 on the SacRT Blue Line · February 10: Tahoe Park Neighborhood Association Presentation · February 18: La Familia Presentation
· February 20: SacRT Mobility Advisory Council Presentation · February 20: Workshop #3 at the City Connect Mixer
· February 27: Sacramento State Networking Cafe

2. Identify and prioritize recommendations. Phase 2 took place between mid-2025 and late-2025 and coincided with Task 3 (Resilience Strategy Identification and Prioritization). This phase identified and prioritized recommended adaptation strategies for both the City and SacRT.

Phase 2 community engagement was conducted between September and November 2025 and focused on community priorities related to transportation resilience as well as understanding where investments in person-scale comfort (e.g., to mitigate impacts of extreme heat or rain/flooding) can have the biggest impact on mode shift to active and public transportation. Community feedback was used to refine recommended transportation adaptation strategies and inform prioritization of the strategies. In total, the Project Team engaged over 920 residents and received 440 survey responses through the following events in Fall 2025:
· September 3: City Community Ambassadors Presentation
· September 17: Sacramento Transportation Management Association (SacTMA) Transportation Fair
· September 18: SacRT Mobility Advisory Council Presentation · September 18: Workshop #1 at the City Connect Mixer
· September 20: Sacramento County District 2 Fun Fair
· September 21: Climate Justice Festival
· September 27: Natomas Farmers Market
· October 1: Workshop #2 at 16th Street Light Rail Station

File ID: 2026-00701 4/14/2026
· October 2: Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) Connecting Our Communities Resource Expo
· October 4: Salsa and Chilies Festival
· October 9: Workshop #3 at Arden/Del Paso Light Rail Station · October 12: Meadowview Farmers Market
· October 15: District 2 Town Hall
· October 16: Florin Farmers Market
· October 16: Active Transportation Commission Presentation · October 18: SMUD Electricity Fair
· October 18: Highwater Jamboree
· October 24: Tahoe Park Food Truck Mania
· October 25: Harvest Festival
· November 1: Water Festival
· November 5: Disabilities Advisory Commission Presentation

3. Finalize the plan. Phase 3 took place between late-2025 and early-2026 and coincides with Task 5 (Final Plan Development). Phase 3 engagement began on January 15, 2026, and concluded on February 12, 2026, and focused on public review of the Draft SacAdapt Plan.

During the public comment period, staff received over 150 comments on the online plan review platform, eight emailed responses, and verbal comments from the Active Transportation and Disabilities Advisory Commissioners. Public comments highlighted the importance of expanding urban tree canopy, increasing heat mitigation at bus stops, increased stormwater management for bicycle and pedestrian facilities, evacuation resources for vulnerable communities and individuals without vehicles, and a desire to see funding dedicated to plan implementation. This community input guided finalization of the SacAdapt Plan. In total, the Project Team engaged over 300 residents through the following events in 2026:
· January 15: Active Transportation Commission Presentation · January 15: Workshop #1 at the City Connect Mixer
· January 28: Light Rail Station Outreach (16th Street Station) · February 3: Online Workshop #1
· February 4: Light Rail Station Outreach (University/65th Street Station) · February 4: Disabilities Advisory Commission Presentation · February 5: Online Workshop #2
· February 7: Chinese New Year Celebration
· February 7: Steps to College Resource Fair
The adaptation strategies for the City address four hazard types with ten total strategy categories:

File ID: 2026-00701 4/14/2026
· Heat:
o Create built environments that reduce exposure to extreme heat and mitigate urban heat island effect.
o Create built environments that are resilient to the impacts of extreme heat. · Flooding:
o Increase stormwater drainage capacity.
o Invest in infrastructure maintenance.
· All-Hazard:
o Increase community resilience to prepare for climate impacts. o Reduce the risk of power outages.
o Strengthen City government capacity for climate resilience. o Support resilience of transit facilities.
· Disaster preparedness:
o Strengthen City government disaster preparedness and capacity for emergency response. o Consider evacuation needs in planning.

Many of the adaptation strategies are aligned with previously adopted strategies in the 2040 General Plan, Climate Action & Adaptation Plan, Urban Forest Plan, Streets for People Plan, and Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. Within these previously adopted strategies, suggested additions are highlighted as relevant. Additional strategies are identified to address gaps in previously adopted strategies.

The SacAdapt Plan also includes adaptation strategies for SacRT to increase resilience of the public transportation system.

The SacAdapt Plan and technical appendices are available for review on the project website:
https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/sacadapt.

Council approval of this plan will support staff to initiate work on proposed adaptation strategies. For example, integration of SacAdapt recommendations into key policy documents (e.g., the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and Climate Action and Adaptation Plan), internal coordination to incorporate SacAdapt recommendations into operating procedures, and the ongoing pursuit of competitive grants and other sources of funding to advance adopted priorities.

RESOLUTION NO. 2026-

Adopted by the Sacramento City Council

April 14, 2026

Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure Adaptation Plan

BACKGROUND

A. The purpose of the Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure Adaptation Plan (SacAdapt) is to advance the adaptation strategies in the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan regarding climate-informed infrastructure planning and transportation resilience.

B. The SacAdapt Plan was developed in partnership with the Sacramento Regional Transit District, in recognition of the interconnected nature of each agency’s transportation assets.

C. The SacAdapt Plan was developed over nearly two years of community and agency engagement, resulting in policy and technical documents that will guide staff across multiple departments with integrating climate adaptation strategies into projects, operations, and maintenance. SacAdapt will help the city meet its mobility, safety, equity, and climate goals by advancing climate resilience strategies.

BASED ON THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE BACKGROUND, THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. The Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure Adaptation Plan is approved as the City’s guide for climate adaptation strategies to improve the resilience of the City’s transportation infrastructure. Additional efforts will be taken for environmental clearance and final design for each project identified as part of the Plan.

SACADAPT
SACRAMENTO ’S

TRANSPORTATION

INFRASTRUCTURE

ADAPTATION PLAN
FINAL PLAN | APRIL 2026

SACRAMENTO TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ADAPTAT ION FINA L PLAN i

TABLE OF

CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................ .........

1. INTRODUCTION ................................ ............. 1

1.1 Community Engagement .............................. 4

2. HAZARDS, VULNERABILITIES & RISKS ........... 7

2.1 Climate Science & Projections ...................... 7

2.2 Transportation System Vulnerabilities ....... 23

2.3 Risk Assessment ........................................... 27

3. ADAPTATION STRATEGIES .......................... 38

3.1 City of Sacramento Adaptation Strategies 38

3.2 SacRT Adaptation Strategies ...................... 59

4. IMPLEMENTATION ................................ ...... 70

4.1 Create Built Environments that Reduce
Exposure to Extreme Heat and Mitigate
Urban Heat Island Effect .............................. 70

4.2 Create Built Environments Resilient to the
Impacts of Extreme Heat ............................. 73

4.3 Increase Stormwater Drainage Capacity ... 74

4.4 Invest in Infrastructure Maintenance .......... 76

4.5 Increase Community Resilience to Prepare
for Climate Impacts ...................................... 78

4.6 Reduce Risk of Power Outage .................... 79

4.7 Strengthen City Government Capacity for
Climate Resilience ........................................ 79

4.8 Support Resilience of Transit Facilities ...... 80

4.9 Strengthen City Government Disaster
Preparedness and Capacity for Emergency
Response ....................................................... 80

4.10 Consider Evacuation Needs in Planning ... 80

4.11 Enhance Resilience of Transit to Heat Events
81 4.12 Mitigate High Heat at Bus Stops, Light Rail
Stations, & Along Priority Corridors ........... 82

5. CONCLUSION ................................ ...............84

SACRAMENTO TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ADAPTATION FINAL PLAN

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you to the Sacramento City Council, the Sacramento Regional Transit District Board of Directors, and the project’s Technical Advisory Committee for their contributions and support.

CITY OF SACRAMENTO
Sarah Kolarik, Sustainability Specialist
Rachel Patten, Sustainability Manager
Jeff Jelsma, Transportation Planner

SACRAMENTO REGIONAL TRANSIT DISTRICT
Sarah Poe, Senior Planner
Kevin Schroder, Senior Planner

CONSULTANTS
WSP USA, Inc.

Sagent

FUNDING
This project received funding from a Caltrans Adaptation Planning Grant. The City of Sacramento and Sacramento Regional Transit District would like to thank Caltrans for their support.
1 INTRODUCTION
SACRAMENTO TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ADAPTAT ION FINAL PLAN 1 TOC

1. INTRODUCTION
Sacramento’s transportation network moves tens of thousands of people throughout the city every day. As the climate changes, the city’s transportation system will face increasing stress from rising temperatures, more intense storms, and other climate-driven hazards.

The City of Sacramento (City) manages over 3,100 lane miles of streets, over 800 traffic signals, more than two dozen floodgates, over 160 bridges, and over 80 miles of shared-use walking and bicycling paths. As the largest transit provider in the Sacramento region, the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) operates 53 light rail stations carrying approximately 14,600 passengers per day and manages 3,200 bus stops servicing approximately 21,000 bus passengers per day. Climate change is already affecting these transportation assets with extreme heat, intense storms, and other climate-driven hazards, and the impacts are projected to worsen in the coming decades.

The Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure Adaptation Plan (SacAdapt or Plan) is a collaborative planning effort between the City and SacRT to prepare Sacramento’s transportation assets for projected climate change impacts. This interagency collaboration reflects the interconnected nature of the transportation assets that each agency manages.

SacAdapt brings together local expertise, the latest climate science, and extensive community input to guide strategic and targeted implementation to strengthen long-term resilience.

Preparing these systems today supports a safer and more accessible Sacramento tomorrow and can reduce overall costs in the long term.

SacAdapt builds on the City’s adopted foundational planning documents, including the General Plan 2040, Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (CAAP), Sacramento Urban Forest Plan (SUFP), Comprehensive Flood Management Plan (CFMP), and Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP). The Vulnerability Assessment from the City’s CAAP is an important guiding document for SacAdapt, although the methodology and datasets used in this Plan to estimate the future impacts of climate change were updated to incorporate more recent data where possible.

In addition, SacAdapt is grounded in a thorough review of existing SacRT plans to ensure continuity and provide essential background on agency goals and technical analyses, including the Transit Asset Management (TAM) Plan, Zero-Emission Bus (ZEB) Rollout Plan, Bus Stop Improvement Plan (BSIP), and Facilities Transition Plan. These studies created a foundation to begin identifying established priorities, constraints, and opportunities. Additionally, these documents brought credible data and recommendations to ensure that SacAdapt reflects both long-term vision and practical, evidence-based guidance. 1 INTRODUCTION
SACRAMENTO TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ADAPTAT ION FINAL PLAN 2 TOC
A literature review with relevant plans, strategies, and data to document the work that has already occurred in the region is available in Technical Appendix A: Literature Review.

This Plan focuses on all of the City’s and SacRT’s transportation assets within the City of Sacramento, in addition to SacRT light rail infrastructure and SacRT maintenance facilities outside of City of Sacramento boundaries (Figure 1-1).

FIGURE 1-1. SACADAPT PLAN AREA OF FOCUS

1 INTRODUCTION
SACRAMENTO TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ADAPTAT ION FINAL PLAN 3 TOC
SacAdapt was developed through a collaborative process guided by technical experts, agency staff, and community members. The SacAdapt Project Team was led by the City’s Office of Climate Action & Sustainability and SacRT’s Planning Department, with support from the WSP consultant team. The Project Team engaged technical
experts from the City and SacRT through in-depth
interviews and a technical advisory committee (TAC) that met throughout the planning process to shape the
analysis and ensure the Plan reflects operational realities.

Community input played an essential role in the
development of the Plan. Through surveys, pop-up
events, and targeted engagement, members of the
community shared how extreme weather affects their
daily travel and what improvements would make a
difference in their lives. Community engagement efforts and feedback are summarized in Section 1.1.

The technical analysis incorporates the most up-to-date climate projections available for the state of California to analyze future conditions and potential impacts to the City’s transportation network. This information was used to evaluate vulnerability, risk, and develop a list of adaptation strategies to address identified vulnerabilities.

The Plan follows the same structure as the development process as shown in Figure 1-3, beginning with the analysis of climate data for vulnerability and risk assessments, and concluding with a set of strategies and implementation guidance tailored for the City and SacRT.

FIGURE 1-3. PLAN DEVELOPMENT STEPS
FIGURE 1-2. DEFINITIONS OF CLIMATE

ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION

1 INTRODUCTION
SACRAMENTO TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ADAPTAT ION FINAL PLAN 4 TOC

1.1 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The development of SacAdapt was rooted in a comprehensive public engagement strategy that emphasized clear branding, easy access to information, technical guidance, purposeful engagement, and robust community input throughout the project lifecycle.

While community engagement was continuous, there were three core phases focused on distinct objectives.
• Initial Engagement: Prioritized building recognition for SacAdapt through branding and introductory events while identifying the climate change impacts Sacramento’s public transportation system already experiences.
• Priority Setting: Centered on gathering input from residents to help prioritize the transportation and climate adaptation challenges.
• Draft Plan Review and Feedback: Offered opportunities for residents to review the draft Plan and share final feedback. This included access to the Plan via the website, interactive webinars, and additional events to ensure that the public could understand and influence the Plan’s direction before its completion.

By integrating consistent branding, a robust online presence, expert guidance, thoughtfully selected events, and meaningful opportunities for input, SacAdapt’s development was shaped by an inclusive and transparent process.

1.1.1 SACADAPT BRANDING
Early in the project, the Project Team created a unified visual identity for SacAdapt, ensuring all materials including postcards, rack cards, posters, and social media graphics were easily recognizable and consistent. The Project Team ensured all materials and communications adhered to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements to provide equitable access.

Engagement materials were designed with high-contrast colors, large fonts, and clear layouts to enhance readability. This branding helped foster project visibility and credibility, making it easier for community members and stakeholders to identify and engage in the planning and feedback process for SacAdapt.

1.1.2 PROJECT WEBSITE
Central to the engagement strategy was the launch and ongoing maintenance of the project website. Serving as the main hub for project information, updates, and engagement opportunities, the website provided the Sacramento community with reliable, up-to-date access to information and materials throughout the planning process. The site was continually refreshed with event details, draft documents, and opportunities for feedback, allowing for ongoing community involvement regardless of phase.
1 INTRODUCTION
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1.1.3 TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE GUIDANCE
The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) was established to guide the development of the SacAdapt planning effort. The TAC was comprised of key representatives from the City of Sacramento including the Public Works Department, Department of Utilities, Community Development Department, Fire Department, Police Department, and the Office of Emergency Management, as well as key representatives from Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT), including the Planning, Light Rail Wayside and Maintenance, Facilities, Environmental Health and Safety, and Engineering divisions. The TAC also included subject matter experts from WSP, Sagent, Caltrans, SMUD, the Sac Metro Air District, and the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG). The TAC met a total of six times.

The TAC played a key role throughout the project by offering subject-matter insights, shaping engagement strategies to ensure that technical analysis reflected operational realities, and helping interpret community feedback. This active involvement meant that public input was translated into practical, achievable strategies.

1.1.4 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENT S
To connect with Sacramento’s diverse communities, the SacAdapt team strategically selected events, workshops, and meetings to reach a broad cross-section of the population. Locations were chosen based on access to public transportation, degree of climate change impact, the environmental equity needs of under-resourced neighborhoods, and geographic coverage.

Recognizing the city’s linguistic diversity, Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Hmong, Cantonese, and Mandarin were identified as priority languages for translation. Public-facing materials – including flyers, postcards, and rack cards – were developed in these languages to maximize public participation.

Over the course of the project, the SacAdapt team participated in 33 engagement opportunities, including four public meetings, 26 in-person events, two online workshops, and six presentations to advisory bodies. In total, the Project Team engaged with an estimated 1,500 community members over the course of all engagement opportunities.

The events represented a wide variety of community settings, from light rail pop-ups and community festivals to farmers markets and university gatherings. By focusing on popular venues and transportation hubs, the team was able to distribute branded materials and hold direct conversations with residents about transportation experiences and climate change concerns.

1.1.5 COMMUNITY -BASED ORGANIZATION ENGAGEMENT
Recognizing the vital role of local community-based organizations (CBOs) and trusted community members, the Project Team compiled a list of over 125 different CBOs and sent targeted emails to encourage participation by the CBOs and their networks during each phase 1 INTRODUCTION
SACRAMENTO TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ADAPTAT ION FINAL PLAN 6 TOC
of engagement. SacAdapt shared three communication toolkits as part of this CBO outreach, with images, links, and content to facilitate social media and newsletter distribution. Special attention was given to engaging entities that support non-English-speaking residents.

1.1.6 COMMUNITY SURVEY INPUT
Surveys were a cornerstone of SacAdapt’s community engagement strategy, reaching members of the community both online and at in-person events. Through these surveys, community members provided valuable input on Sacramento’s transportation challenges, climate impacts, and adaptation priorities. In addition to direct engagement at public meetings and events, surveys were distributed via partner organizations to ensure that those unable to attend still had a voice in the planning process.

To maximize participation, the surveys were made accessible in Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Hmong, and Traditional Chinese. Surveys were most frequently completed in English (703 responses), followed by Spanish (11 responses).

In total, SacAdapt received more than 860 survey responses across the first two phases of engagement, providing robust, actionable insights that directly informed the adaptation planning process. These community survey responses demonstrated how extreme weather affects people in their daily travels across various modes, shown in Figure 1-4.

Survey respondents identified past disruptions, safety concerns, and challenges faced during extreme weather. These lived experiences highlight the human-level impacts of extreme weather, such as discomfort at transit stops in hot weather and flooding due to maintenance- based issues like clogged storm drains.

The public review period for the draft SacAdapt Plan received 160 total comments, emails, and letters. Public comments highlighted strong community support for expansion and protection of urban tree canopy, increasing heat mitigation at bus stops, increased stormwater management for bicycle and pedestrian facilities, evacuation resources for vulnerable communities and individuals without vehicles, and a desire to see funding dedicated to plan implementation.

These comments guided final revisions to the SacAdapt Plan.

FIGURE 1-4. MODES OF TRAVEL REPRESENTED IN THE COMMUNITY SURVEY

2 HAZARDS, VULNERABILITIES & RISKS
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2. HAZARDS, VULNERABILITIES
& RISKS

2.1 CLIMATE SCIENCE & PROJECTIONS
Understanding Sacramento’s current climate, and how it’s projected to change in the future, is essential for maintaining a resilient, reliable transportation network. The most updated climate data shows that extreme heat events will become more frequent and more intense, storms will produce heavier rainfall, and the Sacramento and American rivers will experience higher peak flows. While the exact trajectory of impacts depends on global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the coming decades, the overall direction is clear: the hazards already affecting Sacramento’s transportation network today will continue to intensify throughout the remainder of the century.

This Plan considered multiple scenarios for how Sacramento’s climate may change in the future.

These climate scenarios are the outputs of computer models, with variables like temperature and precipitation, that simulate our global climate system. Each scenario assumes a different level of GHG emissions. Some scenarios reflect a world where GHG emissions stabilize, while others depict outcomes where GHG emissions continue to rise.

The latest generation of climate scenarios were used in the most recent United Nations (UN) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Assessment Report and include several different potential technological, socioeconomic, and policy futures for warming and emissions.

The climate scenarios analyzed in SacAdapt are:
• Moderate GHG emissions:
1 This scenario assumes moderate global action. Warming is limited but still significant.
• High GHG emissions:2 This scenario assumes limited global coordination. There is a higher level of climate stressors, including higher warming. • Very high GHG emissions:3 This scenario assumes continued growth in fossil fuel use.

Given societal developments in the past decade, it is now considered a worst-case scenario.

Additional lower scenarios were not analyzed because they are generally considered by climate scientists to be infeasible. Figure 2-1 shows the different GHG emissions scenarios analyzed in

1 This scenario corresponds to Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) 2-4.5 and Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5.
2 This scenario corresponds to SSP 3-7.0.
3 This scenario corresponds to SSP 5-8.5 and RCP 8.5.
2 HAZARDS, VULNERABILITIES & RISKS
SACRAMENTO TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ADAPTAT ION FINAL PLAN 8 TOC
this Plan. Additional details regarding the SacAdapt climate analysis can be found in Technical Appendix B: Vulnerability Assessment.

While climate scenarios are not definitive statements about what types of weather patterns are guaranteed to occur in a particular year, they do provide general guidance on how conditions are expected to change over time. All climate scenarios that were analyzed for SacAdapt show increasing heat and intensifying extremes.

FIGURE 2-1. GHG EMISSIONS SCENARIO PATHWAYS USED IN THIS STUDY Global climate scenarios were analyzed using the most up-to-date climate data available to California. This makes it possible to understand more localized changes in temperature, humidity, and precipitation patterns, allowing the Plan to assess how conditions such as heat index (the impact of temperature combined with humidity) and extreme storms may evolve.

Additional statewide flood modelling for the Sacramento and American Rivers and regional flood analysis provides specific context to the impacts of high river flows.

The following sections discuss the specific impacts that Sacramento will face with increasing frequency and intensity of climate hazards. The high emissions scenario is used to quantify the projected future climate impacts because it represents one of the most feasible futures that could reasonably occur if global emissions do not decline quickly. The “Historical” period covered in this analysis is 1985 through 2014 for all temperature, precipitation, and humidity analysis.

2 HAZARDS, VULNERABILITIES & RISKS
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2.1.1 EXTREME HEAT
More frequent heat waves, a stronger urban heat island (UHI) effect (discussed below) and warmer average temperatures will all impact the Sacramento area as the climate changes.

Furthermore, as the effects of extreme heat grow more frequent and intense, vulnerable populations, those with underlying health conditions, households without cars, and people without access to regular cooling will be at the greatest risk. Figure 2-2 shows the key dry bulb temperature—which refers to the ambient air temperature, without consideration of humidity— thresholds of concern for transportation infrastructure that were analyzed in this Plan.

FIGURE 2-2. DRY BULB TEMPERATURE THRESHOLDS OF CONCERN ANALYZED IN THIS PLAN4

4 Threshold sources: 80°F: CalOSHA; 90°F: National Climate Assessment (NCA); 95°F: CalOSHA & City of Sacramento; 100°F: NCA; 104°F: City of Sacramento Climate Action & Adaptation Plan. 80°F
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards for outdoor worker safety measures implemented
90°F
General infrastructural impacts such as damage to roads, rails, bridges, and vehicles 95°F
Additional OSHA standards for outdoor worker safety measures implemented; minor City contractor work restrictions
100°F
SacRT overhead catenary system (OCS) sagging wires; general infrastructural impacts to equipment; DPW worker health concern; SacRT traction power is impacted; SacRT CNG compressor malfunction threshold
104°F
SacRT warping of light rail tracks; threshold of 'extreme heat' as defined by the CAAP VA (103.8°F); light rail traction power substations (TPSS) performance degrades as temperatures increase

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While some of these temperatures are familiar to a typical Sacramento summer, historically these conditions have been largely limited to certain parts of the year. As the climate continues to warm, these temperatures will occur more often, earlier in the year, and will linger for longer periods of time. Table 2-1 summarizes the projected increase in days over high impact temperature thresholds for the high emissions scenario.

TABLE 2-1. AVERAGE ANNUAL NUMBER OF DAYS OVER HIGH IMPACT TEMPERATURE THRESHOLDS IN

SACRAMENTO UNDER THE HIGH EMISSIONS SCENARIO
THRESHOLD HISTORICAL 2050s 2080s
80°F 148 days 168 days 182 days
90°F 80 days 105 days 121 days
95°F 44 days 69 days 85 days
100°F 17 days 34 days 50 days
104°F 6 days 15 days 27 days
The increase in high-heat days has direct implications for Sacramento’s transportation system, maintenance and operations staff, and everyone traveling through Sacramento. More days above 90°F and 95°F mean more frequent periods with softened or cracking pavement, rail components expanding, and vehicle and equipment cooling systems operating under strain.

Days above 100°F and 104°F, once relatively rare, are projected to occur three to four times more often by the 2080s, increasing the likelihood of overhead OCS wire sag (which requires speed restrictions), track warping, and service disruptions. Warmer nights will also reduce the ability of systems and infrastructure to cool and recover between heat events, accelerating wear and increasing already strained maintenance needs.

HEAT INDEX
Heat index, a measure combining air temperature and relative humidity, is particularly useful for measuring the public health impacts of extreme heat. Increased humidity significantly diminishes people’s capacity to naturally cool themselves and makes things like heat exhaustion and heat stroke far more likely. For example, a 90°F day with 50% relative humidity has a 95°F heat index. At 80% relative humidity, that 90°F day leaps up to a 113°F heat index.

Sacramento’s typical dry summers have historically kept heat index values relatively lower than more humid regions, even on very hot days. However, projections show that both temperature and warm-season humidity are increasing in Sacramento. Table 2-2 shows the impact that heat index temperatures can have on human health at different thresholds. 2 HAZARDS, VULNERABILITIES & RISKS
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TABLE 2-2. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEAT INDEX CLASSIFICATIONS AND IMPACTS ON HUMAN HEALTH

CLASSIFICATION HEAT INDEX (HI) EFFECT ON THE BODY
Caution 80⁰F HI - 90⁰F HI Fatigue possible with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity
Extreme Caution 90°F HI - 103°F HI Heat stroke, heat cramps, or heat exhaustion possible with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity
Danger 103°F HI - 124°F HI Heat cramps or heat exhaustion likely, and heat stroke possible with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity
Extreme Danger 125°F HI or higher Heat stroke highly likely Table 2-3 summarizes Sacramento’s historical and future number of days within each of these categories, as well as the total days over an 80°F heat index per year. Note that, while the number of days in the lower categories are projected to decrease in future years, the number of days in the higher danger categories increases significantly, as does the total. This means that future summers will not only be hotter, but will also “feel” hotter, with more days reaching levels where heat stress becomes dangerous.

As a result, heat index temperatures that were once uncommon in Sacramento (particularly in the “Extreme Caution” and “Danger” ranges, dark yellow and orange respectively) are expected to occur far more frequently, increasing risks for community members, workers, and travelers across the city. For example, there have historically only been a handful of days over a 103°F heat index per year. By the 2080s, more than a month in total is expected to rise above that threshold instead. And, while temperatures alone do not often reach levels like 125°F, that heat index temperature can be reached with high enough humidity levels at just 90°F. An ‘average’ year is not expected to contain days above 125°F heat index level regularly; however, it is certainly a possibility for hotter-than-average years, and Sacramento has reached 125°F heat index in the past.

TABLE 2-3. AVERAGE ANNUAL NUMBER OF DAYS IN SACRAMENTO WITHIN EACH HEAT INDEX

CLASSIFICATION UNDER THE HIGH EMISSIONS SCENARIO
CLASSIFICATION HISTORICAL 2050s 2080s
Caution (80°F HI - 90°F HI) 81 days 73 days 65 days
Extreme Caution (90°F HI - 103°F HI) 54 days 66 days 69 days Danger (103°F HI - 125°F HI) 4 days 16 days 35 days
Extreme Danger (125° F HI or higher) 0 days 0 days 0 days Total (Days Above 80°F HI) 139 days 155 days 169 days
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In Sacramento, the combined factors of increasing temperatures and relative humidity will dramatically increase the heat index and heat stress on outdoor workers and travelers. This will create more days when travelling outdoors becomes more physically taxing and, for some people, unsafe. Higher heat index temperatures increase the likelihood of heat exhaustion for people walking or biking, especially on long or unshaded routes. Transit riders may face longer wait times in direct sunlight at stops without shade or cooling, and vehicles without adequate cooling can become dangerously hot within minutes.

For outdoor workers, rising heat index values will trigger more frequent work-rest cycles and mandated breaks. CalOSHA currently only requires heat illness prevention measures when temperatures reach the dry bulb temperature thresholds discussed in Figure 2-2 – which do not consider humidity – but a proposed update in California would shift the 80°F temperature threshold to be an 80°F heat index temperature threshold. Under future climate conditions, Sacramento is projected to exceed this threshold over 150 days per year – or at least five months of the year – which means managing heat-related precautions will need to become a routine part of daily operations and travel.

URBAN HEAT ISLAND
Urban areas often experience higher ambient temperatures than surrounding regions due to the concentration of buildings, pavement, and limited vegetation - an effect known as the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Figure 2-3 shows the distribution of this effect throughout the city, with cooler areas generally located where there is more vegetation and water, while hotter areas generally overlap with larger expanses of pavement (e.g., major transportation corridors, large parking lots, industrial areas) as well as densely built urban clusters. 2 HAZARDS, VULNERABILITIES & RISKS
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FIGURE 2-3. UHI INDEX (°F) FOR CURRENT CONDITIONS FROM SACRAMENTO 2020 NASA UHI STUDY

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2.1.2 HEAVY PRECIPITATION
Rainstorms can cause damage to infrastructure, significant delays in service, and even loss of life. According to the climate scenarios analyzed for this Plan, rainstorm events are projected to grow more severe as the climate warms, since a warmer atmosphere allows rainclouds to hold more water at once.

Table 2-4 shows how different storm events are projected to increase over time in Sacramento.

The return period is an estimate of how frequent or rare an event is. For example, a 2-year storm has a 50% chance of occurring each year (rather than being a storm that occurs once every 2 years as the name might suggest).

TABLE 2-4. AVERAGE PRECIPITATION DEPTH FOR VARIOUS RETURN PERIODS IN SACRAMENTO OF A 24-

HOUR STORM UNDER THE HIGH EMISSIONS SCENARIO
RETURN PERIOD HISTORICAL 2050s 2080s
2-Year (50% annual chance) 2.1 in 2.1 in 2.3 in
5-Year (20% annual chance) 2.7 in 2.7 in 3.0 in
10-Year (10% annual chance) 3.1 in 3.3 in 3.6 in
25-Year (4% annual chance) 3.8 in 4.0 in 4.4 in
50-Year (2% annual chance) 4.3 in 4.6 in 5.2 in
100-Year (1% annual chance) 4.8 in 5.3 in 6.0 in

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As extreme precipitation events intensify, Sacramento’s drainage systems will face increasing stress. The city’s flat topography slows the natural movement of stormwater, making the city heavily dependent on the network of pipes, culverts, and pump stations to move water into local waterways or wastewater treatment facilities.

It is difficult to tie specific inches of precipitation dropped by a storm to exact flooding impacts, given how highly localized flooding impacts tend to be as a result of Sacramento’s many smaller drainage basins. However, more frequent, larger downpours will push these systems closer to capacity, increasing the likelihood of localized flooding, backups, service disruptions, and road closures. High-intensity storms can also overwhelm pump stations, reduce roadway visibility, and create hazardous conditions for travelers.

2.1.3 RIVERINE FLOODING AND LEVEE FAILURE
The City of Sacramento sits at the confluence of the American and Sacramento rivers. While these rivers have been integral to the livability of this region, they contribute to significant flood risks. Historically, flooding has been the most frequent natural hazard occurring in the Sacramento region, and an extensive system of dams, levees, weirs, and other infrastructure has been established to mitigate these risks. Even so, flooding remains a major concern, and these risks are expected to increase as the climate changes. Additional development in flood-prone areas could exacerbate this further.

Major flooding resulting from a levee failure or similar event would lead to widespread damage and likely loss of life and injury. Much of the city’s transportation system would become impassable, disrupting regular travel patterns and potentially hindering evacuation and emergency response efforts. The California Department of Water Resources Central Valley Flood Protection Plan Update (2022) analyzed current and future flood risks due to major events such as levee failure in the Central Valley, including in the Sacramento area.5 Changes in temperature and precipitation across the large watersheds of the American and Sacramento rivers are projected to increase the magnitude of flows and water levels during extreme events.

In turn, these increase the likelihood of levee failure and therefore property damage and loss of life.

5 https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Flood-Management/Flood-Planning-and-Studies/Central-Valley-Flood-Protection- Plan
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Figure 2-4 shows how the expected annual loss of life changes over a 50-year period. While levee failure has a low chance of occurring in any given year, consequences of failure would be catastrophic. The expected annual loss of life combines data on expected frequency of levee failure and consequences. It represents the fact that, in most years, there is no levee failure and thus no loss of life; but in the rare year that it does occur, there may be loss of life. The increase in expected loss of life is due to both higher flows driven by a changing climate and increased population with more intensive land use.

FIGURE 2-4. ANNUAL LOSS OF LIFE IN THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO FROM LEVEE FAILURE FOR 2022 AND 2072 AS OUTLINED IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY FLOOD PROTECTION PLAN

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Floodplain mapping helps identify flood risks from both larger rivers and smaller streams by showing which areas would be inundated under different events. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) creates maps for 100- and 500-year floodplains. Figure 2-5 shows that most of the city lies within a FEMA-designated floodplain, although many of these areas are protected by levees that reduce the likelihood of flooding.6 As the climate changes and peak flows increase, the current 100-year and 500-year events are expected to become more frequent and the area inundated by the future 100-year and 500-year floodplains is expected to expand, leading to stricter development consolidation, magnified potential for damage and loss of life, and possible insurance increases.

FIGURE 2-5. FEMA FLOODPLAINS

6 The maps also refer to areas affected by shallow flooding due to sheet flow (unconfined water typically flowing over gently sloping land) and ponding (relatively flat areas where runoff gathers in depressions).

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2.1.4 WILDFIRE IMPACTS AND AIR QUALITY
Figure 2-6 shows CalFire Fire Hazard Severity Zones for the Sacramento region. The City of Sacramento falls outside of high or very high fire hazard zones, with only small areas near the city’s southern and eastern edges classified as moderate or high risk. This indicates that direct risk of wildfire impacts on Sacramento’s transportation infrastructure are relatively low.

However, smoke from regional wildfires remains a significant concern for public health and transit operations. Larger fires in other areas of California routinely send smoke into the Sacramento Valley and, due to the Valley’s topography, this smoke can linger for prolonged periods. Smoke events can reduce visibility and degrade air quality, posing significant health risks for travelers and operators. Increasingly hot conditions, particularly when combined with prolonged periods without rainfall, increase the likelihood of occurrence and may contribute to more severe wildfires occurring across the region. Exposure to wildfire smoke is increasing under climate change and this smoke is ultimately worsening our regional air quality.

In Sacramento County, most air pollution during the summer originates from mobile sources like cars, trucks, buses, and agricultural and construction equipment that pollute the air. The Sacramento Valley traps pollutants during windless, extreme heat days when ground-level ozone is more likely to form. In the winter, most air pollution comes from wood burning in residential fireplaces and wood stoves.

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FIGURE 2-6. CALFIRE WILDFIRE RISK

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2.1.5 WIND
Projections for changes in future high winds are available from some sources; however, unlike temperature or precipitation, wind is highly variable, occurs on incredibly fine spatial and time scales, and is very difficult to model. As a result, wind projections were not utilized in the development of this Plan. However, we know that windstorms can cause significant damage and disruption to the transportation system, including downed trees that block roadways, power outages, service disruptions, and damage to traffic signals, street lights, crossing gate arms, light-rail overhead canary system and other assets.

Extreme storms can also include extreme rainfall that saturates soil, thereby reducing root stability and making trees more prone to uprooting (Figure 2-7). Prolonged periods without rain can also weaken trees and make them more prone to snapping in high winds. When strong winds either accompany or follow extended periods of extreme heat and drought or heavy rain, tree failure becomes more likely, increasing risks to roads and travel.

FIGURE 2-7. EFFECT OF SOIL SATURATION AND WIND ON TREE STABILITY

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2.1.6 POWER OUTAGES
Given that extreme heat and windstorms often lead to power outages, this Plan incorporates information provided by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) on system reliability and operational continuity.

FORECASTING & R ESPONSE TO W EATHER E VENTS
SMUD’s engineering and operations team spend significant time forecasting and planning for weather events and their impact on the system. SMUD’s System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) and System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI), which are electric distribution utility benchmarks for reliability, are historically low relative to industry averages.

Between 2023 and 2024, California and the Sacramento region experienced some of the most intense winter and summer weather events of the past several decades. During both years, SMUD’s system performed without major incident. In 2023 and 2024, SMUD’s SAIFI and SAIDI were 1 and 75.6, and 0.75 and 44.4, respectively. SMUD’s system reliability targets, as defined by their Strategic Direction (SD) Policy Number 4 is 0.85 – 1.14 for SAIFI and 49.7 – 68.7 minutes for SAIDI, excluding major events.

In addition to general reliability, SMUD has emergency response operations to quickly respond to and restore power loss. Following the 2023 storms, SMUD developed additional emergency response best practices to more rapidly restore power. One such operational improvement includes convening city, county, and state officials to identify customer impacts and coordinate restoration efforts in real-time.

As it relates to SacAdapt and planning for extreme weather events, SMUD will continue to update its forecasting methods to account for new and more intense weather and will ensure the system is hardened to maintain operations during those hours. Weather events that do impact the system and cause power outages are likely anomalous and would not be captured in any forecast scenario.

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ELECTRIC T OPOLOGY & RE DUNDANCY
Redundancy is built into SMUD’s system. The electric topology ensures that, if a circuit or substation serving a SacRT light rail station goes down, then another circuit or substation will be able to pick up the load and maintain electrical service to the light rail station. SMUD’s distribution system operators perform switching operations between circuits to maintain service and system reliability. Importantly, SacRT’s light rail stations are not exposed to a single point of failure in SMUD’s system because the system is built and operated to maintain service in n-1 situations.

ROTATING B ROWNOUTS D URING P EAK E VENTS
If SMUD is forced to perform rotating brownouts to protect the electrical equipment from damage, or if demand outstrips supply causing a system imbalance, procedures are in place to ensure that electric service is maintained for critical loads and emergency services.

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2.2 TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM VULNERABILITIES
The vulnerability assessment conducted as part of this planning effort examines how climate hazards intersect with the transportation system, identifying impacted asset locations, exposure, and ability to adapt or recover from extreme conditions. The process combined input from agencies and community members with climate and asset data to generate a clear picture of the system’s strengths and weaknesses.

The initial hazard exposure analysis was conducted alongside agency interviews of operations, maintenance, engineering, and emergency response staff to understand how past events have affected assets such as bridges, traffic signals, and general operations.

TAC members provided additional insight into which hazards they consider most concerning and which assets are most disruptive when they experience issues. TAC members were polled on level of concern for each hazard. The most concerning hazard was extreme heat by a significant margin, and nearly half of the TAC members were ‘very concerned’ about all four hazards discussed: flooding, extreme heat, wind, and fire.

The Phase 1 public survey asked respondents about the types of extreme weather events that have disrupted or delayed their travel in the past five years. Figure 2-8 summarizes these results, with respondents most frequently citing flooding/heavy rain and extreme heat.

Respondents were allowed to select multiple extreme weather events; the Phase 1 survey received over 400 responses.

FIGURE 2-8. EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS REPORTED BY SURVEY RESPONDENTS TO HAVE IMPACTED

TRAVEL IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS
132
171
189
243
255
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Extreme Cold
High Winds
Fire/Bad Air Quality
Extreme Heat
Flooding/Heavy Rain

NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS
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In addition, the Phase 1 community survey asked about how different extreme weather events changed individual travel decisions. These results are shown in Figure 2-9. Community members most frequently reported increased travel times or transportation costs, along with disrupted access to schools and essential services such as groceries or healthcare. Many respondents noted they chose to stay home or were unable to travel during an emergency.

Inability to evacuate was also one of the options on this survey question but received no responses. Respondents were able to select multiple impacts on travel decisions; the overwhelming choice of respondents during extreme weather was to stay home.

Notably, respondents who were not able to stay at home reported disrupted access to essential services, education, increased travel time and costs, and lost wages. These responses highlight the potential for inequitable impacts of extreme weather disruptions to Sacramento’s transportation system, especially for community members who are not able to stay at home.

FIGURE 2-9. TYPES OF IMPACTS EXPERIENCED BY SURVEY RESPONDENTS DURING WEATHER EVENTS Given these results, the Project Team used both quantitative and qualitative measures to identify how concerning each hazard may be for each type of transportation asset based on extensive interviews with city staff and relevant experts. Table 2-5 provides a qualitative summary of the levels of concern based on agency and community feedback, organized by hazard. 73 188 185
173
129
25 44 39 38 32
19 23 29 30
22 8 6 6
13 105 10 15 10 5
0 20
40 60
80 100
120
140
160
180
200
Extreme Cold Extreme Heat Fire/Smoke Flooding/Rain HighWinds I chose to stay at home
I experienced disrupted access to medical care/groceries/other essential services
I experienced disrupted access to school/education
I had a longer travel time/increased transportation costs I lost wages or my job
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The “Agency Feasibility to Adapt” column is a qualitative summary of the feasibility of the City or SacRT to directly address the damage type and mitigate risk, based on jurisdictional control and practicability of mitigation measures.

Transportation damage types with a low or moderate Agency Feasibility to Adapt reflect more limited feasibility for the City or SacRT to fully mitigate the impacts, even if unlimited funding was available. For example, neither the City nor SacRT directly manage the power grid; smoke impacts are typically from fires outside of the city; it is not feasible to prevent all instances of localized flooding in Sacramento; and it is not feasible to prevent all instances of extreme heat impacting outdoor traveler comfort and health.

Importantly, the “Agency Feasibility to Adapt” does not reflect the current availability of funding to implement adaptation strategies. The City has over $1 billion in unfunded deferred maintenance for streets, bicycle facilities, traffic operations, and stormwater drainage assets.

Funding will be a key constraint and consideration for strategy implementation. Refer to Technical Appendix B: Vulnerability Assessment for more information.

TABLE 2-5. SUMMARY OF TRANSPORTATION DAMAGE TYPES, LEVEL OF CONCERN,

AND FEASIBILITY TO ADAPT

DAMAGE TYPE LEVEL OF

CONCERN

AGENCY FEASIBILITY

TO ADAPT
Extreme Heat
Outdoor Traveler Comfort and Health (City, SacRT) High Low-Moderate Outdoor Worker Health (City, SacRT) High High
Pavement (City) Moderate High
Light Rail Tracks (SacRT) Low High
Power Distribution System (SacRT) High High
Overhead Catenary System (OCS) (SacRT) High High
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Plant (SacRT) Moderate High HVAC Systems (SacRT) Moderate Moderate
Signage (City, SacRT) Moderate-High Moderate
Extreme Wind
Crossing Gate Arms and other SacRT Infrastructure Low High Traffic Signals, Streetlights, and Other City Infrastructure Moderate Moderate-High Flooding and Heavy Precipitation
Levee Failure (City) High Moderate
Roadways, Railways, and Shared Use Paths (City) Moderate Low-Moderate Underground/At-Grade Telecommunications and Electrical
Infrastructure (City, SacRT) Low Moderate
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DAMAGE TYPE LEVEL OF

CONCERN

AGENCY FEASIBILITY

TO ADAPT
Transit Facility Damage (SacRT) Moderate-High Moderate
Bridge Damage (City) Moderate High
Wildfire
Smoke Impacts to Travelers (City, SacRT) High Low
Multiple Hazards
Power Grid Failure (City, SacRT) High Low

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2.3 RISK ASSESSMENT
A risk assessment conducted as part of this Plan, provided in Technical Appendix C: Risk Assessment, identifies specific assets within the transportation system that should be considered for adaptation strategy implementation. The Risk Assessment evaluates all assets of a given type to calculate the level of consequence if the asset fails, as well as the level of risk from a given climate-related hazard (i.e., flooding, extreme heat).

The Risk Assessment was shaped by the following considerations:
• The analysis focused on asset-hazard combinations that present an opportunity for the City or SacRT to directly manage the risks.
o For example, power grid failure was not analyzed because neither the City nor SacRT have direct control over the power grid. Agency-level adaptation strategies for back-up power systems are discussed in Section 3: Adaptation Strategies. o Similarly, smoke impacts were not analyzed since recent smoke events are primarily the result of regional wildfires that neither the City nor SacRT have direct control over. General adaptation strategies to smoke impacts on travelers are discussed in Section 3: Adaptation Strategies.
• The analysis does not attempt to differentiate between assets when risk is very similar. o For example, specific locations of pavement/roadways, light rail tracks, overhead catenary systems, and signage were not analyzed with respect to heat since the heat impacts are substantially similar to these assets across the City. • The analysis avoids duplicating recently completed or ongoing efforts. o For example, bikeways and sidewalks were not mapped with heat risk, as the Streets for People Active Transportation Plan recently developed a Tree Opportunity Analysis. The findings in that memo will be used to inform the highest opportunity for expansion of the City’s urban tree canopy over the active transportation network, in addition to Urban Forest Plan strategies that guide new policies and priority areas for tree investment.
o Similarly, floodgates and bridges were not mapped with flood risk as there are either ongoing (e.g., regular bridge inspections by Caltrans) or recent projects (e.g., a floodgate assessment) that specifically evaluated these assets and provide guidance on implementation priority.
• The analysis does not include a system-wide evaluation of how assets are impacted by localized flooding since the City does not have citywide drainage modeling to identify these impacts.
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citywide and floodplain maps do not provide the level of detail appropriate for pedestrian-scale facility analysis.
o Community feedback consistently emphasized the impacts that even small amounts of localized flooding can have on people walking, biking, and taking transit. General adaptation strategies to mitigate localized flooding impacts on such people are discussed in Section 3: Adaptation Strategies.

The systems-scale risk assessment was not completed for asset-hazard combinations where potential projects have already been identified or for asset-hazard combinations where general strategies (e.g., using more resilient materials or design specifications) can be developed without going through asset-by-asset prioritization.

The asset-hazard combinations that were analyzed in the Risk Assessment include:
• Major roadways with respect to floodplains
• Bikeways with respect to floodplains
• Bus stops with respect to the urban heat island (UHI) effect • Light rail stations with respect to UHI
For each asset, a level of “consequence” was calculated to determine the impact if the asset were to fail (e.g., be flooded and impassable). These consequences accounted for factors such as how many people use an asset, its redundancy in the system, whether it provides access to critical facilities, and whether it serves disadvantaged communities.

Figure 2-10 shows one example of those factors: redundancy of bikeway segments. Bikeway redundancy was evaluated to understand the resilience of the active transportation network in the event of localized disruptions (e.g., flooding or construction). Redundancy measures how easily a bicyclist can reroute if a segment becomes inaccessible. This metric is particularly important because bikeways are currently being constructed at a larger scale, compared to other transportation assets, and have a greater opportunity for future projects to improve redundancy and resiliency.

Each segment is color-coded based on the length of the detour required and the stress level of the alternative route:
• Detour length was categorized as:
o Short detour: Less than 0.5 miles
o Long detour: Greater than 0.5 miles and up to 1.5 miles o Very long detour: Greater than 1.5 miles
• Stress level was based on the Neighborhood Connections dataset:
o Low stress network: Detour uses only segments with a Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) score of 1 or 2
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o High stress network: Detour includes segments with an LTS score of 3 or 4 This analysis highlights areas where bikeway redundancy is limited, particularly where detours are long or require travel on high-stress routes. These locations may warrant priority consideration for future bikeway investments to improve network resilience and accessibility.

FIGURE 2-10. BIKEWAY REDUNDANCY METRIC
Downtown Sacramento generally has strong redundancy with short, low-stress detours, while peripheral neighborhoods, particularly in the north and southeast, have more segments with long or high-stress detours. Examples of segments with low redundancy include long portions of the bikeways on both sides of the American River; the Consumnes River Blvd. bicycle facility, the bicycle path on the levee east of Steelhead Creek.

The next several maps show consequence scores for four different types of assets: major roadways, bikeways, bus stops, and light rail stations. The maps include asset scoring from 0 to

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10. Higher consequence scores indicate the possibility for greater impacts to city residents and services in the case of asset failure. Assets with higher consequence scores may be considered a higher priority for maintenance or upgrades.

FIGURE 2-11. MAJOR ROADWAY CONSEQUENCE SCORES
Major roads in Sacramento are defined as arterials and collectors. Metrics contributing to consequence scores include average annual daily traffic (AADT), incremental detour time, critical facility access, and a demographics score derived from the CalEnviroScreen percentile.7 Roads with higher consequence scores have higher usage, longer detours, provide access to critical facilities, and serve more disadvantaged communities. Roads with the highest consequence scores are shown in dark red in Figure 2-12 and include portions of Folsom Blvd., Watt Ave., Jibboom St., El Camino Ave., Power Inn Rd., Auburn Blvd., and Truxel Rd.

7 https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/report/calenviroscreen-40

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FIGURE 2-12. BIKEWAY CONSEQUENCE SCORES
Bikeway consequence scores are illustrated in Figure 2-12, with darker red segments indicating higher consequence scores. Metrics contributing to bikeway consequence scores include bikeway level of traffic stress (as outlined in Sacramento’s Neighborhood Connections Plan), redundancy of the network, access to critical facilities, and a CalEnviroScreen percentile.

Bikeways with higher consequence scores are those that are rated for lower traffic stress (and would therefore have a greater impact on riders if unavailable), have limited alternative routes, and serve destinations such as hospitals, schools, and emergency services. Bikeways with long segments of high consequence scores include Sacramento Northern Bike Trail, American River Bike Trail, Two Rivers Bike Trail, Raley Blvd., and Garden Highway Bike Trail.

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FIGURE 2-13. BUS STOP CONSEQUENCE SCORES
Bus stop consequence scores in Figure 2-13 are based on ridership, proximity to the nearest alternative stop (excluding paired stops across the street), access to critical facilities, and a CalEnviroScreen percentile. Stops with higher consequence scores tend to serve more riders, have fewer nearby alternatives, provide access to essential destinations, and be located in more disadvantaged communities. The stops with the highest scores include Arden Way & Del Paso Blvd. light rail connection, Arden Fair Mall & Terminal, Carlson Dr. & State University Dr., 7th St. and J St., J St. and 6th St., and Arden Way & Heritage Lane. Detailed information on scoring per stop is available in Technical Appendix C: Risk Assessment.

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FIGURE 2-14. LIGHT RAIL STATION CONSEQUENCE SCORES
Figure 2-14 shows light rail station consequence scores based on ridership, typical bus bridge time required to bypass the station, access to critical facilities, and CalEnviroScreen percentile.

Stations with higher scores tend to serve large numbers of riders, have longer travel times between stations, provide access to critical facilities, and be located in more disadvantaged communities. The highest consequence score stations are Watt/I-80, University/65th St., 29th St., 16th St., Alkali Flat/La Valentina, and Arden/Del Paso. Detailed information on scoring per stop is available in Technical Appendix C: Risk Assessment.

These next few maps show a combination of hazard likelihood and consequence data. For major roadways and bikeways, the maps highlight assets with the relatively high exposure to flooding.

For roadways, this includes segments that cross the 100-year floodplain and do not have a bridge (i.e., are not elevated over the 100-year floodplain) or contain an underpass. For bikeways, segments that cross the 100-year floodplain are included.

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FIGURE 2-15. MAJOR ROADWAY CONSEQUENCE SCORES FOR HIGHER FLOOD LIKELIHOOD ASSETS Roadways with high consequence and high flood exposure are shown in Figure 2-15 and include Folsom Blvd., Auburn Blvd., Power Inn Rd., 7th St., and Arden Way. Many of these roads are located along the American River Parkway, where flooding is influenced by the American River, or are underpasses in downtown Sacramento along Capital City Freeway and US-50.

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FIGURE 2-16. BIKEWAY CONSEQUENCE SCORES FOR HIGHER FLOOD LIKELIHOOD ASSETS Similarly, bikeways with a relatively high flood exposure are shown in Figure 2-16, and these generally align with areas highlighted for roadways in Figure 2-15. High-consequence and high-exposure bikeway segments include routes along the Sacramento River include American River Bike Trail, Two Rivers Bike Trail, Raley Blvd., Sacramento Northern Bike Trail, and Garden Highway Bike Trail.

The next few maps show heat risk scores for bus stops and light rail stations, which combine consequence scores and UHI magnitude. Assets with a combined high consequence score and high hazard likelihood should be considered for priority maintenance and/or upgrade with adaptation strategy measures. UHI data coverage was restricted to the City of Sacramento as part of an Urban Development Study by NASA.
8 8 https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20205011494

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FIGURE 2-17. BUS STOP HEAT RISK SCORES
Figure 2-17 shows heat risk amongst bus stops within the city of Sacramento. Bus stops with the highest heat risk scores include Arden Fair Mall & Terminal, Richards Blvd. & Dos Rios St., Florin Rd. & Luther Dr., Amtrak & Depot, Franklin Blvd. & 16th, and Arden Way & Heritage Lane. Many of the stops with elevated heat risk are concentrated in the downtown area and along major corridors such as Del Paso Blvd., Stockton Blvd., and Franklin Blvd. These high-risk stops can be prioritized for adaptation measures such as shade structures, cooling elements, and improved passenger amenities to reduce heat exposure and enhance user comfort. Detailed information on scoring per stop is available in Technical Appendix C: Risk Assessment.

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FIGURE 2-18. LIGHT STATION HEAT RISK SCORES
Figure 2-18 is a map of heat risk scores for light rail stations. The stations with the highest heat risk scores include City College, Watt/I-80, University/65th St., and Royal Oaks.

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3. ADAPTATION STRATEGIES
Adaptation strategies were developed for each hazard and transportation asset type, guided by community feedback and agency expertise.

The adaptation strategies for Sacramento are listed in Section 3.1 (for the City) and Section 3.2 (for SacRT), with tables that organize the overarching adaptation strategies and supportive implementation actions. For each implementation action, a description, implementing department(s), priority, and general cost are also listed. The strategies and priorities were developed based on TAC and other staff input and refined based on public feedback.

3.1 CITY OF SACRAMENTO ADAPTATION STRATEGIES

The City of Sacramento adaptation strategies were developed in alignment with the previously adopted 2040 General Plan (adopted 2024), Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP, adopted 2024), Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP, adopted 2021), Urban Forest Plan (UFP, adopted 2025), and Streets for People Active Transportation Plan (adopted 2025). Where applicable, SacAdapt has identified recommended updates to previously adopted strategies for consideration in the next update cycle (for example, the LHMP update process that kicked off in late 2025 will consider SacAdapt recommendations in addition to updated regulatory requirements). The previously adopted strategies are referenced as applicable in square brackets in the ‘Description’ column.

Cost is reflected for each implementation action as $ (low), $$ (medium), or $$$ (high). These reflect the scale and complexity of implementation actions as defined below:
• $ (Below $500,000): This category typically includes outreach initiatives, planning efforts, and small equipment purchases. These projects are generally less resource- intensive and can be implemented with modest funding.
• $$ ($500,000 - $5,000,000): Projects in this range often involve infrastructure and facility upgrades. These efforts require more substantial investment due to engineering, construction, and material costs.
• $$$ (Above $5,000,000): Major capital projects fall into this category. Examples include retrofitting bridges, implementing large-scale drainage system upgrades, or implementing adaptation strategies at a citywide (vs. project-level) scale.

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3.1.1 CONSIDER EVACUATION NEEDS IN P LANNING
Evacuation and mitigation planning is a vital part of development and infrastructure decisions. Incorporating safe routes, emergency access, and mitigation measures into projects ensures community resilience and supports rapid response during hazard events. *Italics distinguish implementation actions that are unique to SacAdapt from those that align with adopted actions in other plans or policies. **Lead implementing departments are bolded.

TABLE 3-1. CITY OF SACRAMENTO IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: CONSIDER EVACUATION NEEDS IN PLANNING $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
C-1-1. Adopt
Additional Floodplain
Development
Standards
The Development Services Task Force will discuss adoption of additional development standards related to floodplain management and best practices.

Additional regulations may include evacuation and rescue requirements, additional freeboard, elevation of utilities, and 200-year level of protection. [Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 41]
[CAAP A-3-11]
DOU
CDD Medium $
C-1-2. Align Roadway
Safety Improvements
with Emergency
Response Functions
Continue interdepartmental engagement around roadway design strategies that can facilitate evacuation in an emergency context, while also supporting immediate traffic calming and safety improvements.

PW
OEM; PD Medium $
C-1-3. Evaluation and
Mitigation of Critical
Facilities, Roadways,
and Evacuation Routes
in Identified Hazard
Areas
This project addresses the additional evaluation of identified critical facilities to determine options for mitigation. The initial focus will be on those facilities within the flood hazard areas, with other hazard-prone facilities to follow. The end result of this analysis will be a list of facilities within the 100- and 500-year floodplain and their mitigation recommendations and priorities.

Consider evacuation routes, pumps, fuel tanks, and other ancillary flood control equipment as critical facilities.

Evaluate cost effectiveness and impact of elevating regularly flooded assets and roadways (e.g., Raley Blvd.).
[Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 6]
[CAAP A-3-2]

DOU, PW
OEM; PD Low
$-$$$
varies based
on solutions
and scope
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
C-1-4. Flood
Management Land Use
Planning and
Development
Implementation of the land use planning and development action items outlined in the City of Sacramento’s Comprehensive Flood Management Plan.

Highlighted projects include 200-year floodplain ordinance and projection plan, development guidelines for rescue and evacuation areas, City Code update for new development adjacent to levees.
[Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 51]
[CAAP A-3-19]
DOU
CDD; YPCE High $

3.1.2 CREATE BUILT ENVIRONMENTS RESILIENT TO THE IMPACTS OF EXTREME HEAT Extreme heat, as shown in Figure 2-3 of UHI index distribution, poses growing challenges for transportation infrastructure and traffic systems. Updating pavement specifications, improving equipment resilience, and adopting innovative design strategies are actions to maintain safety, performance, and longevity under changing climate conditions. *Italics distinguish implementation actions that are unique to SacAdapt from those that align with adopted actions in other pl ans or policies. **Lead implementing departments are bolded.

TABLE 3-2. CITY OF SACRAMENTO IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: CREATE BUILT ENVIRONMENTS RESILIENT TO THE IMPACTS OF EXTREME HEAT $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
C-2-1. Update
Pavement Design to
Withstand Current and
Projected Future Heat
Conditions
Update pavement specifications to require a binder grade of PG 70-10 for all projects. Monitor the impacts of extreme heat to determine if/when future changes to pavement binder grade (e.g., to PG 76-10) may be appropriate.

Encourage Caltrans to reevaluate statewide pavement specifications to support wider availability of appropriate binder grades.

Explore design strategies including shorter joint spacing, thicker slabs, less rigid support, and enhanced load transfer. Engage departments and entities (e.g., PW, DOU, utilities) as part of discussions around any new specifications.

PW Medium-Low
$ to update
specifications
$$$ to
implement
citywide
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
C-2-2. Pilot Heat-
Reflective Strategies
on Traffic Control
Cabinets
Pilot heat-reflective paint or other strategies on traffic control cabinets to reduce potential equipment stress and failure.

Require public art campaigns, to paint or wrap traffic control cabinets, to achieve heat reduction outcomes.

PW Low $
C-2-3. Proactively
Replace Signage
Based on Expected
Lifecycle and Weather
Impacts
Enhance existing sign database to include attributes that can guide preventative maintenance of signage (e.g., installation date, recommended replacement date, orientation to sun, installation entity). Ensure contractors meet City sign specifications.

PW Low $
C-2-4. Upgrade Traffic
Detection Loops into
New Technology
Upgrade traffic detection loops to new systems that are not embedded within the pavement. Update standard specifications to ensure product upgrades at equipment end of life.

PW Medium $ per project

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3.1.3 CREATE BUILT ENVIRONMENTS THAT REDUCE EXPOSURE TO EXTREME HEAT

AND MITIGATE THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT
Reducing urban heat and improving comfort in public spaces requires integrated strategies across landscaping, street design, and amenities. By enhancing shade, promoting heat-mitigating materials, and expanding tree canopy, the City can create cooler environments for all residents.
*Italics distinguish implementation actions that are unique to SacAdapt from those that align with adopted actions in other pl ans or policies. **Lead implementing departments are bolded.

TABLE 3-3. CITY OF SACRAMENTO IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: CREATE BUILT ENVIRONMENTS THAT REDUCE EXPOSURE TO EXTREME HEAT AND

MITIGATE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT
$ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
C-3-1. Cooling
Landscape Standards
The City shall prepare a Landscape Manual or enhance landscape standards to mitigate urban heat island effects. Such standards could include a climate appropriate planting palette and recommended plant mix, targets for street tree canopy, shade structure coverage, and asphalt paving coverage. [General Plan ERC-Action 7]
[CAAP A-2-3]
PW
CDD; YPCE Low $
C-3-2. Create a
Wayfinding Program
The City should implement a citywide comprehensive wayfinding program to highlight low-stress all ages and abilities routes for walking, rolling, and biking to community destinations and transit.
[Streets for People - Programs - Engineering]
PW Low $
C-3-3. Expand
Drinking Water Access
The City shall strive to install heat-reducing public amenities in areas most affected by urban heat, prioritizing the areas with vulnerable populations.

Amenities may include drinking water fountains or bottle refilling facilities in public parks, at community facilities, transit centers, or other appropriate locations.
[General Plan ERC-Action 8.6]
YPCE; PW
DOU High $ per
project
C-3-4. Heat Reduction
in the Public Realm
The City should explore opportunities to amend development standards and guidelines so as to promote the use of heat mitigation strategies to reduce CDD
PW High $ to amend
standards
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
temperatures in the public realm, particularly on active transportation networks, commercial corridors, near light rail transit (LRT) stations and along transit corridors. Requirements may include the incorporation of the following:

Building design strategies (varied building heights; setbacks from sidewalks; vertical and horizontal shade features);
Cooling building and pavement materials, treatments, and coatings; Multiple layers of shading to maximize coverage throughout the day; and Street trees, and landscaping.

Any public art features should also provide a cooling benefit. [General Plan ERC-Action 4]
[CAAP A-2-1]
C-3-5. Implement the
Urban Forest Plan
Urban Forest Plan - Implement the Urban Forest Plan and Parks Plan 2040 with a goal to achieve 25% urban canopy cover by 2030 and 35% by 2045.

Prioritize tree planting and tree maintenance in areas with the lowest average tree canopy cover and explore strategies to reduce barriers to tree planting in disadvantaged areas and improve tree health.
[General Plan ERC-Action 1]
[CAAP CS-1.1; A-2-5]
Key relevant sub-actions:

1.1.3: Continue to operate a street tree planting program. Plan for tree succession.

1.2.1: Amend Sacramento City Code as necessary to improve tree canopy inclusion and require minimum levels of tree planting in development projects.

1.2.2: Review and update design guidelines and development standards to support achievement of minimum canopy goals, outlined in strategy 1.1.1, and maximize benefits.

1.2.6: Support the achievement of 50 percent tree shading over streets and sidewalks and shared use paths.

1.3.1: Support City planting efforts and implementation of urban forest programs in priority communities.

3.2.2: Maintain and implement emergency response plans for storm events that result in tree loss and damage.

3.3.1: Continue to operate a proactive tree maintenance program to preserve and protect City-managed trees.

3.4.2: Explore opportunities to leverage the benefits of trees to retain stormwater runoff.

PW
CDD; YPCE High $$$
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST

3.4.3: When designing transportation improvements, support the inclusion of adequate tree canopy to provide substantial shade for active transportation infrastructure and support achievement of 50 percent shading on streets, sidewalks, and shared use paths. Identify innovative ways to expand benefits of trees, particularly along streets (e.g., soil vault systems to increase feasibility of mature growth in constrained space).

4.1.2 Conduct Citywide urban forest public outreach and education.

Incorporate tree succession planning into public outreach and education.

C-3-6. Improve
Noticing for Closures
and Hazards on Bicycle
and Pedestrian
Facilities
Develop a detour alert system, aligned with the work zone and event detour policy, to include notices for flooding, debris or other closures. Increase coordination with Sacramento County to improve noticing for Discovery Park shared-use path closures.

PW
YPCE; DOU Medium $
C-3-7. Pilot Cool
Pavement and
Depaving
Monitor cool pavement technologies and opportunities to increase pavement longevity and support urban heat island mitigation.

Identify funding for pilot implementation. Monitor impacts on temperature and pavement quality and maintenance.

PW
CDD Medium
$ per
project,
varies based
on materials
$$$ citywide
C-3-8. Street Standards
for Tree Canopy
The City shall update Street Standards with objective design standards for shade trees along roadways to optimize tree canopy and provide solutions for various street functions and conditions.
[General Plan ERC-Action 11]
[CAAP A-2-8]
PW
CDD High $

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3.1.4 INCREASE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE TO PREPARE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS Building community resilience requires proactive outreach and education. Expanding emergency preparedness programs, improving hazard awareness, and delivering multilingual resources ensure residents are inclusively informed and equipped to respond to climate risks.
*Italics distinguish implementation actions that are unique to SacAdapt from those that align with adopted actions in other plans or policies. **Lead implementing departments are bolded.

TABLE 3-4. CITY OF SACRAMENTO IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: INCREASE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE TO PREPARE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
C-4-1. CERT Training
The City shall expand the Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) program to address community and neighborhood preparedness for climate impacts. Pilot implementation of the updated program in disadvantaged communities and areas with populations most vulnerable to climate impacts.

Identify funding to expand CERT programming and to develop multilingual resources.
[General Plan ERC-Action 3]
[CAAP A-5-1]
Fire
OEM Medium $
C-4-2. Community
Outreach on Multi
Hazard Preparation
& Pre-mitigation
Continue to maintain and improve webpage that addresses the multi-hazard threat and add measures for preparation and pre-mitigation. Continue to participate and host many community outreach events associated with Hazard awareness and preparation. These events include: “Capitol Action Day”, “Flood Preparedness Week”, “Highwater Jamboree” Annual Flood Preparedness Event and visiting neighborhood meetings and community events to share preparedness information.

Promote emergency notification resources like SacAlert. [Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 5]
[CAAP A-5-5]
DOU
OEM High $
C-4-3. Enhance
Public Education and
Awareness of
A comprehensive multi-hazard outreach program will ascertain both broad and targeted educational needs throughout the community. The City will work with the County and other agencies as appropriate to develop timely and consistent OEM High $
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
Natural Hazards and
Public
Understanding of
Disaster
Preparedness
annual outreach messages in order to communicate the risk and vulnerability of natural hazards of concern to the community. This includes measures the public can take to be better prepared and to reduce the damages and other impacts from a hazard event. The public outreach effort will leverage and build upon existing mechanisms.
[Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 2]
[CAAP A-5-3]
C-4-4. Extreme
Weather Outreach
Strategy
This project is meant to serve as an outreach mechanism to the population in Sacramento City. It will be completed mainly by providing social media toolkits for the general population with access to internet. For more at-risk populations, such as the homeless, the outreach will be completed in person by targeting the areas of Sacramento where the homeless population tends to stay. Outreach will also be completed via food banks and homeless assistance centers. [Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 38]
[CAAP A-2-11]
DCR
OEM High $
C-4-5. Multi-lingual
Disaster Education
Develop Public Service Announcements, educational videos, a social media campaign, and other material in a variety of languages to provide our diverse community with information on how to develop a personal/family safety plan. [Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 9]
[CAAP A-5-6]
OEM
DOU; CDD High $
C-4-6. Outreach on
the Effects of Smoke
on Air Quality
The purpose of the project is to educate Sacramento residents on the effects of smoke in the air and provide resources to check the air quality in their area. This will be carried out via social and network media. The city will utilize its social media pages and radio advertisements to convey knowledge and resources residents can use to know when to use precaution. The project will also provide helpful tips to decrease the impacts of poor air quality in their homes and through the daily routines.
[Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 66]
OEM; PIO; Sac
Metro Air District High $
C-4-7. Public
Information Flood
Response Plan
Develop a pre-flood plan for public information projects that will be implemented during and after a flood. The plan will include a collection of outreach templates including key messages that need to be disseminated before, during, and after a flood. The plan will also include written procedures that explain how the materials will be disseminated and when the information should be released. [Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 18]
[CAAP A-3-7]
DOU
OEM High $
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3.1.5 INCREASE STORMWATER DRAINAGE CAPACITY
Managing stormwater and reducing flood risk requires a comprehensive approach to drainage infrastructure. By upgrading pipelines, pump stations, and green infrastructure and updating design standards, the City can improve system capacity, resilience, and long- term performance under changing climate conditions.
*Italics distinguish implementation actions that are unique to SacAdapt from those that align with adopted actions in other pl ans or policies. **Lead implementing departments are bolded.

TABLE 3-5. CITY OF SACRAMENTO IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: INCREASE STORMWATER DRAINAGE CAPACITY $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
C-5-1. Drainage
Projects for
Repetitive Loss
Properties
Many drainage projects have been identified in the City’s Drainage Master Plans. These projects include upsizing pipelines, adding detention basins, adding bypass pipelines, retrofitting pump stations, and land acquisition.

These projects will be ranked and grant funding will be pursued. [Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 42]
[CAAP A-3-12]
DOU
YPCE Medium
$-$$$ per
project;
varies based
on project
scope
C-5-2. Drainage
Projects from the
City’s Priority
Drainage Project List
Many potential drainage projects that have been identified in the City’s Drainage Master Plans and have been prioritized on a Basin Master Planning and Improvement Projects priority list. These projects include upsizing pipelines, adding detention basins, adding pipelines, retrofitting pump stations, and land acquisition. These projects are ranked by priority. [Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 46]
[CAAP A-3-15]
DOU
YPCE Medium
$-$$$ per
project;
varies based
on project
scope
C-5-3. Flood Resilient
Design Techniques
The City shall update design guidelines, standards, and the municipal code to promote building materials and site design techniques that minimize the disruption of and speed recovery from flood impacts.

Leverage DOU outdoor water conservation rebates to support equitable implementation of residential flood resilient design techniques. [CAAP A-3-26]
CDD
DOU Medium $
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
C-5-4. Increase
Maintenance Capacity
for Cleaning Culverts,
Ditches, Creeks, and
Storm Drains
Purchase additional vactor trucks for storm drain and trash capture device cleaning.

Seek to maintain adequate maintenance staff levels and supporting contracts.

Identify funding to scale maintenance staff levels based on industry best practices to appropriately maintain culverts, ditches, creeks, and storm drains (including trash capture devices).

DOU
PW High $-$$
C-5-5. Integrate
Stormwater
Mitigation Strategies
into City
Infrastructure
Green Infrastructure – Identify opportunities, where feasible and consistent with the park site plan without reducing programmable parkland acreage, to add green infrastructure in parks and open space, including trees, to improve flood mitigation capacity in flood prone areas.

Identify opportunities, where feasible and aligned with drainage need, to add green infrastructure into the public right-of-way to improve localized flood mitigation capacity in flood prone areas. Incorporate green infrastructure into the design of traffic calming strategies, where appropriate.

Seek to maintain adequate maintenance staff levels and supporting contracts.

Identify funding to scale maintenance staff levels based on industry best practices to appropriately maintain green infrastructure. [CAAP A-3-27]
PW; YPCE; DOU Medium
$-$$ per
project,
varies based
on solutions
and scope C-5-6. Internal
Drainage System
Improvements
Implementation of the internal drainage system improvements outlined in the City of Sacramento’s Comprehensive Flood Management Plan. Highlighted projects include development of a grant program to fund drainage improvements, develop an Engineering Services efficiency plan, work on the passage of Proposition 218 drainage fee increase, and drainage master planning.
[Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 53]
[CAAP A-3-21]
DOU High
$$-$$$
varies based
on project
scope
C-5-7. Master
Planning to Identify
Facilities Needed to
Prevent 10-Year
Event Street Flooding
and 100-Year Event
Structure Flooding
Develop master plans to identify facilities needed to prevent 10-year event street flooding and 100-year event structure flooding in areas of the City that do not currently have master planning. Prioritize the projects and formulate timeline for the identified projects. Execute the projects to provide protection from flooding.
[Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 55]
[CAAP A-3-23]
DOU High $$
C-5-8. Projects
Identified in the
Combined Sewer
Identified projects were categorized into storage and conveyance. The storage projects are located upstream or downstream of local flooding areas and are intended to detain flows until the CSS has re-generated capacity (i.e., peak of the storm has passed and HGL in the system has receded from peak DOU High $$-$$$
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
System Improvement
Plan Update
conditions) and the storage facilities can be dewatered. The storage projects can be linear or parcel based. Conveyance projects would generally be located in proximity to or just downstream of localized flooding areas. Their objective would generally be to convey peak flows from and through the flood-prone areas to points downstream with greater capacity. The analysis carefully considered whether the increased conveyance had the potential to cause or exacerbate downstream flooding. If that was determined to be true, the conveyance project(s) were combined with upstream or downstream storage projects to mitigate the downstream flood exacerbation risk.

Conveyance projects included upsizing existing pipes or constructing new pipes. Where baseline flooding occurred in a location with no opportunities for storage, a new pipe was sized to convey the 10-year storm design peak flows to the downstream system. Factors such as ground cover requirements, right-of-way width, and existing system pipe invert elevations (to which linear storage facilities must connect) were factored into the storage configurations. [Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 47]
[CAAP A-3-16]
varies based
on project
scope
C-5-9. Retrofit
Pumping Plants with
Discharge Monitoring
Devices
Retrofit pumping plants to measure discharge and monitor devices. Identify pumps that are underperforming and raise Reliable Capacity to 90 percent service factor.

Identify innovative technologies to enhance remote pump station monitoring capabilities.
[Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 56]
DOU High $$
C-5-10. Stormwater
Master Planning
The City shall implement a stormwater master plan program to:
- Update basin drainage models using the latest rainfall data that reflect changing precipitation patterns and intensity as a result of climate change.
- Identify facilities needed to prevent 10-year event street flooding and 100-year event structure flooding;
- Ensure that public facilities and infrastructure are designed pursuant to approved basin master plans;
- Ensure that adequate land area and any other elements are provided for facilities subject to incremental sizing (e.g., detention basins and pump stations); and
DOU High
$-$$
varies based
on project
scope
3 CITY ADAPTATION STRATEGIES
SACRAMENTO TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ADAPTAT ION FINAL PLAN 50 TOC

IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
- Incorporate the use of “green infrastructure,” Low Impact Development (LID) techniques, stormwater treatment controls, and, if applicable, trash capture devices.
[General Plan PFS-Action 4]
[CAAP A-3-1]

3.1.6 INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE
Maintaining and upgrading critical infrastructure is essential for safety and resilience. By securing funding for inspections, preventative maintenance, and modernization of bridges, floodgates, and roadways, the City can reduce vulnerability to natural hazards while ensuring reliable access for all users.
*Italics distinguish implementation actions that are unique to SacAdapt from those that align with adopted actions in other pl ans or policies. **Lead implementing departments are bolded.

TABLE 3-6. CITY OF SACRAMENTO IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
C-6-1. Bridge
Inspection Program
Secure funding to establish a bicycle and pedestrian bridge inspection program.

Continue regular inspections of scour critical bridges.

PW High $
C-6-2. Expand Bridge
Maintenance and
Repair Funding
Identify funding for urgent bridge improvements and upgrades beyond routine maintenance. PW High
$$-$$$
varies based
on project
scope
C-6-3. Increase
Capacity for Bicycle
Facility Maintenance
Secure funding to increase capacity (e.g., additional street sweepers, staff) for bicycle facility maintenance, particularly during winter months and after storm events.

PW Medium $-$$
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
C-6-4. Increase
preventative
Maintenance of Roads
and Bikeways to
Reduce the
Vulnerability to
Extreme Weather Risk
Secure funding to increase preventative maintenance to mitigate asset failure (e.g., increased pavement crack sealing to prevent water intrusion, regularly refreshed striping).

Seek to maintain adequate maintenance staff levels and supporting contracts.

Identify funding to scale maintenance staff levels based on industry best practices to appropriately conduct preventative maintenance of roadways and bikeways to reduce vulnerability to extreme weather risk.

PW Medium
$-$$
varies based
on project
scope
C-6-5. Modernize City
Floodgates
Complete the Floodgate Modernization Project.

Secure funding to complete minor floodgate repairs identified in the Floodgate Assessment.

Secure funding to establish a program to regularly inspect floodgates to identify and implement needed repairs.

Secure funding to construct a flood-wall between primary and secondary levee system to eliminate need for the Business 80 floodgate.

PW High
$-$$$ per
project;
varies based
on solutions
C-6-6. Protection of
Transportation Bridge
Infrastructure
Retrofit all bridges in the city of Sacramento to current seismic standards.

Elevate roads and bridges above the base flood elevation to maintain dry access. In situations where flood waters tend to wash roads out, construction, reconstruction, or repair can include not only attention to drainage, but also stabilization or armoring of vulnerable shoulders or embankments.

Prioritize scour mitigation and debris clearance around bridges with high water events or spread footings.
[Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 21]
PW
DOU High $$$

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3.1.7 REDUCE RISK OF POWER OUTAGE
Reliable power and utility infrastructure are critical for resilience and safety. By planning for backup power at pump stations, promoting battery storage and microgrids, improving tree maintenance near power lines, and undergrounding utilities, the City can reduce outage risks and enhance system reliability during extreme weather events. *Italics distinguish implementation actions that are unique to SacAdapt from those that align with adopted actions in other pl ans or policies. **Lead implementing departments are bolded.

TABLE 3-7. CITY OF SACRAMENTO IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: REDUCE RISK OF POWER OUTAGE $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
C-7-1. Develop and
Implement a Master
Generation Plan for
Pump Stations
Develop a plan for identifying, prioritizing, and implementing power generation needs for pumping stations. Perform a power audit to identify needs. Plan will identify needs, costs, funding, and lead personnel. Plan will include the purchase and installation of necessary built-in and mobile generators and additional equipment. The City has a robust generator plan but a master plan is still in the process. Sumps that need generators have been identified but the program has been delayed due to funding.

Evaluate zero-emission back-up power solutions, where appropriate. (Aligned with CAAP WW-1.6)
Explore strategies to reduce vandalism of pump station infrastructure.

Identify needed maintenance capacity for additional assets. [Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 12]
[CAAP A-3-5]
DOU High $
C-7-2. Increase the
Amount of Electricity
Produced from Local
Resources and Work
with SMUD to Install
Additional Local
Storage by 2030
Work alongside SMUD to promote and further incentivize battery storage as a means to maximize electrification benefits and improve resiliency.

Evaluate reliability and resilience of electric service to City-identified critical facilities supporting transportation-related operations, and advise and support implementation of distributed energy resources, such as battery energy stationary storage back up power solutions, as appropriate, to maintain City operations during a grid event.
[CAAP E-4.3]
SMUD; PW
CDD; OEM Low $$
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
C-7-3. Tree Trimming
& Debris Removal
Dead branches fall very easily during high winds or a severe storm. These falling branches are a threat to nearby power lines. Trimming of trees treat diseases that can weaken the tree and make it susceptible to toppling during severe winds and storms. This project includes the year-round pruning of trees throughout the City that can pose a threat to power lines.

Increase preventative tree trimming around traffic signals and rail crossings.

Ensure regular coordination between relevant departments and divisions to identify tree standards (e.g., for planting and maintenance) around traffic signals and rail crossings in order to mitigate infrastructure conflicts, ensure roadway safety, and support urban tree canopy.

Seek to maintain adequate maintenance staff levels and supporting contracts.

Identify funding to scale maintenance staff levels based on industry best practices to appropriately maintain tree canopy.

Identify opportunities to streamline communication and approvals for SacRT tree trimming.
[Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 61]
PW
SMUD High $-$$
C-7-4. Underground
Powerlines
The City shall require new development to underground utility lines wherever feasible and coordinate with electricity and telecommunications providers to underground existing overhead lines where feasible.
[General Plan PFS-3.14]
CDD; PW; SMUD Low
$-$$$ per
project;
varies based
on project
scope

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3.1.8 STRENGTHEN CITY GOVERNMENT CAPACITY FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE Strengthening organizational resilience requires clear priorities, robust communication, and proactive planning. By updating project scoring, improving emergency protocols, ensuring worker safety, and securing diverse funding sources, the City can enhance its ability to withstand and recover from natural hazards and climate impacts. *Italics distinguish implementation actions that are unique to SacAdapt from those that align with adopted actions in other pl ans or policies. **Lead implementing departments are bolded.

TABLE 3-8. CITY OF SACRAMENTO IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: STRENGTHEN CITY GOVERNMENT CAPACITY FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
C-8-1. Align
Transportation
Priorities Plan Climate
Scoring with Climate
Resilience
Consider updating TPP scoring to prioritize projects that increase redundancy.

Consider updating TPP scoring to prioritize projects that provide multiple climate resilience benefits.

PW Medium $
C-8-2. Improve Outage
Communications and
Alerts Between SMUD
and the City
Ensure contact lists are regularly updated for outage communications and alerts. Identify opportunities for improved communications as needed.

SMUD
All Low $
C-8-3. OSHA
Requirements for
Worker Safety
Continue meeting OSHA requirements for worker safety, including regular trainings. Assess need to shift work schedules to cooler times, as needed (including early morning or night work).

Monitor CalOSHA proposed rule development and review protocols annually.

DOU; PW Low $
C-8-4. Protection of
City Information
Technology
Infrastructure
Develop a system to withstand the variety of natural disaster the City is vulnerable to, such as, flooding, fire, and severe storms and wind.

Update IT Disaster Recovery Plans annually and implement key recommendations to ensure the City’s technology infrastructure remains reliable, secure, and prepared for emergency response and continuity of operations.
[Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 26]
IT
DOU; PW High
$-$$
varies based
on solutions
and scope
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
C-8-5. Pursue Federal,
State, and Regional
Funding
Identify applicable state and federal grants
Consider funding from diverse funding sources (e.g., climate action and adaptation programs, public health) to fund transportation resiliency projects.

Identify partners to help broaden scope of potential funds and competitiveness for those funds
PW
All High $

3.1.9 STRENGTHEN CITY GOVERNMENT DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND CAPACITY FOR

EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Effective emergency management depends on strong staffing, inclusive planning, and advanced communication systems. By enhancing OEM capacity, improving notification technologies, leveraging data tools, and conducting regular training and outreach, the City can ensure rapid, coordinated, and equitable response during extreme events. *Italics distinguish implementation actions that are unique to SacAdapt from those that align with adopted actions in other pl ans or policies. **Lead implementing departments are bolded.

TABLE 3-9. CITY OF SACRAMENTO IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS:

STRENGTHEN CITY GOVERNMENT DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND CAPACITY FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
C-9-1. Develop
Enhanced Emergency
Planning for Special
Needs Populations in
the City of Sacramento
Emergency Operations
Plan and Other
Planning Documents
By working with local advocacy groups, and by identifying weaknesses and gaps in the City’s emergency planning, the increased capabilities of the enhanced plan will enable emergency responders to more effectively support the most vulnerable segment of the population. Access and Functional Needs (AFN) is included throughout the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and Pre-Disaster Recovery Plan. OEM continues to meet with AFN leaders to ensure accessibility and inclusion are maintained in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. OEM plans are updated on a continuous basis and ensure that AFN is included throughout the entirety of the plan. Efforts to strengthen inclusivity continues as OEM networks and attends trainings, seminars, and events pertaining to AFN and diversity.

OEM High $
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
[Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 15]
[CAAP A-5-9]
C-9-2. Emergency
Notification and
Evacuation Planning
Enhancements to the existing Reverse 911 system to more effectively notify mass populations of evacuation orders and routes, consistent with FEMA guidelines, identifying special needs communities and transportation providers, targeted outreach to maximize the capabilities of Reverse 911, and strategic training to assure effective deployment of the enhanced capabilities.

Identify emergency notification procedures that do not rely on internet and/or cell connectivity.

Leverage new technologies to enhance location-based alerts.

Leverage the regional 511 system for emergency notifications. [Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 43]
[CAAP A-5-15]
OEM
IT High $
C-9-3. Enhance
Emergency Operations
Center (EOC)
resources
Identify funding to enhance the technology and infrastructure for all venues utilized by the City as an EOC, including the Department Operations Center, regional EOC, and Virtual Operations Center.

OEM
DOU; PW; IT Low $
C-9-4. Incorporate
Resilience Strategies
into End-Of-Life Traffic
Equipment
Replacements
Consider roundabouts instead of traffic signals during street (re)construction projects. Prioritize intersections with repeated outages or delays.

Incorporate back-up power for priority traffic signals (e.g., intersections with high complexity and/or consequence). Prioritize solar-powered and/or other low- emission and low maintenance back-up power. Identify and fund routine maintenance of back-up power systems.

Continue ensuring that all new signals are connected to the Traffic Operations Center.

Fund replacement of high-consequence end-of-life traffic signal equipment.

PW Medium
$-$$$ per
project;
varies
based on
project
scope
C-9-5. Leverage New
Technologies to
Enhance Emergency
Response Capabilities
Ensure SacGPT incorporates the latest emergency preparedness resources.

Leverage public-facing AI tools for emergency preparedness.

Explore ways to leverage real-time data (e.g., 311, 911 data) to enhance live emergency response.

OEM; IT
PW; DOU; SacRT; PD Medium $
C-9-6. Maintain and
Identify Changes in
Critical Facilities GIS
Layer to Support
Emergency
Management Efforts
Businesses, schools, EMS Services or any other identified critical facilities will have contact information collected and mapped for analyzing and preparation for the Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan. Protection of critical infrastructure are supported by City Ordinance 2020-0009.

IT (GIS), OEM, SFD
DOU; PW High $
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IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
Incorporate Comprehensive Flood Management Plan data (e.g., potential levee breaches and impacted assets) into internal GIS maps.

Include floodgates as critical facilities in internal GIS maps. Incorporate interactive mapping of how floodgate closures change transportation routing.

Conduct staff trainings on GIS resources.
[Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 4]
[CAAP A-5-4]
C-9-7. Regional
Emergency and
Disaster Preparedness
Exercises to Test
Operational &
Emergency Plans
Conduct regional, multi-agency emergency and disaster preparedness exercises to test operational and emergency plans. Tests will include levee or dam failure and other natural hazards.

Conduct regular internal trainings on disaster response resources and procedures (e.g., new Virtual Operations Center platform; process for evacuation orders; emergency management traffic control techniques, etc.). Engage all relevant departments and divisions.

Identify funding for large-scale exercises.
[Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 23]
[CAAP A-5-13]
OEM
PD High $
C-9-8. Special Needs
and Critical Facilities
Database and
Advanced Warning
System
Through outreach activities, develop a database of vulnerable population groups and critical facilities in need of advance warning or evacuation assistance.

Development and implementation of an advanced warning procedure. Successful programs have been developed in Houston, San Antonio and Florida and could serve as a model for implementation and personnel training.

Identify advanced warning procedures that do not rely on internet and/or cell connectivity.

Leverage new technologies to enhance location-based alerts. [Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Action 24]
[CAAP A-5-14]
OEM
IT High $

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3.1.10 SUPPORT RESILIENCE OF TRANSIT FACILITIES
Improving transit resilience is key to reliable, comfortable mobility. By designing heat-protective bus shelters, enhancing access and comfort at transit stops, and implementing signal technologies for faster, prioritized service, the City and SacRT can strengthen its public transportation network against climate impacts.
*Italics distinguish implementation actions that are unique to SacAdapt from those that align with adopted actions in other pl ans or policies. **Lead implementing departments are bolded.

TABLE 3-10. CITY OF SACRAMENTO IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: SUPPORT RESILIENCE OF TRANSIT FACILITIES $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION
ACTION DESCRIPTION* IMPLEMENTING
DEPARTMENTS** PRIORITY COST
C-10-1. Bus Shelter
Design
The City shall encourage Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) to study the feasibility of designing and installing bus shelters that are designed to offer protection and relief from heat, including the incorporation of shade trees.
[General Plan ERC-Action 5]
[CAAP A-2-2]
PW
SacRT High $
C-10-2. Support Public
Transit Improvements
Support Public Transit Improvements to Achieve 11% Public Transit Mode Share by 2030 and Maintain Through 2045.

Remove barriers to access transit stops and stations (provide low-stress connectivity) and provide enhanced, comfortable stops and stations. [CAAP TR-2.10]
PW
SacRT Medium $ Per Project
C-10-3. Traffic Signal
Enhancements
Work with SacRT to identify changes to signals and other technological enhancements for transit prioritization and faster transit travel times.

Identify opportunities to increase emergency response priority as part of transit signal priority.
[CAAP TR-2.5]
PW
SacRT; Fire; PD Medium $
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3.2 SACRT ADAPTATION STRATEGIES

The SacRT adaptation strategies were developed to strengthen the resilience of public transit infrastructure in the face of evolving environmental and climate-related challenges. These strategies were developed in accordance with current SacRT plans and studies, including but not limited to the Transit Asset Management (TAM) Plan, 2023 Bus Stop Improvement Plan (BSIP), Zero-Emission Bus (ZEB) Rollout Plan, and current facilities transition planning efforts.

These recommended strategies are designed to protect critical assets and ensure the long-term reliability and safety of public transit infrastructure for the communities SacRT serves.

Each of the following sections represents an adaptation strategy with implementation actions, departments, cost, and priority level. Cost is reflected as $ (low), $$ (medium), or $$$ (high).

These reflect the scale and complexity of implementation actions as defined below:
• $ (Below $500,000): This category typically includes outreach initiatives, planning efforts, and small equipment purchases. These projects are generally less resource- intensive and can be implemented with modest funding.
• $$ ($500,001 - $5,000,000): Projects in this range often involve infrastructure and facility upgrades. These efforts require more substantial investment due to engineering, construction, and material costs.
• $$$ (Above $5,000,000): Major capital projects fall into this category, like replacing all compressed natural gas (CNG) infrastructure.

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3.2.1 CONTINUE ADDRESSING HIGH WIND AT LIGHT RAIL CROSSINGS Improving the safety and reliability of light rail crossings increases resilience of the transportation system. By enhancing detection, reporting, and repair processes, adding monitoring technologies, and ensuring timely maintenance, SacRT can reduce risks and maintain reliable operations.

TABLE 3-11. SACRT IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: CONTINUE ADDRESSING HIGH WIND AT LIGHT RAIL CROSSINGS $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION

ACTION DESCRIPTION IMPLEMENTING

DEPARTMENT PRIORITY COST
RT-1-1. Continue
Replacing Cross
Gates as Needed
During High Wind
Events
- Review and improve response time for broken light rail grade crossings, including detection, reporting, and repair intervals
- Install signage at all crossings to allow the public to report issues - Ensure dispatch reports any observed issues during operations - Explore camera installation or sensor technology at crossings to monitor status and improve safety
- Maintain and review wayside inspection schedules for crossings and ensure timely identification of issues
- Assess strategic placement of replacement infrastructure for efficient repair SacRT- LRM/ENG Low $

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3.2.2 CONTINUE MEETING OSHA REQUIREMENTS FOR WORKER SAFETY Protecting worker safety is essential for operational resilience. By maintaining regular safety trainings, monitoring regulatory updates, and adjusting work schedules to cooler times, SacRT can safeguard employees while sustaining reliable service.

TABLE 3-12. SACRT IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: CONTINUE MEETING OSHA REQUIREMENTS FOR WORKER SAFETY $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION

ACTION DESCRIPTION IMPLEMENTING

DEPARTMENT PRIORITY COST
RT-2-1. Monitor
Protocol Development
and Continue Safety
Trainings
- Monitor CalOSHA proposed rule development and review protocols annually - Continue regular safety trainings
- Shift work schedules to cooler times, as needed (including early morning or night work)
SacRT- EHS Low $

3.2.3 ENHANCE RESILIENCE OF TRANSIT TO FLOOD EVENTS
Enhancing flood resilience for critical electrical infrastructure is vital to maintaining transit operations during extreme weather, especially as storm events become more frequent and intense (e.g., projections shown in Table 2-4). By elevating transformers and installing protective pads for TPSS units, SacRT can reduce flood risk and safeguard essential systems at key facilities.

TABLE 3-13. SACRT IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: ENHANCE RESILIENCE OF TRANSIT TO FLOOD EVENTS $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION

ACTION DESCRIPTION IMPLEMENTING

DEPARTMENT PRIORITY COST
RT-3-1. Elevate
Electrical Systems at
Transit Facilities (e.g.,
BMF)
- Evaluate elevating electrical transformers at underground/downtown transit facilities to improve flood resiliency
- Consider installing cement pads for TPSS units to elevate equipment above potential flood levels
SacRT- FAC/ENG Low $-$$
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3.2.4 ENHANCE RESILIENCE OF TRANSIT TO HEAT EVENTS
By developing operational plans, upgrading cooling systems for substations, improving CNG infrastructure reliability, and implementing heat mitigation strategies for tracks, SacRT can reduce failure risks and maintain safe, efficient service. These address some of the vulnerabilities listed in Table 2-5.

TABLE 3-14. SACRT IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: ENHANCE RESILIENCE OF TRANSIT TO HEAT EVENTS $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION

ACTION DESCRIPTION IMPLEMENTING

DEPARTMENT PRIORITY COST
RT-4-1. Implement
CNG Infrastructure
Upgrades and/or Heat
Operational Plan
- Develop operational plan
- Assess CNG system heat-resiliency needs, including pressure management, heat dissipation, and potential failure points
- Confirm automatic shutdown protocols for CNG infrastructure during high-heat or fault conditions
- Continue preventive maintenance on compressors and cooling components before summer peaks
- Explore whether adaptation funding could support CNG compressor replacements or system upgrades
- Evaluate long-term strategy for replacing aging compressor systems (some ~30 years old) and determine when full-system replacement is required SacRT- FAC/BM Medium
$$-$$$
Varies
based on
project
scope
RT-4-2. OCS Heat
Resiliency Operational
Recommendations
- Develop operational plan based on SacAdapt analysis SacRT- LRM High $ RT-4-3. Heat
Management Plan/
Recommendations for
Substations
- Develop a plan to address substation overheating issues, cooling system improvements, and new technology/design to reduce failures - Prioritize replacing SacRT starter line substations with new equipment - Upgrade cooling for substations with undersized systems - Develop a heat-resilience plan for TPSS locations, including assessments and specifications for cooling improvements
- Identify and pursue funding opportunities to support TPSS cooling upgrades - Classify TPSS cooling improvements as a high-priority need for planning and resource allocation
SacRT- LRM High
$-$$
Varies
based on
project
scope
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IMPLEMENTATION

ACTION DESCRIPTION IMPLEMENTING

DEPARTMENT PRIORITY COST
RT-4-4. Light Rail Track
Heat Resiliency
Operational
Recommendations
- Develop an SOP for light rail track heat resiliency, outlining actions and timing during extreme heat events
- Continue mitigation practices such as slow orders and operational monitoring of tracks and OCS
- Note international practices, such as Japan’s use of track-cooling sprinklers, while considering potential risks from sudden temperature changes SacRT- LRM/LROPS High $

3.2.5 IMPLEMENT ZERO EMISSION BUS RECOMMENDATIONS
As SacRT expands its ZEB fleet, it is important for the associated infrastructure and services to be resilient to power outages and other types of climate events.
$ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

TABLE 3-15. SACRT IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: IMPLEMENT ZERO EMISSION BUS SUBTASK RECOMMENDATIONS

IMPLEMENTATION

ACTION DESCRIPTION IMPLEMENTING

DEPARTMENT PRIORITY COST
RT-5-1. Strengthen
Power Resilience for
Existing and New Bus
Facilities
- Implement backup power systems (e.g., generators, solar panels, battery storage)
- Enhance heat mitigation (e.g., shade sails and reflective pavements to reduce heat impact)
- Develop resilience charging network considering modular charger design, early coordination with utilities, and real-time monitoring SacRT- PL High
$-$$
Varies
based on
solutions
and scope

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3.2.6 IMPROVE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
Clear and efficient outage communication is essential for minimizing service disruptions. By identifying SMUD’s protocols for notification, SacRT can streamline coordination and improve response during power outages.

TABLE 3-16. SACRT IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: IMPROVE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION

ACTION DESCRIPTION IMPLEMENTING

DEPARTMENT PRIORITY COST
RT-6-1. Ways of
Streamlining Outage
Communications
between SMUD and
Agencies
- Identify SMUD protocol for outage comms, including who, when, and how SacRT- EHS/LRM/SOC/MKT High $

3.2.7 INVEST IN BACK -UP POWER SYSTEMS
Reliable backup power is essential for maintaining transit operations during outages and extreme heat. By evaluating battery storage options, upgrading generators, and partnering with SMUD for resiliency programs, SacRT can ensure critical systems remain functional and minimize service disruptions.

TABLE 3-17. SACRT IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: INVEST IN BACK-UP POWER SYSTEMS $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION

ACTION DESCRIPTION IMPLEMENTING

DEPARTMENT PRIORITY COST
RT-7-1. Develop
Battery Storage from
Solar Energy
- Determine how much redundancy this storage would provide and feasibility as alternative power source during outage.
- Evaluate battery storage capacity, ROI, and capability to support facilities during heat events
SacRT- FAC/ENG/PL Low
$-$$
Varies based
on project
scope
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IMPLEMENTATION

ACTION DESCRIPTION IMPLEMENTING

DEPARTMENT PRIORITY COST
- Confirm current battery maintenance responsibilities and whether new tasks fall to facilities
- Review wayside backup batteries: age, efficiency, and replacement needs - Reach out to SMUD for resiliency battery storage programs and potential locations
- Conduct regular review of battery technology and vendor options to ensure up-to-date resiliency
RT-7-2. Secure
Generators for
Temporary and/or
Permanent
Deployment at
Stations
Though there is an additional maintenance cost with additional backup generators (or batteries), they are critical.
- Procure portable or fixed generators at priority stations. - Evaluate power needs for stations and light rail platforms during outages, including generator use for essential systems
- Assess feasibility of temporary solutions (e.g., using parking lots, running buses) during platform outages
- Explore SMUD support or loan programs for emergency power equipment instead of SacRT purchasing for rare events
SacRT- FAC Low $-$$

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3.2.8 MITIGATE HIGH HEAT AT BUS STOPS, LIGHT RAIL STATIONS, &

ALONG PRIORITY CORRIDORS
Improving comfort and safety at transit stops, particularly those identified as higher risk in Figure 2-17 and Figure 2-18, makes transit a more appealing mode choice and prevents mode shift away from transit on hotter days. By advancing cooling strategies, shade solutions, and clear signage, SacRT can create more accessible, heat-mitigated stops that enhance the passenger experience.

TABLE 3-18. SACRT IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: MITIGATE HIGH HEAT AT BUS STOPS,

LIGHT RAIL STATIONS, & ALONG PRIORITY CORRIDORS
$ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION

ACTION DESCRIPTION IMPLEMENTING

DEPARTMENT PRIORITY COST
RT-8-1. Install Shade
and Other Heat
Mitigation Amenities
at Priority Bus Stops
and Stations
- Develop preliminary design and obtain environmental clearance - Conduct high-level scoping (including identification of need) partnering with CIPs
- Coordinate with the City of Sacramento to clarify property ownership and maintenance responsibilities for bus stops
- Conduct a study on cooling strategies for light rail and bus stops, using Los Angeles as a case study
- Explore shade solutions for stops where feasible. Note international practices, such as Korea’s use of retractable canopies for pole-only bus stops, while considering potential risks from canopies getting stolen - Assess bench installation feasibility at bus stops, noting constraints at pole- only locations
- Assess type(s) and feasibility of cooling amenities at light rail stations (i.e., hydration stations, misters, etc.)
SacRT- FAC High
$-$$
Varies based
on project
scope RT-8-2. Improve SacRT
Wayfinding Signage to
Withstand Extreme
Heat
- Repaint/upgrade existing signage
- Ensure new signage withstands expected conditions
- Clear direction on where to go/what to do
SacRT- FAC High $
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3.2.9 SECURE FUNDING FOR ADAPTATION
Securing diverse funding sources is critical to advancing SacRT’s resilience and adaptation projects. By identifying federal, state, and regional grants, establishing joint proposal processes, and partnering with agencies and organizations, SacRT can maximize resources and competitiveness for climate and infrastructure initiatives.

TABLE 3-19. SACRT IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: SECURE FUNDING FOR ADAPTATION $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION

ACTION DESCRIPTION IMPLEMENTING

DEPARTMENT PRIORITY COST
RT-9-1. Pursue
Opportunities for
Federal, State, and
Regional Funding
- Identify applicable state and federal grants
- Establish joint proposal process for grant applications - Identify partners to help broaden scope of potential funds and competitiveness for those funds (e.g. work with Sacramento County Public Health on opportunities related to climate change and health) SacRT- PL/GR Medium $

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3.2.10 SUPPORT CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION FACILITY BUILDING RESILIENCE Strengthening building resilience is essential for SacRT’s operations under extreme heat. By prioritizing HVAC upgrades at critical facilities, exploring cool roofing strategies, and leveraging partnerships for energy-efficient improvements, SacRT can protect infrastructure, reduce heat risks, and enhance long-term sustainability.

TABLE 3-20. SACRT IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION FACILITY BUILDING RESILIENCE $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION

ACTION DESCRIPTION IMPLEMENTING

DEPARTMENT PRIORITY COST
RT-10-1. Replace
Aging HVAC
Systems with More
Energy-Efficient and
Newer Systems That
Can Withstand
Extreme
Temperatures
- Review and prioritize HVAC systems at critical locations (control centers, dispatch, server rooms)
- Track aging HVAC units, identify replacement needs, and maintain progressive replacement plans
- Confirm budget sources for HVAC replacements and document for planning purposes
- Explore opportunities to include HVAC adaptation and replacement plans in adaptation grant applications
SacRT- FAC Medium
$-$$
Varies based
on project
scope
RT-10-2. Cool
Roofing
- Explore cool roofing options (reflective surfaces, vegetation) and document maintenance, cost-benefit, ROI, and other benefits
- Identify partnerships and incentives for cooling and HVAC programs, including reaching out to SMUD
- Create a plan for cooling/HVAC improvements and share with SMUD for potential incentives
SacRT- FAC Low
$-$$
Varies based
on project
scope

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3.2.11 UPDATE EXISTING OR D EVELOP NEW EMERGENCY PLANS Strengthening SacRT’s emergency preparedness is essential to ensure safety and operational continuity during extreme events. By consolidating evacuation and shelter protocols, coordinating with city, state, and agency partners, and implementing annual drills, SacRT can establish clear procedures and maintain resilience for transportation and emergency services.

TABLE 3-21. SACRT IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS: UPDATE EXISTING OR DEVELOP NEW EMERGENCY PLANS $ below $500k $$ $500k - $5mil $$$ above $5mil

IMPLEMENTATION

ACTION DESCRIPTION IMPLEMENTING

DEPARTMENT PRIORITY COST
RT-11-1. Designate
'Emergency Bus Stops' for
Pickup During
Emergencies and
Communicate These to
the Public
- Compile a list of high-priority safe zones for downtown evacuation based on elevation and accessibility
- Coordinate with city, state, and agency partners (Red Cross, FEMA, G1C, Republic Stadium) for safe zone management and final routing - Develop and maintain annual drills for evacuation and shelter operations - Establish a clear chain of command and SOP for emergencies SacRT- FAC/OPS Medium $
RT-11-2. Develop a Plan
Regarding How to Stage
Buses at Future Satellite
Yards to Allow Quicker
Deployment During
Emergencies
- Develop an SOP for staging buses and operations staff during emergencies, including restroom and basic facility needs
- Consult FEMA and Red Cross for recommendations on safe emergency sites and evaluate Park and Ride locations (Power Inn, Sunrise, Florin, Meadowview) - Identify the best stations for SacRT and other emergency services coordination SacRT- EHS/OPS Medium $
RT-11-3. Develop a
Protocol Regarding How
to Fuel Buses Prior to
Expected Weather Event
- Determine safe and suitable locations for CNG buses during emergencies - Assess ability to respond quickly versus planning for anticipated scenarios - Determine protocol for ZEV fueling during extreme weather events and/or other emergencies.

SacRT- BM Medium $
RT-11-4. Develop an
Emergency Preparedness
/ Operations Plan for
Transit Facilities
- Develop and implement an annual evacuation drill
- Ensure drill is citywide and coordinated with all relevant agencies SacRT- EHS/FAC Medium $ 4 IMPLEMENTATION
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4. IMPLEMENTATION
The SacAdapt adaptation strategies primarily guide policy, maintenance, and operational recommendations to support climate resilience and operational reliability across Sacramento’s transportation and utility infrastructure. However, additional implementation guidance resources were developed to inform strategic implementation tailored to local conditions.

Each section summarizes ongoing implementation efforts for each recommended strategy, as well as key takeaways from the strategy implementation guidance.

4.1 CREATE BUILT ENVIRONMENTS THAT R EDUCE

EXPOSURE TO E XTREME HEAT AND MITIGATE

URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT
Sacramento faces worsening heat waves, exacerbated by the urban heat island effect. By the 2080s, an estimated 50 days per year on average may exceed 100°F, with hotspots along major corridors and industrial zones, while green spaces stay cooler.

The implementing actions within this strategy focus on expanding tree canopy and other shade structures, expanding drinking water access, piloting cool pavements, depaving, and other efforts that can streamline travel time for people walking and biking.

The City is already taking many steps to mitigate the impacts of extreme heat, including but not limited to:
• Adoption of the Sacramento Urban Forest Plan in 2025. • Scheduled update to the City’s Street Design Standards, which will identify opportunities to incorporate street trees.
• Planned work to develop minimum tree planting requirements for new development and update design guidelines to incorporate heat-resilient strategies into private development.

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4.1.1 COOL PAVEMENTS
Cool pavements utilize high-albedo materials and reflective coatings to decrease the amount of heat that pavements absorb. At a large scale, cool pavements offer the potential to mitigate the urban heat island effect. However, studies have found mixed results on the impacts of cool pavement on pedestrian comfort and, overall, they conclude that cool pavements paired with shade trees, bus shelters, and vegetated parkways yield better results than cool pavements alone.

There is high variability in the cost-effectiveness of cool pavements (see Technical Appendix D:

Implementation Guidance for more details), with lifecycle costs often outweighing expected benefits and many of the maintenance and lifespan assumptions still under research.

To better test effectiveness of cool pavement in Sacramento, Implementation Action C-3-7 recommends that the City seek grant funding to pilot (and ideally fund near-term maintenance) of cool pavement technologies. This will allow localized evaluation of the efficacy of cool pavement technologies and required maintenance. Results from the pilot can inform a policy- level approach to cool pavement implementation. Funding for upfront construction and ongoing maintenance will be a significant challenge for cool pavements, as the City has an unfunded backlog of approximately over $400 million in pavement maintenance costs that are increasing exponentially.9

4.1.2 INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO I NCREASING

TREE SOIL VOLUME
Trees provide natural cooling through shade and evapotranspiration, making them a cost- effective and visually appealing long-term solution to reducing heat exposure (see Implementation Action C-3-5). Effective implementation requires careful selection of tree species suited to local conditions, proper placement to maximize shade and avoid conflicts with utilities and other infrastructure, and, importantly, sufficient soil volume and quality for healthy growth.

In urban areas with limited space, advanced techniques like soil-cell systems or structural soils (as shown in Figure 4-1) can be used to increase soil volume beneath the pavement, supporting larger, healthier trees even in constrained sites.

As discussed in Technical Appendix D: Implementation Guidance, while traditional soil pits tend to be more economical, costlier engineered soil systems can be justifiable in some cases, such as providing rooting volume under paving or preventing sidewalk heave. Broader benefits such as shade, heat island mitigation, stormwater management, and long-term tree health

9 City of Sacramento Pavement Condition Report (2025 Update) https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/pw/Maintenance- Services/Sacramento%202025%20Pavement%20Condition%20Report.pdf 4 IMPLEMENTATION
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should guide decisions. Benefits of tree planting scale nonlinearly with more trees, as well as with mature trees.

FIGURE 4-1. A SCHEMATIC OF SOIL-CELL AND STRUCTURAL SOIL SYSTEMS.

4.1.3 SHADE STRUCTURES
Shade structures are used where planting trees is impractical due to space, utility conflicts, or other constraints (see Implementation Actions C-3-1 and C-3-4). These structures (e.g., covered walkways as shown in Figure 4-2, and carports) use solid or semi-solid materials to block sunlight and protect users from heat, rain, and wind. Technical Appendix D: Implementation Guidance outlines various structure types and their typical locations, sizes, and integrated features like lighting, solar panels, security cameras, and signage.

Material selection is crucial for durability, heat resilience, and maintenance; options include stainless steel, concrete, aluminum, composites, and specialized fabrics, each with different lifespans and costs. Design strategies emphasize ventilation, high solar reflectance, and vandal resistance.

Though upfront costs are higher, covered walkways and carports deliver strong long-term value through improved comfort, vehicle protection, and heat resilience. Integrating features like solar panels or tree shading enhances sustainability and emission reduction. Cost-effectiveness can

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be optimized in high-use or heat-sensitive areas, with design and site conditions key to planning.

FIGURE 4-2. COVERED WALKWAY DESIGN USING ROOF WITH HIGH SOLAR REFLECTIVE INDEX AND HIGH

ENOUGH ELEVATION TO REDUCE HEAT TRANSMISSION TO OCCUPANTS

4.2 CREATE BUILT ENVIRONMENTS RESILIENT TO THE

IMPACTS OF E XTREME HEAT
Extreme heat poses a growing threat to urban infrastructure, reducing the reliability and lifespan of critical assets. Pavement, traffic signal systems, and signage are particularly vulnerable to heat-related damage, which can lead to safety hazards, service disruptions, and costly repairs.

The implementing actions within this strategy focus on the ability of City infrastructure, including pavement, traffic signal loops and cabinets, and signs, to withstand the impacts of extreme heat.

The City is already taking many steps to mitigate the impacts of extreme heat, including but not limited to:
• Upgrading from traffic detection loops to video traffic detection during street redesign projects.
• Performing regular sign maintenance.

Guidance was developed to support the implementation of other key actions where there are agency knowledge gaps and/or questions about cost-effectiveness.

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4.2.1 PAVEMENT BINDER GRADE
Sacramento’s pavement specifications were assessed based on current and projected future temperatures. Pavement binder grades are selected based on temperature to avoid rutting in hotter conditions and cracking in colder conditions. The analysis suggested that current grades used in certain projects may be too low in Sacramento, even based on historical conditions.

Implementation Action C-2-1 recommends updating the pavement binder grade specifications to meet current conditions with potential future adjustments as the climate continues to warm.

4.2.2 COOL PAVEMENTS
Cool pavements utilize high-albedo materials and reflective coatings to decrease the amount of heat that pavements absorb. Some studies suggest that cool pavement technologies may be able to improve pavement longevity by reducing the heat stress on pavement. However, many of the maintenance and lifespan assumptions are still under research.

As previously noted, there is high variability in the cost-effectiveness of cool pavements (see Technical Appendix D: Implementation Guidance for more details) and most of the products analyzed for this technical appendix had greater lifecycle costs than benefits.

Based on these findings, Implementation Action C-3-7 recommends that the City seek grant funding to pilot (and ideally fund near-term maintenance) of cool pavement technologies. This will allow localized evaluation of the required maintenance and any potential increases to pavement integrity and longevity. Results from the pilot can inform a policy-level approach to cool pavement implementation. Funding for up-front construction and ongoing maintenance will be a significant challenge for cool pavements, as the City has an unfunded backlog of approximately over $400 million in pavement maintenance costs that is increasing exponentially.
10 However, if cool pavement technologies are able to meaningfully increase pavement longevity with minimal ongoing maintenance, this may be a feasible approach to lower the UHI effect while also managing the City’s deferred pavement maintenance.

4.3 INCREASE STORMWATER DRAINAGE CAPACITY
Flooding poses a significant challenge for Sacramento as climate change drives more intense storms and increases runoff from urbanized areas. Aging drainage systems, combined with impervious surfaces, heighten the risk of localized flooding, property damage, and service disruptions.

10 City of Sacramento Pavement Condition Report (2025 Update) https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/pw/Maintenance- Services/Sacramento%202025%20Pavement%20Condition%20Report.pdf 4 IMPLEMENTATION
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The implementing actions within this strategy focus on designing and implementing drainage infrastructure upgrades, increasing green stormwater infrastructure, and ensuring adequate maintenance capacity so that drainage infrastructure works as designed.

The City is already taking many steps to increase stormwater drainage capacity, including but not limited to:
• Implementing an ongoing Capital Improvements Program, including multiple deferred maintenance programs such as Ditch/Channel Repair, Drainage Sump Rehabilitation/Replacement, and Drainage Collection System Rehabilitation/Replacement.
• Requiring new development projects to submit drainage studies and implement drainage mitigation methods to ensure they do not negatively impact the City’s storm drain system.
• Inspecting portions of the drainage system regularly throughout the year. The summer maintenance program removes debris from channels, canals, and creeks that would otherwise impede water flow during winter storms and lead to bridge scour.

Guidance was developed to support the implementation of other key actions where there are agency knowledge gaps and/or questions about cost-effectiveness.

4.3.1 PERVIOUS PAVEMENTS
Pervious pavements, including pervious concrete, pervious asphalt, and pervious pavers, are a type of green stormwater infrastructure that can reduce stormwater runoff. Pervious pavements can be used for low- to medium-traffic areas such as alleyways, residential streets, and parking lots. An example cross-section of pervious pavement is shown in Figure 4-3.

There is high variability in the construction cost and amount of stormwater captured by pervious pavements, depending on the design and soil permeability; however, the three pervious concrete scenarios considered in Technical Appendix D: Implementation Guidance all had far greater lifecycle costs than benefits.

Based on these findings, pervious pavements should primarily be considered in locations that experience recurring localized flooding; have an acute negative impact on people walking, biking or taking transit; have soil conditions that support infiltration; and have alignment with grant funding to offset the higher construction costs.
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FIGURE 4-3. A SCHEMATIC OF PERVIOUS PAVEMENT

4.3.2 DRAINAGE BASIN MODELING
The Department of Utilities (DOU) has developed drainage models for selected drainage basins.

However, the rainfall models and underlying data used in these analyses do not reflect recent climate trends or future projections. To address this gap, DOU seeks a comprehensive update of its basin drainage models, aiming to incorporate the latest precipitation data and expand model coverage within the city (see Implementation Action C-5-10). This effort would leverage new rainfall projections, updated climate studies, and advanced modeling techniques to enhance the accuracy and reliability of flood risk assessments and drainage master planning.

Technical Appendix D: Implementation Guidance provides strategic guidance for updating DOU’s stormwater hydraulic models. It emphasizes the importance of comprehensive, up-to- date models for effective flood risk management, infrastructure investment, operational resilience, and regulatory compliance. The guidelines outline a three-step process: data gathering, hydrologic modeling, and hydraulic modeling, all aimed at expanding model coverage and integrating future climate and land use scenarios.

4.4 INVEST IN I NFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE
Maintaining Sacramento’s transportation and flood protection infrastructure is vital for public safety, mobility, and resilience. Aging assets and intensifying climate impacts increase the risk of failures and costly repairs, making proactive upkeep of infrastructure a top priority.

The Implementing Actions from C-6-1 to C-6-6 within this strategy focus on preventative maintenance to City-managed roadways, bikeways, bridges, and floodgates.

Infrastructure maintenance is an ongoing effort and funding challenge. The City is taking many steps to invest in infrastructure maintenance, including but not limited to:
• Grant applications to secure funding to replace structurally deficient roadway bridges.

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• A Floodgate Assessment that led to a successful grant-funded Floodgate Modernization Project.
• City staff tracking needed maintenance and repairs, as identified from Caltrans bridge inspections conducted every other year.

Guidance was developed to support the implementation of other key actions where there are agency knowledge gaps and/or questions about cost-effectiveness.

4.4.1 SCOUR MITIGATION
Scour is the erosion or removal of sediment (such as sand, gravel, or silt) from structures such as bridge foundations due to the action of flowing water. Bridge scour is the leading cause of bridge failures in the United States.11 Scour is an increasing concern in Sacramento as climate change contributes to more intense precipitation and higher peak flows. These risks can be particularly pronounced at crossings over smaller, flashy creeks where older bridges may not have been designed to accommodate current or future hydrologic conditions. Technical Appendix D: Implementation Guidance summarizes strategies to reduce scour risk as well as permitting considerations for larger-scale measures (e.g., creek realignment) to address scour, with the Roseville Road bridge over Arcade Creek as a case study.

Bridge scour mitigation combines structural, hydraulic, monitoring, and design measures to protect foundations (Implementation Action C-6-6). Cost-effective options like riprap and gabions are common, while capital-intensive solutions such as sheet piles, concrete mats, and deep foundations are applied where risk is higher. Preventive design and monitoring reduce long-term vulnerability and are far more cost-effective than bridge replacement.

For the case study at the Roseville Road bridge, creek realignment could mitigate scour but requires extensive federal, state, and local permits for streambed alteration, fill discharge, and floodway work. The regulatory burden makes realignment less feasible than localized scour protection at the bridge.

4.4.2 INSPECTION CHECKLISTS
The guidance also provides inspection checklists and protocols for both scour-critical and bicycle-pedestrian bridges (see Implementation Action C-6-1).

The bicycle-pedestrian bridge inspection checklist focuses on ensuring public safety, structural integrity, and user comfort for lighter, non-vehicular bridges. It recommends an initial baseline inspection after construction, routine inspections, and special inspections after events like floods or vandalism.

The scour-critical bridge inspection checklist is designed for bridges with foundations vulnerable to erosion, following FHWA and Caltrans requirements. It calls for more frequent and

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event-driven inspections, especially after high-flow events, and includes pre-inspection review of records, hydraulic assessments, and safety planning.

A $10,000 cost per bridge inspection (about 40 hours) is a rough estimate for a routine visual assessment and report. This does not include traffic control, specialized or in-depth inspections, material testing, underwater work, or load rating. Actual costs may vary based on project needs.

The City’s preventative bridge maintenance backlog is estimated at over $29 million.

4.5 INCREASE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE TO P REPARE

FOR CLIMATE IMPACTS
Building community resilience requires more than infrastructure – it relies on informed, engaged residents. Multi-hazard education and preparedness programs equip people with the knowledge to respond to extreme events, while inclusive City engagement ensures all voices are heard in planning and decision-making.

The implementing actions within this strategy focus on multi-hazard education and preparedness, inclusive City engagement, and expanded programming.

The City is already taking many steps to increase community resilience to prepare for climate impacts, including but not limited to:
• Flood preparedness outreach through City communication channels (including brochures, billboards, events, hotlines, and a dedicated email address), as well as an outreach program under the Community Rating System guidelines. • Storm preparation outreach through City communication channels, outreach events, and community volunteers.
• Free CERT training for selected applicants.
• Emergency preparedness resources available online with in-page translation. • Upgrades at the Pannell Community Center to create a Clean Air Center in the event of a smoke event, in addition to activation of weather respite centers during severe weather, cold weather, and hot weather.

All the implementation actions under this strategy involve the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) as a lead or support department. Consequently, strategy implementation will depend on OEM staff levels and supporting contracts. Additional funding may need to be identified to scale OEM staff levels based on industry best practices to appropriately serve Sacramento's population.
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4.6 REDUCE RISK OF POWER OUTAGE
Power outages pose significant risks to community safety, critical infrastructure, and daily life.

Addressing both the causes and consequences of outages is essential to maintaining reliable services and protecting vulnerable populations.

The implementing actions within this strategy focus on reducing the likelihood of a power outage occurring through tree trimming and debris removal and reducing the impacts of a power outage by expanding the coverage of back-up power solutions.

The City is already taking many steps to increase community resilience to prepare for climate impacts, including but not limited to:
• City tree crews meeting industry recommended maintenance standards, although increased maintenance may help further mitigate impacts. • Following Caltrans standards for signal foundation depth and size to withstand wind loads.
• Ensuring the majority of City-managed critical facilities have an installed back-up generator to provide essential power during an outage.
• Safeguarding City pump stations with either a dedicated on-site back-up generator or ensuring they are served by a portable generator that is rotated between smaller facilities.

4.7 STRENGTHEN CITY G OVERNMENT CAPACITY FOR

CLIMATE RESILIENCE
Climate resilience is built by embedding adaptive strategies into everyday city operations and decisions – not as a standalone effort, but across planning, budgeting, and emergency preparedness. This integration enables the City to proactively manage climate risks, protect essential services, and strengthen long-term community resilience.

The implementing actions within this strategy focus on embedding climate resilience strategies into government operations.

The City is already taking many steps to strengthen City government capacity for climate resilience, including but not limited to:
• Implementation of OSHA requirements for worker safety, including regular trainings and availability of adequate heat safety supplies. Re-scheduling some maintenance work to night shifts or early morning shifts to minimize work during times of high heat. • Development of IT Disaster Recovery Plans.
• Pursuit of grant funding across sectors; for example, seeking climate resilience funds for floodgate improvements.
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4.8 SUPPORT RESILIENCE OF TRANSIT FACILITIES
The implementation actions within this strategy focus on opportunities for the City to support, encourage, and work with SacRT in efforts to improve resilience of transit facilities. The City is already taking many steps to strengthen City government capacity for climate resilience, including but not limited to partnership with SacRT on the development of SacAdapt.

4.9 STRENGTHEN CITY G OVERNMENT DISASTER

PREPAREDNESS AND C APACITY FOR EMERGENCY

RESPONSE
Strengthening disaster preparedness and emergency response within city government is essential for protecting the community during extreme events.

The implementation actions within this strategy focus on planning, trainings, and resources for emergency response. The City is already taking many steps to strengthen City government capacity for climate resilience, including but not limited to:
• Adopting plans, including the Comprehensive Flood Management Plan, All Hazards Emergency Operations Plan, and Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. • Conducting regular internal training on disaster preparedness and response. Pursuing funding for large-scale exercises.
• Implementing extensive coordination and deployment of City staff based on river water levels (e.g., for close monitoring, levee patrol, or floodgate deployment). • Leveraging public-facing tools to support disaster preparedness education.

All the implementation actions under this strategy involve the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) as a lead or support department. Consequently, strategy implementation will depend on OEM staff levels and supporting contracts. Additional funding may need to be identified to scale OEM staff levels based on industry best practices to appropriately serve Sacramento's population. Cross-departmental knowledge and coordination will be essential to support staff training and education.

4.10 CONSIDER EVACUATION NEEDS IN P LANNING
Effective evacuation planning is essential to protecting lives during emergencies such as floods, wildfires, and other hazards. As climate risks grow and urban areas become more complex, ensuring safe, timely, and accessible evacuation routes is critical.

The implementation actions within this strategy focus on planning for potential evacuation needs. The City is already taking many steps to consider evacuation needs in planning, including but not limited to:
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• Engagement with emergency services staff as part of transportation planning projects. • Development standards that reflect floodplain management and best practices.

In addition, when planning road diets, it is crucial to ensure that changes to street design do not hinder emergency evacuation (Implementation Action C-1-2). While road diets improve everyday safety by slowing traffic and reallocating space, they can reduce vehicle capacity during evacuations if not carefully designed. Features like mountable curbs, flexible bike lanes, and detachable bollards can allow roads to be quickly adapted for outbound traffic in emergencies. Case studies show that, with proper planning and coordination with emergency responders, road diets can enhance safety without compromising the ability to evacuate people efficiently when needed.

4.11 ENHANCE RESILIENCE OF TRANSIT TO HEAT
EVENTS
This strategy focuses on enhancing the resilience of SacRT’s light rail traction power substations (TPSS) and Overhead Catenary System (OCS) and its compressed natural gas (CNG) infrastructure to high heat events (Implementation Actions RT-4-1, RT-4-2, RT-4-3 and RT-4-4).

4.11.1 INVEST IN AGING LIGHT RAIL SUBSTATIONS
SacRT’s TPSS are responsible for powering portions of the light rail services. These substations are considered mission critical sites and require a myriad of support systems to operate properly. One of these support systems is the HVAC system. HVAC systems are vital to prevent substation overheating and condensation, and to reduce dust infiltration and accumulation of dangerous gases. A properly maintained and designed HVAC system is necessary for reducing service downtimes, improving electrical equipment efficiency, mitigating risks to mission critical equipment, and protecting SacRT staff. HVAC equipment needs to be replaced as it reaches the end of its useful life.

Technical Appendix D: Implementation Guidance documents conditions at one of the many substations facing challenges during high temperatures. The assessment suggests that recurring high temperature alarms are linked to deficiencies in the existing HVAC systems, including aging equipment, lack of proper ventilation features, and the potential for undersized cooling capacity relative to current electrical loads. Addressing these issues is essential to maintaining reliable substation operation, preventing service disruptions, and protecting mission critical electrical infrastructure. Implementing a comprehensive, engineered HVAC replacement supported by formal load analysis offers the most effective long-term solution. Regardless of the selected approach, additional improvements such as dedicated battery exhaust, controlled outside air intake, and proper filtration will enhance safety, performance, and maintainability across SacRT’s substation network.
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4.11.2 INVEST IN CNG INFRASTRUCTURE
SacRT depends on compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling infrastructure and associated control systems to fuel its CNG fleet. However, aging compressors and outdated controls have led to rising maintenance costs, limited diagnostics, and increased risk of unplanned downtime, especially during periods of extreme heat. These challenges not only threaten operational reliability and safety but also highlight broader organizational needs to embed resilience and adaptive strategies into daily operations. Addressing these vulnerabilities can help SacRT maintain reliable transit service and support the City’s climate resilience goals.

To enhance the resilience of SacRT’s existing bus fleet and operations, Technical Appendix D:

Implementation Guidance provides high-level guidance on how to make its existing CNG compressors and associated equipment more resilient to high heat conditions. Advanced compressors and control systems enable real-time diagnostics and predictive maintenance, reducing unplanned outages and extending asset life (see Implementation Action RT-4-1).

4.12 MITIGATE HIGH HEAT AT BUS STOPS, LIGHT RAIL

STATIONS, & ALONG PRIORITY CORRIDORS
In many urban areas, limited space, utility lines, and other restrictions make tree planting impractical. Installing shade structures can often be a more feasible solution. These structures (bus shelters as shown in Figure 4-4, light rail stations, and transit pavilions) use solid or semi- solid materials to block sunlight and protect users from heat, rain, and wind (see Implementation Action RT-8-1). Technical Appendix D: Implementation Guidance outlines various structure types, their typical locations, sizes, and integrated features like seating, lighting, and signage.

Material selection is crucial for durability, heat resilience, and maintenance; options include stainless steel, concrete, aluminum, composites, and specialized fabrics, each with different lifespans and costs. Design strategies emphasize ventilation, high solar reflectance, and vandalism resistance. Installing bus shelters can be cost-effective despite higher upfront costs, as long-term benefits such as improved heat resilience, emission reductions, and enhanced rider experience can outweigh initial expenses. Pairing shelters with tree shading can further amplify heat mitigation and add aesthetic value. Shelters are best suited for high-ridership or heat-vulnerable areas, with design, materials, and site conditions influencing costs. 4 IMPLEMENTATION
SACRAMENTO TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ADAPTAT ION FINA L PLAN 83 TOC

FIGURE 4-4. BUS SHELTER DESIGN USES PERFORATED PANELS AND LOUVERS TO MAXIMIZE SUN

SCREENING AND ALLOW VENTILATION

5 CONCLUSION
SACRAMENTO TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ADAPTAT ION FINA L PLAN 84 TOC

5. CONCLUSION
Over the coming decades, Sacramento is expected to see hotter conditions, heavier precipitation events, and greater risk of flooding from the American and Sacramento rivers.

Changes in Sacramento’s climate will pose everyday challenges to the integrity of transportation infrastructure. Additionally, impacts to user comfort will become increasingly impacted by more hot days and longer heatwaves, posing a major obstacle to City goals for increasing the percentage of trips taken by walking, biking, and public transit.

Sacramento must be prepared for acute events, such as intense winter storms where wind and heavy rain disrupt the transportation system and power grid. The region must also be ready for lower likelihood, but potentially catastrophic, events such as major levee failure, when the transportation system must facilitate large-scale evacuation.

The transportation system is vulnerable to these changes, but adapting the system can enhance the resilience of the city and region.

The implementation guidance developed for SacAdapt will help the City and SacRT advance adaptation strategies in the most strategic and cost-effective ways. Some of the SacAdapt recommendations, particularly regarding expanded stormwater modeling, are aimed at improving analytics used to evaluate where resilience investments are most impactful.

SacAdapt is a detailed examination of how climate hazards can and will affect the Sacramento transportation system – a relatively focused topic. Going forward, the City and SacRT will need to balance adaptation with a broader set of needs. For both the City and SacRT, this means better integrating climate resilience as one criterion among several (equity, safety, etc.) in how to prioritize and fund projects and maintenance activities.

Adequately funding infrastructure resilience improvements will be a challenge and will require significant financial resources. The City and SacRT will need to continue to be creative and flexible in finding ways to fund priority activities, including pursuing competitive funding programs and considering other revenue and funding sources.

The competitive funding landscape for adaptation and resilience projects is dynamic and will need to be monitored as grant funding opportunities shift at the Federal and State levels. Many of the priority adaptation actions highlighted in SacAdapt provide multiple types of benefits; and staff should consider the nexus between transportation adaptation strategies and climate resilience, public health, and emergency preparedness in the pursuit of diverse sources of funding to supplement traditional transportation-specific programs.

For example, California’s Proposition 4, the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024, a $10 billion bond measure 12, has several

12 https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5076
5 CONCLUSION
SACRAMENTO TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ADAPTAT ION FINA L PLAN 85 TOC
programs focused on climate resilience being rolled out in 2026, with many programs proposing multiple cycles of funding. Proposition 4 augments previously established sources such as FHWA PROTECT formula and discretionary funds for transportation resilience; other Federal grant programs for transportation, such as USDOT Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) and FTA grants; CA Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act; and other State funding. Sacramento should continue to be opportunistic about funding sources coming from the State and Federal levels but also ready to address high- priority but unmet resilience funding through local funding sources such as an increase in its sales tax or other revenue-generating mechanisms.

By emphasizing priorities, providing information about feasibility and cost-effectiveness, and demonstrating the need for investment, SacAdapt supports the funding and implementation of a more resilient Sacramento.
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Literature Review and Existing Conditions Report
March 202 5
City of Sacramento and SacRT

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Table of Contents
Literature Review .......................................................................................................................................... 3 Asset & Hazard Datasets ............................................................................................................................. 22

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Literature Review
The purpose of this Literature Review is to present a compilation of relevant plans, strategies, and data that will support the City of Sacramento (City) and Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) in developing an effective and comprehensive adaptation plan. The information in this report outlines the work and analysis that has already occurred in the region and the relevant strategies and plans that exist to help inform the Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure Adaptation Plan, or “SacAdapt.” The data and information in this report will serve as a reference and resource for the subsequent tasks, including the Vulnerability Assessment.

SacAdapt will analyze the current and future climate risks to Sacramento’s transportation system and will identify key recommendations to adapt to these changes. These climate risks – extreme heat, flooding, and extreme storms – are not new to the Sacramento region, and there are numerous past and ongoing efforts to model and quantify these risks.

Additionally, there are many ongoing transportation planning and priority-setting efforts led by the City of Sacramento and SacRT , as well as regional agencies, that have identified key projects for providing core services, enhancing sustainability, and encouraging mode shift to active and public transportation.

SacAdapt will review and build upon these efforts as well as national best practices. Table 1 indexes the most relevant previous work, segmented into the following sections: the City of Sacramento, SacRT, regional entities, State, and best practices and key examples.

Table 1. Relevant literature index, organized by agency and level of government.

Document/Report Summary & Relevance to Project
City of Sacramento
2024 City of Sacramento Climate
Action & Adaptation Plan

Summary: The Sacramento Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (CAAP) builds off the City’s 2012 Climate Action Plan, the City’s Climate Emergency Declaration, and the Mayors’ Commission on Climate Change. The CAAP is aligned with the 2040 General Plan’s strategies for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience.

Relevance to SacAdapt: The plan’s adaptation chapter and climate change vulnerability assessment appendix summarize current and future climate hazards—such as heat, precipitation, flooding, storms, drought, wildfires, air quality, and sea level rise—as well as how these hazards could affect Sacramento, its people, and its infrastructure.

For instance, the CAAP lists populations that are particularly vulnerable to climate hazards and gives context to extreme heat and flooding in Sacramento. Historically, the city has averaged four extreme heat days (days over 103.9°F) per year; by mid-century, the city is projected to face 18-22 extreme heat days per year. The city has historically averaged four extreme rain events (where two-day rainfall exceeds 0.97 inches) per year; by the end of century, this is

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projected to increase to seven rain events per year. The CAAP also maps repetitive loss areas where properties have experienced relatively high degrees of flood damage.

In addition to providing projections for the city itself, the CAAP reviews relevant regional climate projections, such as expected changes in peak flows on the American River upstream of
Sacramento, that can help inform SacAdapt risk analysis.

The CAAP outlines a broad adaptation strategy, describing existing capacity of the City to address climate risks and establishing a high- level set of adaptation priorities. Relevant goals include:
• GOAL A-1: Strengthen City government capacity for
integrated, holistic climate adaptive strategies and to reduce climate risks
• GOAL A-2: Create built environments that reduce
exposure to extreme heat and mitigate the urban heat
island effect
• GOAL A-3: Reduce the risk of damage to life,
infrastructure, and property due to flooding
• GOAL A-5: Increase community resilience to prepare for climate impacts
The goals are accompanied by lists of supporting General Plan policies and implementation actions, which can inform adaptation strategies in SacAdapt.

The CAAP also provides contextual information that can inform SacAdapt’s recommendation prioritization. Notably, the CAAP sets a pathway to meet the City’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. Sustainable transportation represents a critical part of this pathway, with key goals including:
• MEASURE TR-1: Improve Active Transportation
Infrastructure to Achieve 6% Active Transportation Mode Share by 2030 and 12% by 2045
• MEASURE TR-2: Support Public Transit Improvements to
Achieve 11% Public Transit Mode Share by 2030 and
Maintain Through 2045
These targets are important context for SacAdapt because adaptation strategies that help enable these mode shifts (e.g., addressing extreme heat that affects both active transportation and public transit users) are likely to be prioritized.

2024 City of Sacramento General
Plan 2040

Summary: The Sacramento General Plan is a blueprint to guide the city’s land use and capital investment decisions for the next two decades. The General Plan includes a policy index, which lists many specific climate adaptation, resilience, and infrastructure maintenance policies.
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Relevance to SacAdapt: The plan includes goals and policies that outline how the city aims to prioritize emergency management to prepare for the climate hazards it faces, as well as other topics relevant for climate resilience.

The policies listed under the ‘Climate Adaptation and Resiliency’ and ‘Environmental Hazards’ topics in the policy index appear to be the most relevant for SacAdapt. While relatively high-level, these policies can inform adaptation strategies for SacAdapt. Specific
transportation-related policies most likely to be applicable as adaptation strategies for SacAdapt include (in no particular order):
• Parking Lot Shading (and related policies such as Parking Lot Shade Ordinance)
• Planting (and related policies such as Street Standards for Tree Canopy)
• Resiliency Hubs (and related policies like Cooling Centers) • Emergency Power (and related policies)
• Bus Shelter Design
• Cooling Landscape Standards (and related policies like Climate-Resilient Design and Cooling Design Techniques) • Protection from Flood Hazards (and related policies like Flood Management Planning Coordination and Flood Regulation)
• Interagency Levee Management
• Unobstructed Access to Levees
• Fire Hazards (and related policies)
• Evacuation Routes

Consistency with these and other policies in the plan could be a component of the strategy prioritization for SacAdapt, either to directly implement General Plan policies or to enhance the resilience of areas the plan prioritizes for investment and future growth. For instance, an adaptation strategy benefiting a road that is a ‘Candidate High-Frequency Transit Corridor’ could warrant a higher priority in SacAdapt.

2020 Extreme Heat and Social
Vulnerability Study NASA

DEVELOP

Summary: As part of the development of the CAAP and 2040 General Plan, Sacramento partnered with NASA for an analysis of urban heat.

The findings indicated that some North Sacramento neighborhoods can be as much as 13°F warmer than outside of city limits, and neighborhoods along south Franklin Boulevard can be as high as 15°F warmer than outside of city limits.

Relevance to SacAdapt: Vulnerable areas or areas more heavily affected by the urban heat island effect can be cross-referenced with potential adaptation project locations for the development of SacAdapt. Urban heat islands can be mitigated through a variety of

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solutions, such as increased tree cover, green/cool roofs, increased vegetation, and reduction in impervious surfaces.

2023 City of Sacramento
Department of Public Works
Floodgate Modernization and
Resilience Project Scope

Summary: The City of Sacramento Floodgate Modernization and Resilience Project will provide necessary repairs and modernization to ten critical floodgates located where road, rail, and active transportation facilities intersect the city’s secondary levee berm.

Sacramento’s floodgates directly protect critical transportation infrastructure and climate-vulnerable communities in the event of a main levee breach. The floodgates are an essential part of the city’s transportation infrastructure that balance the need to travel with flood protection. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) cites Sacramento as among the most at-risk regions in the United States for catastrophic flooding, and the proposed project will directly protect over 300,000 people and 240 critical facilities located in potential flood inundation zones.

Relevance to SacAdapt: This document provides helpful hazard data within SacAdapt service area, including floodgate failure risk, extreme precipitation risk, and overlaid maps of disadvantaged communities in Sacramento with inundation areas. It also serves as an informative example of how to evaluate and, if warranted, obtain funding for adaptation projects related to flood management infrastructure.

2018 City of Sacramento
Department of Public Works
Floodgate Assessment
Management Briefing

Summary: This document outlines the critical role that floodgates play in safeguarding the City of Sacramento against flooding.

Managed by the Department of Public Works, the city’s primary and secondary levees protect the city from riverine flooding. Floodgates are managed to allow the road and railroad facilities that cross the city’s flood protection levees to operate continuously in the absence of extreme flooding.

The majority of the city’s floodgates are over 50 years old and are in need of various degrees of updates and upgrades. This assessment reviewed 18 floodgates to evaluate whether they meet current standards. Among those reviewed, six were found to have major issues leading to inoperability or ineffectiveness in a flood.

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The 2023 City of Sacramento Department of Public Works Floodgate Modernization and Resilience Project Scope was developed in response to this assessment (see document above).

Relevance to SacAdapt: See preceding row.

2024 City of Sacramento
Department of Utilities
Comprehensive Flood
Management Plan

Summary: This flood management plan is the City’s strategic plan to reduce flood risk from 2024-2029. It provides an extensive overview of flood risk in Sacramento and describes seven risk reduction tools to reduce this flood risk: land use planning and development guidelines, emergency management, levee and other structural improvements, internal drainage improvements, risk communication (program for public information), National Flood Insurance Program
(NFIP)/Community Rating System (CRS), and levee security.

Relevance to SacAdapt: The document provides essential context and information for SacAdapt’s evaluation of flood risk to the transportation system and assessment of transportation adaptation strategies. For flood protection assets included in SacAdapt, adaptation strategies may be directly related to the flood management plan’s tools, particularly (1) levee and other structural improvements and (2) internal drainage improvements.

2022 Sacramento Transportation
Priorities Plan

Summary: The Sacramento Transportation Priorities Plan is the Council-adopted strategy for prioritizing the city’s transportation efforts through collaborative efforts to improve mobility.

The TPP strategy and initial list of projects – in total, almost $5 billion in needed investments – were adopted in 2022. Prioritization in the TPP is based on five values: equitable investment; improvement of air quality, climate, and health; access to destinations; improvement of safety for all road users; and maintenance of the system.

Relevance to SacAdapt: SacAdapt can identify opportunities to enhance the climate resilience of the TPP’s projects. The TPP will be reviewed for certain project types that are candidates for higher priority general adaptation solutions, such as designing culverts or bridges for projected increases in flow or incorporating tree planting for urban heat island mitigation. In addition, a geospatial review of project locations overlaid with hazard areas and disadvantaged communities will allow for identification of specific projects that may be candidates for project-specific adaptation solutions.

2021 Sacramento Valley Station
Area Plan and Living Community
Summary: The Sacramento Valley Station (SVS) Area Plan is a living community plan for a regional transportation hub in the midst of a large, developing urban center on a former Brownfield site. Project goals include revitalizing downtown livability to make a positive regional asset, reducing carbon emissions from transportation and

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Challenge Vision Plan1

buildings, preserving and enhancing the local ecosystems of Sacramento, and enabling sustainable mobility choices by mending discontinuities in the circulation network for active transportation modes. The plan includes a vision for resilient community connections with a disaster response plan to disseminate to all residents and tenants on a yearly basis; assignments and trainings for two block captains for every 500 residents that are highly versed in disaster response, first aid, and general safety procedures; maintenance of an emergency contact program; cultivation of an active neighborhood watch that has a mandate to look out for resident well-being and safety; and assuring that sensitive infrastructure is not located within the floodplain.

Relevance to SacAdapt: Imperative 10 – Resilient Community Connections describes how SVS will prepare for extreme weather and natural disasters, and can serve as an example for resilient transportation hubs.

2020 Mayors’ Commission on
Climate Change Report

Summary: In 2018, former mayors Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento and Christopher Cabaldon of West Sacramento launched the Mayors’ Commission on Climate Change (MCCC) to develop recommendations to achieve net zero carbon by 2045 in the cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento. The commission made recommendations across the following sectors: the built environment, mobility, and community health & resilience. The recommendations from the MCCC were considered as part of the City’s CAAP .

Relevance to SacAdapt: The report recommends the city undertake a climate vulnerability assessment to better map its risk to climate hazards and for wider investment in green infrastructure in order to mitigate against climate impacts such as extreme heat and flooding.

2020 City of Sacramento Traffic
Signal Operations and Standards

Summary: The City of Sacramento Traffic Signal Operations and Standards document outlines the specifications, drawings, and qualified product lists for traffic lights and signals.

Relevance to SacAdapt: This document provides specifications and parameters for SacAdapt to reference if there are any proposed changes to the city’s traffic signals and operations. Standards regarding temperature are particularly relevant for adaptation options affecting signals. A potential procedural adaptation strategy would be to update the standards to incorporate expected future climate impacts.

1 The SVS Site Plan appendix is a publicly accessible summary of the LCC Plan that contains similar information as the LCC Vision Plan

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2018 City of Sacramento
Emergency Operations Plan

Summary: The City of Sacramento Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) details the City’s planned response to emergency situations, including natural disasters and human-induced disasters. The EOP lays out the roles and responsibilities of various departments in these situations.

The EOP identifies the following climate hazards that may affect the city: severe weather, flooding, wildfires, drought, freezing temperatures, and landslides/subsidence.

The City of Sacramento Evacuation Plan is an annex to the City’s EOP .

Relevance to SacAdapt: Any TIAP adaptation strategies that focus on emergency management (including evacuation-related strategies or considerations) shall align with this plan, particularly Function D (Transportation) and Function G (Evacuation and Public Protection).

City of Sacramento Flood Zone
Construction Requirements

Summary: The City of Sacramento flood zone construction
requirements detail building codes and procedures designed to protect lives and property in the event of a 100-year or 200-year flood. Specific floodplain management regulations and building codes are enforced to regulate construction in at-risk areas throughout the city. New FEMA regulations went into effect in July 2024 in the A99 flood zone, which includes the Natomas Basin, a Special Flood Hazard Area.

Relevance to SacAdapt: The construction requirements reflect flood risk tolerance in the city, and may guide potential adaptation strategies. Furthermore, it may be helpful to examine how the return period events (e.g., 100-year and 200-year events) described in the requirements are expected to change over time. A potential procedural adaptation strategy would be to update the standards to incorporate expected future climate impacts.

2009 Design and Procedures
Manual: Street Design Standards

Summary: This manual outlines the city’s street standards to be used in the preparation of plans, specifications, and estimates for projects within the city right of way. These standards aim to ensure the safe

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and efficient movement of vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians, and to be considerate of future maintenance costs to sustain desired levels of service. These standards are in the process of being updated, estimated to be finalized by the end of 2025.

Relevance to SacAdapt: SacAdapt can reference the City’s Street Design Standards in any plans that may modify city streets. The standards can also help estimate risks to existing assets by understanding what standards transportation assets were designed to meet. A potential procedural adaptation strategy would be to update the standards to incorporate expected future climate impacts.

Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT)
2023 SacRT Battery-Electric Bus
Feasibility Study

Summary: This report provides an updated evaluation of the Battery- Electric Bus (BEB) feasibility study using the latest 2023 technology specifications and the most recent service schedule. The findings are intended to inform strategic decisions regarding the transition to ZEBs, including potential solutions for enhancing range, such as opportunity charging, service changes, and the integration of fuel cell electric buses. This study focuses exclusively on BEB performance.

Relevance to SacAdapt: SacAdapt will include a focused analysis on SacRT’s ZEB infrastructure, including identifying climate risks and adaptation strategies. This study and related plans provide the basis of what assets that ZEB analysis will focus on.
2023 SacRT Updated Design
Guidelines for Bus and Light Rail
Facilities

Summary: These guidelines for bus and light rail facilities are used for new construction and retrofitting of existing facilities. The guidelines are meant to promote convenient, comfortable, and safe bus and light rail facilities for transit users, and to assist SacRT in providing consistent, high-quality facilities that increase ridership and public support for mass transit.

Relevance to SacAdapt: These guidelines are important to reference and align with for any TIAP adaptation strategies that require changes to bus and light rail facilities. The standards can also help estimate risks to existing assets by understanding what standards transit assets were designed to meet. A potential procedural adaptation strategy would be to update the standards to incorporate expected future climate impacts.
2022 SacRT Short Range Transit
Plan (FY 2022-2027)
Summary: The Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP) represents SacRT’s plan for transit service from 2022-2027. The FTA requires that any

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transit agency receiving federal funds directly must have a current S R T P. The SRTP is guided by several SacRT planning documents, including the Transit Master Plan and the TransitAction Plan, including the vision, goals, and strategies for accommodating the long-range transit needs of Sacramento’s traveling public.

Relevance to SacAdapt: SacAdapt should align with the operational and strategic goals set out in the SRTP . The SRTP also provides important contextual information on SacRT’s assets, systems, and priorities.
2022 SacRT Revised Transit Asset
Management (TAM) Plan

Summary: The Transit Asset Management (TAM) Plan is designed to increase awareness and improve asset management, providing SacRT with specific applications of asset management concepts, processes, and tools. The multi-pronged approach to asset management outlined in the plan includes establishing asset specifications and requirements, condition assessment, asset analysis, asset management decision-making, and continuous improvement. Part of the asset management strategy is planning for climate change.

Relevance to SacAdapt: The TAM outlines the importance of cost- effectively maintaining SacRT’s assets and managing the risks they face. While climate hazards are not explicitly called out as a risk to SacRT’s assets, this is an important element that SacAdapt can link to.

Regional Entities
2023 Sacramento Area Council
of Governments (SACOG)
Regional Emergency
Preparedness Strategy

Summary: This strategy document summarizes existing practices and identifies emergency preparedness gaps in the SACOG region, specifically as they relate to transit and the broader transportation system as well as interagency and interjurisdictional coordination. It is meant to complement existing emergency management plans by allowing transit agencies to better integrate into public safety and emergency management organizations.

Relevance to SacAdapt: The strategy’s recommendations may inform emergency management-related adaptation strategies. The infrastructure recommendations regarding contra flow, transit facility relocation, and ZEB emergency preparedness could have direct tie-ins to infrastructure-based adaptation strategies. ‘Enhancing emergency management’ may be considered in SacAdapt as a factor in strategy prioritization.

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2020 SACOG Vulnerability and
Criticality Assessment

Summary: The SACOG Vulnerability and Criticality Assessment analyzes how climate-related hazards will affect the SACOG region’s transportation system through the end of the century. The report evaluates expected future hazards including wildfire, riverine flooding, sea level rise and storm surge, and extreme heat.

Relevance to SacAdapt: At a systemwide scale, the assessment analyzes which assets are most critical to the transportation network.

The asset types reviewed include roadways, bridges, airports, transit stops, and light rail lines. Additionally, each of these asset types’ vulnerabilities were evaluated against each climate hazard, which can help identify the scope of key transportation assets in SacAdapt analysis. Portions of the approach used to prioritize assets could be leveraged for SacAdapt.

2020 SACOG Transportation
Project-Level Climate Adaptation
Strategies for Transportation

Summary: The Project-Level Climate Adaptation Strategies for Transportation in the SACOG Region examines risks facing individual transportation assets and evaluates potential adaptation strategies.

The climate hazards evaluated include extreme heat, wildfires, delta sea level rise, and riverine flooding. The projects evaluated include transit stop pilots, the US highway 50 corridor, bridge equipment protection, and bridge retrofitting/replacement.

Relevance to SacAdapt: Both the analysis approach and types of adaptation strategies covered in this guidance document will inform the development and prioritization of TIAP adaptation strategies.

2015 SACOG Transportation
Climate Adaptation Plan

Summary: This SACOG plan outlines the key strategies and actions that the Sacramento region can take to ensure its transportation assets can adapt to climate risks and hazards. This plan includes climate hazard analysis for extreme heat, wildfire, landslides, precipitation, runoff, and flooding as well as their impact on transportation systems in the region.

Relevance to SacAdapt: The plan succinctly summarizes the impacts of extreme heat, precipitation, wildfire, and landslides on various transit assets and systems including roadways, railways, bridges, drainage systems, and traffic flow. The plan outlines specific approaches to address these challenges, which can inform SacAdapt.

2024 Sacramento Metropolitan
Air Quality Management District
(SMAQMD) Cool Pavement
Overview
Summary: This document provides an overview of cool pavement types, including product and cost comparisons. The overview gives context to the potential scale and benefits of cool pavements, since pavement makes up 45% of the city’s surfaces, and over half of paved areas are roads. Urbanized areas in Sacramento range from 3-9°F

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warmer than surrounding areas due to the urban heat island effect, fueled by heat-absorbing surfaces like dark pavement. Cool pavement can help to lower pavement temperatures and avoid infrastructure damage, and provide other co-benefits.

Relevance to SacAdapt: This overview of cool pavements can inform similar resources and adaptation strategies for SacAdapt. This resource additionally presents an opportunity to learn from nearby local agencies implementing cool pavements (e.g., City of Elk Grove, City of Roseville) to understand the efficacy of this strategy in practice.

2022 SMAQMD Wildfire Smoke
Emergency Plan

Summary: This plan includes general information on air quality, forecasting, and monitoring, and provides a basic overview of health impacts from smoke. It outlines best practices for different sectors to better prepare for and respond to a wildfire event. Quick-reference tools like the sector-specific Air Quality Action Charts are designed to help agencies respond promptly to reduce smoke exposure when smoke descends. The plan also contains standardized messaging tools for public agencies to use.

Relevance to SacAdapt: The recommendations and best practices for public agencies listed in the plan are relevant for TIAP adaptation strategies related to preparing for, responding to and adapting to wildfire smoke, including specific actions for vulnerable populations.

2020 SMAQMD Capital Region
Urban Heat Island Mitigation
Project

Summary: The Capital Region Urban Heat Island Mitigation Project, led by SMAQMD and CivicWell, generated detailed models of the current and future urban heat island (UHI) effect in the Sacramento region and used them to evaluate the effectiveness of a range of heat mitigation measures. The report found that from today to 2050, the UHI will increase in almost all locations, reaching as high as 9 to 12°F in North Sacramento.

Relevance to SacAdapt: This Plan offers information on UHI measures specifically for transportation agencies and provides best practices for addressing this hazard, including cool and green roofs at transit stations, cool pavements, vegetation cover and the associated planning-based and financial incentives, and community-focused tools and programs to implement these measures.

2020 SMAQMD Atmospheric
Modeling for the Development
of a Regional Heat Pollution
Reduction Plan

Summary: This report contains detailed atmospheric modeling that informed the development of a heat mitigation plan for the Sacramento region (see row above). The study was carried out to evaluate the effects of various mitigation measures on urban heat in the counties of Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer, Yuba, Sutter, and Yolo.

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The modeling aimed to characterize and rank heat mitigation measures in their ability to support urban cooling.

Relevance to SacAdapt: The mitigation strategies assessed in this report include cool roofs, walls, and pavements; vegetation canopy cover; vehicle electrification and EV ownership; solar photovoltaic cells; and smart growth. The report identifies certain locations within Sacramento that could be priority project areas for implementing each mitigation measure, which may be useful for the development of the adaptation strategies for SacAdapt.

2021 Sacramento County Multi-
Jurisdictional Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan

Summary: The Sacramento County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) is a guide to reducing risks from hazards and serves as a tool to help decisionmakers direct mitigation activities and resources. The hazards outlined in the plan include dam failure, drought and water shortage, earthquakes and earthquake liquefaction, stormwater and riverine flooding, landslides, mudslides and debris flow, levee failure, extreme cold and freeze, extreme heat, heavy rain and storms, wind and tornadoes, subsidence, and wildfires.

Relevance to SacAdapt: The Hazard Identification Assessment data set outlines the climate hazards the county faces based on likelihood, geographic extent, magnitude, and significance. It also outlines the relevant mitigation actions across the county, which will be useful for the development of SacAdapt adaptation strategies.

Valley Rail Intercity Rail Project

Summary: The Valley Rail Intercity Rail Project aims to improve and expand both Amtrak San Joaquins and the Altamont Corridor Express (ACE), focusing on providing improvements and better connections between the Sacramento area and the San Joaquin Valley.

Relevance to SacAdapt: This project highlights the Sacramento region—and SVS in particular—as a critical hub for the intercity rail system. The Project identifies rail connections that may be considered for specific adaptation projects.

2024 Butte County Association of
Governments North Valley
Passenger Rail Strategic Plan
Summary: The North Valley Passenger Rail Strategic Plan is a blueprint for establishing a new passenger rail service to link Butte, Yuba, and Sutter Counties with Sacramento and the rest of the state.

Relevance to SacAdapt: This plan demonstrates the broader regional significance of Sacramento—and SVS in particular—as a passenger rail hub and the importance of intercity rail connections. The Project

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identifies rail connections that may be considered for specific adaptation projects.

2022 Central Valley Flood
Protection Plan

Summary: This plan describes a programmatic vision for improving flood risk management throughout California’s Central Valley, guiding the state’s participation in managing flood risk in areas protected by the State Plan of Flood Control (SPFC). It recommends actions and policies informed by engagement with stakeholders and partners and prioritizes investments over a 30-year horizon. This Plan has a corresponding Technical Analysis Summary Report.

Relevance to SacAdapt: This plan includes the Lower Sacramento River-Delta North Region—including the key flood protection measures that have been implemented in the region and the relevant challenges and priorities—which provide useful lessons learned to apply to the flood mitigation strategies of SacAdapt. For example, expected changes to peak flows may be an important input to the risk analysis and adaptation strategy evaluation.

State
2021 Caltrans Climate Change
Vulnerability Assessment:

Statewide Summary Report

Summary: The Caltrans Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Statewide Summary provides an overview of the 12 Caltrans district Summary Reports and Caltrans’ planned next steps, which include developing district-level adaptation priority approaches, conducting facility-level assessments, and integrating resilience at the project level. The main climate stressors evaluated throughout are temperature rise, precipitation, wildfire, sea level rise, storm surge, and cliff retreat.

Caltrans is in the process of updating this statewide report; the Climate Change Vulnerability and Risk Assessment is expected to be completed in mid-2025.

Relevance to SacAdapt: The report provides graphs and tables demonstrating the impacts of each climate hazard across each of the

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12 Caltrans districts, including District 3, which provides useful context for SacAdapt.

2021 Caltrans Strategic Plan
2020-2024

Summary: The Caltrans Strategic Plan outlines the short-term goals of the agency. The six goal areas are safety, equity and livability, climate action, multimodal transportation networks, stewardship and efficiency, and cultivating excellence. One of Caltrans’ goals is to lead climate action, with a focus on resilience, to strengthen the capability to withstand and recover from the impacts of climate change.

Relevance to SacAdapt: The Strategic Plan presents an opportunity for SacAdapt to align with Caltrans’ intended outcomes, including improving asset conditions within the state and strengthening their capability to withstand and recover from the impacts from climate change.

2020 Caltrans Adaptation
Priorities Report: District 3

Summary: This report was developed for Caltrans to identify District 3 State-owned transportation assets that are exposed to climate hazards and prioritize which assets will undergo detailed asset-level climate assessments. This document contains exposure findings of extreme temperatures, precipitation, wildfire, sea level rise, storm surge, and cliff retreat on assets.

Relevance to SacAdapt: Caltrans outlines its Climate Adaptation Framework, applicable for all transportation system owners or managers, including the City and SacRT. This will be part of SacAdapt and subsequent adaptation planning. The framework shows how agencies can incorporate climate resilience into different functions. In terms of the asset-level analysis, several of the asset classes covered include: roadways (including Delta storm surge impacts and temperature impacts to pavement), bridges (including riverine flood impacts), and large and small culverts (including riverine flood impacts). The analytical process for prioritizing assets according to their climate risks will inform SacAdapt.

2019 Caltrans Climate Change
Vulnerability Assessment: District
3 Technical Report
Summary: The Caltrans District 3 Vulnerability Assessment outlines the vulnerabilities that District 3 faces on a portion of the State Highway System (SHS). This assessment was performed to better understand the types of weather-related climate events that will occur, determine the Caltrans assets that are vulnerable to climate hazards, and develop a method and process to prioritize projects that are responsive to climate change concerns.

Relevance to SacAdapt: This study developed climate hazard datasets relevant to transportation practitioners. Some, such as the wildfire projections, may still be useful for SacAdapt, while others are less

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relevant given the more recent projections from the California Fifth Assessment.
2021 California Transportation
Plan 2050

Summary: The California Transportation Plan (CTP) 2050 is California’s long-range transportation roadmap that provides a unifying and foundational policy framework for making effective, transparent, and transformational transportation decisions in California; addresses the varied transportation needs of urban, suburban, rural, and Tribal communities; emphasizes implementation; and identifies a timeline, roles, and responsibilities for each plan recommendation. The CTP does not contain projects; rather, it includes policies and strategies required to close the gap between what regional transportation plans aim to achieve and how much more is required to meet 2050 goals.

Relevance to SacAdapt: The CTP notes enhancing transportation system resiliency as one of the overarching goals of the plan. The CTP outlines several key recommended action items to support meeting this goal, which SacAdapt can align with. The key action items are as follows: 1) Seek new funding sources to address the growing risks of climate change, pandemics, earthquakes, and other natural disasters; 2) Develop and maintain a statewide transportation risk management plan to identify and respond to future disruptions; 3) Develop a statewide repository of location-specific adaptive strategies that can be incorporated into infrastructure maintenance and rehabilitation projects; 4) Identify and prioritize deployment of resiliency strategies in the state’s most vulnerable communities; 5) Integrate natural land, resource, and ecosystem protection strategies into resiliency planning; 6) Increase the use of simulation systems and predictive technologies to understand how future disruptions may impact infrastructure and travel patterns; 7) Develop statewide performance measures on resiliency and include resiliency as a criterion in statewide project prioritization and funding allocation; 8) Increase collaboration and communication with MPOs around resiliency planning and integrating resiliency into SCSs; 9) Accelerate implementation of the Caltrans District Vulnerability Assessment recommendations; 10) Expand adaptation planning grants for local and regional partners and support implementation; 11) Expand funding for seismic retrofits of bridges, highways, rail, airports and

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other infrastructure; 12) Preserve and enhance critical access routes for emergency response.
2021 California State
Transportation Agency Climate
Action Plan for Transportation
Infrastructure (CAPTI)

Summary: California’s Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure (CAPTI) sets out a strategic plan for the state to ensure its transportation infrastructure can adapt to the impacts of climate change and ensure state transportation infrastructure investments are aligned with the state’s wider climate, health, and social equity goals.

Relevance to SacAdapt: The CAPTI has an overarching strategy to “Support Climate Resilience through Transportation System Improvements and Protections for Natural and Working Lands.” The accompanying actions include:
• S5.1 Develop Climate Risk Assessment Planning and
Implementation Guidance
• S5.2 Update Transportation Infrastructure Competitive Program Guidelines to Incentivize Climate Adaptation and Climate Risk Assessments/Strategies
• S5.3 Explore Incentivizing Land Conservation through
Transportation Programs

2018 California Fourth Climate
Change Assessment

Summary: California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment represents the most recently completed state climate assessment, while the Fifth Assessment is currently underway. The Assessment is a regionally- focused report that projects climate change impacts under different future emissions scenarios utilizing a set of global climate models.

This report used a commonly recognized statistical downscaling technique, Localized Constructed Analogs (LOCA), to downscale global climate models to California. It also includes data from 44 state-funded research reports to support adaptation efforts at the local level. The Assessment outlines how vulnerable the state’s transportation assets are to the effects of climate change.

Relevance to SacAdapt: The datasets with projected future climate conditions in California, from both the Fourth and Fifth Assessments, will be used as inputs to SacAdapt’s vulnerability assessment and more in-depth subsequent analysis of adaptation strategies.

2018 Planning and Investing for a
Resilient California: A Guidebook
for State Agencies, created by
the Office of Planning and
Research

Summary: The Office of Planning and Research (OPR), now known as the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI), released this 2018 guidebook, which outlines the decision-making processes and approaches that state agencies can take to prepare for the impacts of climate change. The four-step recommended process includes: 1) Identify how climate change could impact a project or plan, 2) Conduct an analysis of climate risks, 3) Make a climate-informed decision, and 4) Track and monitor progress.

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The guidebook includes projected average temperature rise in California, estimating that annual average temperatures will increase between 4.1°F and 5.3°F by the middle of this century, and between

5.0°F and 8.5°F by the end of the century.

Relevance to SacAdapt: The four step process to building resilience may inform decision-making processes in SacAdapt.

2016 Assembly Bill (AB) 2800

Summary: AB 2800 requires state agencies to take into account the expected impacts of climate change when planning, designing, building, and investing in state infrastructure. An update to the bill in 2020 clarified that State agencies must account for the economic damages and financial liabilities associated with climate change impacts.

Relevance to SacAdapt: While not directly subject to this bill, SacAdapt will help the City and SacRT align with this bill, particularly for projects implemented with support from state funding.

2015 Executive Order (EO) B-30-
15: Vulnerable Populations

Summary: This Resiliency Guidebook outlines the different populations who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. This guidebook aims to support agencies in planning and adapting to climate change by addressing the needs of highly vulnerable populations.

Vulnerable groups include children, immigrants and refugees, incarcerated populations, the LGBTQ community, linguistically isolated populations, older adults, outdoor workers, people of color, people with chronic health conditions, low-income groups, people with mental illnesses and physical disabilities, pregnant people, homeless populations, indigenous people, and people who lack private vehicles.

Relevance to SacAdapt: This resource can help prioritize investments and resources to support building resilience for communities most likely to suffer harm from the effects of climate change.

Best Practices & Key Examples
Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) Adaptation Decision-
Making Assessment Process
(ADAP)
Summary: ADAP is a framework to assess climate risk to individual transportation assets and evaluate adaptation alternatives compared to a do-nothing baseline based on cost-effectiveness and other factors.

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Relevance to SacAdapt: ADAP is a step-by-step process for analyzing climate risk at the project level and evaluating cost-effectiveness of adaptation options. It, or a simplified version of it, can be used for the adaptation options analysis in SacAdapt.

2022 Protecting Californians
from Extreme Heat

Summary: This plan outlines California’s all-of-government approach to mitigating the health, economic, cultural, ecological, and social impacts of increasing average temperatures and heat waves. It constitutes California’s response to extreme heat and accompanying extreme heat events.

Relevance to SacAdapt: Recommended actions and goals to strengthen resilience to extreme heat can be used to inform heat- related adaptation solutions for SacAdapt.
2023 New Orleans Hazard
Mitigation Annual Report

Summary: This Hazard Mitigation Plan and Annual Report published by the City of New Orleans provides a structure for understanding the risks and vulnerabilities of the city and identifying actions that can reduce future loss of life and property due to climate hazards.

Relevance to SacAdapt: New Orleans and Sacramento are two of the nation’s most vulnerable cities to flooding. There are many valuable opportunities to learn from New Orleans in their ongoing hazard mitigation efforts and recommended adaptation measures. Examples of flood response and risk planning action items outlined in this report include:
• Planning for flooding by changing development patterns and methods and relocating assets and populations
• Building and implementing an equity strategy for floodplain management programs
• Expanding the scope of coastal habitat restoration,
protection, and preservation to include individuals and communities in those locations
• Addressing stormwater retention needs by improving
infrastructure

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• Scoping potential drainage projects
• Implementing green infrastructure improvements along high- risk corridors
• Implementing citywide urban design standards to guide the community’s response to stormwater management
• Promoting tree clustering strategies
• Creating an online, interactive tool utilizing city monitoring data around flood mitigation initiatives for public use and education
• Advocating for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) reform
• Creating an in-house HAZUS model, a nationally standardized methodology from FEMA for estimating potential losses from natural disasters, designed to support risk-informed decision- making efforts

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Asset & Hazard Datasets
This section focuses on relevant datasets provided by the City and SacRT. Given the geographic nature of climate hazards, accurate spatial data (i.e., Geospatial Information Systems [GIS] data) is a key component for the subsequent analysis. Figure 1 shows the study area. SacAdapt will focus on transportation assets within the city of Sacramento, as well as SacRT Light Rail and maintenance facilities outside of the city of Sacramento.

Figure 1. Study area

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Roadway linework by functional class is shown in Figure 2. While roadway linework and road type data appear to be accurate, only a small portion of the roadway linework has associated traffic count data.

Bridge locations are represented as points, and their attribute information regarding physical characteristics and conditions is documented in an associated table.

Figure 2. Roadways

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Figure 3 shows SacRT’s assets. The light rail linework appears to have an acceptable degree of accuracy to the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and aerial imagery. In the more urbanized parts of the city, linework slightly deviates from its actual location. Light rail stops and bus stops are represented by points. These points have information regarding location, but are lacking information about stop structures, which can be used to provide shelter from inclement or hot weather. Ridership counts from 2019 to 2024 for these assets are provided at the system level or rail or bus line level.

Figure 3. SacRT assets

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Demographic and equity-related data, including EPA Environmental Justice Communities2 and CalEnviroScreen 4.0,3 help to understand transportation system users and how they are impacted by climate hazards. The CalEnviroScreen 4.0 dataset is available at the census tract level.

Hazard datasets often include historical, present, and future conditions of natural hazards or current environmental conditions, which are crucial for justifying the analysis results. To perform comprehensive risk assessments, hazard datasets should cover the entire study area. The provided hazard datasets include FEMA floodplains4 and the Urban Heat Island (UHI) Index. FEMA 100-year and 500-year floodplains are shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4. FEMA flood hazard areas

2 https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen/download-ejscreen-data
3 https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/report/calenviroscreen-40 4 https://www.fema.gov/flood-maps/national-flood-hazard-layer

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UHI5 data were averaged over 2013-2016, and analyzed for most of the region under different scenarios, such as vegetation and albedo increases. These data were developed by SMAQMD through the Capital Region Urban Heat Island Mitigation Project, which built detailed models of the UHI effect in the Sacramento region, focused on the transportation sector and vulnerable communities.

The data showcase the average temperature differences between various areas of Sacramento using the UHI Index (UHII), or the difference between a specific urban census tract and a nearby rural reference area. The larger the index, the larger the difference between rural and urban temperatures, and the more intense the UHI effect. The dataset is in points, which can be interpolated by the user. An interpolation of the urban heat island effect for the region at 3pm is shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Interpolation of UHI effect at 3pm (units are % difference in degrees Celsius from base case), 2013-2016

5 https://urbanheat-smaqmd.hub.arcgis.com/

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Table 2. Relevant datasets for SacAdapt for assets and hazards.

Asset/Hazard Dataset
Critical Facilities
Community Centers City of Sacramento Community Centers.

Fire Stations City of Sacramento Fire Stations.

Government Buildings City of Sacramento government buildings.

Hospitals City of Sacramento Hospitals.

Libraries City of Sacramento libraries with operational days and hours as of April 2023.

Schools City of Sacramento school data. School types include public, charter, and private schools.

Hazard Data
Extreme Heat and
Vulnerability Map
Story map available online, data available to download by census tract here. Each neighborhood is given a percentile from least to most vulnerable within the City of Sacramento. Factors like poverty, ethnicity, pre-existing medical conditions like asthma, employment status, and age contributed to the vulnerability score.

Hazard datasets
developed by previous
City, SacRT, or other
stakeholders
Urban Heat Island – This dataset shows the differences in temperature throughout the Sacramento area at different times during the day for the base case and different scenarios, like increased vegetation and albedo.

This data is represented in points, so interpolation should be used to get continuous data over the region. Data and study results are from the Capital Region Urban Heat Island Mitigation Project, led by Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District and CivicWell (formerly the Local Government Commission).

FEMA Floodplains – 100-year and 500-year event extents are available.

Ultimate Flood Depths – The County of Sacramento Water Resources and the City of Sacramento have prepared various detailed maps showing hypothetical levee breaks, inundation levels and the time it would take for waters to rise in affected neighborhoods, and rescue and evacuation zones. The Natomas, north of the American River, south of the American River, and the Delta area are the limits of the study. Maps show flood depths and evacuation routes.

Known issues/previous
damage locations from
natural hazards
SacRT provided lists of damaged assets from a storm in February 2024 (without locations and cost info) and crossing outages with latitude/longitude coordinates and cost information from January 2023.

The City also provided 311 location data in GIS format as points. Features are categorized by type of incident. Categories are relatively broad; it may be difficult to infer damage locations for climate-related hazards specifically.
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Demographic Data
CalEnviroScreen
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 is at the census tract level with attributes including information regarding environmental pollution, human health, economics, population, and more.

Healthy Places Index California Healthy Places Index score examines neighborhood measures linked to health outcomes and has key indicators of diversity and equity.

Asset and Topographic Data
Municipal and study
area limits/boundaries
City of Sacramento as a polygon.

Roadways/streets
Street centerline data including FHWA road classifications.

Pavement condition data is mapped in the 2022 Pavement Condition Report, segmented in line data with Pavement Condition Index (PCI) ratings in data provided by the county, set to be updated in early 2025.

This report summarizes key information about the city’s street network and the funding needed to bring the street network to a state of good repair.

Traffic signals
City traffic signal locations in publicly available format. A separate spreadsheet with intersections and information on which are connected by fiber was also provided. Can join these two datasets using ‘Signal ID’.

Streetlights City street light locations in point format. Physical characteristics like pole type and lamp type are provided in the attribute table.

Trees
Tree Canopy Coverage for Sacramento County computed change between 2011 and 2021. Data from USA NLCD Tree Canopy Cover layer from Living Atlas, accessed Dec 13, 2023.

Traffic volume/travel
ridership/other usage
data (for both City and
SacRT assets)
For SacRT, ridership counts for light rail are provided in excel format at the system and line level from 2019-2024.

For the city, traffic volume does not appear to have geometry included, but name field can be used to relate it to the street centerline data. Traffic counts are for 24 hours and contain 4 directions of travel. There are 334 streets with known traffic count information. This leaves most of the street dataset null of traffic counts.

Evacuation routes Evacuation routes are not specifically defined; rather there are evacuation zones represented as areas.

Flood protection assets
that can impact
transportation
infrastructure, including
floodgates and levees
where applicable
Spatial data included for floodgates, floodwalls, and levees.

Light rail infrastructure
(alignment, stops, etc.)
Light rail lines and stops.

Bus stops Bus stops for SacRT service area.
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Transit facilities
(operations centers,
maintenance buildings,
bus lots, etc.)
List with satellite images of transit facilities like operations centers, maintenance buildings, bus lots, and security operations center. This data is not in GIS format.

Bridges and culverts One feature class for bridges and culverts. The attribute table may be used to accurately separate culverts and bridges.

Bridge and culvert
condition ratings
Bridge work recommendations and field inspection comments included in associated table. No culvert capacity included.

Shared use paths for
walking and bicycling
Curb and sidewalk line features relevant attribute data includes details on physical characteristics as well as information to join with street data by centerline “UniqueID.” Planned and existing bike facilities (lanes, routes, trails, buffered lanes, and separated bikeways) are sorted by project ID.

Planned city projects on
transportation assets
(e.g., Transportation
Priorities Plan data in
GIS format)
Includes information about the project, prioritization, cost, and what project implementation may support in the community (e.g., bicycling, EV, walking, types of community it may support, etc.). This is set to be updated after the adoption of the Streets for People Active Transportation Plan.

ZEB (Zero-emission bus)
charging infrastructure
SacRT Battery-Electric Bus Feasibility Study May 2023 identifies locations.

Park and Ride lots with planned charging stations are provided as coordinate pairs.

Infrastructure that
supports public transit,
including Sacramento
Valley Station
Bus terminals and the Sacramento AMTRAK station points.

Digital Elevation Model
(DEM)
City of Sacramento recommendation is to use 2018 1-meter DEM, a tiled dataset.

Drainage basins City of Sacramento, Department of Utilities Drainage Basins.

Sewer basins City of Sacramento, Department of Utilities Sewer Basins.

High Frequency Transit
Areas
High Frequency Transit Areas 2036 (HFTAs) are areas of the region within one-half mile of an existing or planned major transit stop, or an existing or planned high-quality transit corridor included in the MTP/SCS.

SACOG Transit priority
areas
SB 743 Transit Priority Areas buffers and stops. SB 743 Transit Priority Areas refer to an area within one-half mile of a major transit stop that is existing or planned, if the planned stop is scheduled to be completed within the planning horizon of the MTP/SCS. A major transit stop is defined in Section 21064.3 of the Public Resources Code, as a site containing a rail transit station or bus rapid transit station, a ferry terminal served by either a bus or rail transit service, or the intersection of two or more major bus routes with a frequency of service interval of 15 minutes or less during the morning and afternoon peak commute periods.

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Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure
Vulnerability Assessment

June 2025

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Table of Contents
Introduction ................................ ................................ ................................ ................. 4

1. Climate Science & Projections ................................ ................................ ................ 7

1.1 Extreme Heat ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 9

1.1.1 Temperature Thresholds ................................ ................................ ................ 9

1.1.2 Extreme Heat & Humidity (Heat Index) ................................ ........................... 11

1.1.3 Heat Health ................................ ................................ ................................ . 14

1.1.4 Urban Heat Island (UHI) Index ................................ ................................ ....... 14

1.2 Wind ................................ ................................ ................................ ................. 16

1.3 Heavy Precipitation ................................ ................................ ............................ 16

1.4 Large River Flows ................................ ................................ ............................... 18

1.5 Wildfire ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 26

2. Potential Transportation Damage Types ................................ ................................ 28

2.1 Extreme Heat ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 31

2.1.1 Heat and Outdoor Traveler Comfort and Health ................................ ............. 31

2.1.2 Heat and Outdoor Worker Health ................................ ................................ .. 33

2.1.3 Heat and Asphalt ................................ ................................ ......................... 34

2.1.4 Heat and SacRT Light Rail Tracks ................................ ................................ .. 35

2.1.5 Heat and Power Distribution System (Substations) for SacRT .......................... 36

2.1.6 Heat and Overhead Catenary System (OCS) for SacRT ................................ ... 37

2.1.7 Heat and SacRT Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Plant ................................ .. 38

2.1.8 Heat and Transit-Related HVAC Systems ................................ ....................... 39

2.1.9 Heat and Signage ................................ ................................ ......................... 40

2.2 Extreme Wind ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 40

2.2.1 Wind Impacts to Crossing Gates and other SacRT Infrastructure ..................... 40

2.2.2 Wind Impacts to Traffic Signals, Streetlights, and Other City Infrastructure ...... 42

2.3 Flooding and Heavy Precipitation ................................ ................................ ........ 44

2.3.1 Levee Failure and Widespread Flooding ................................ ........................ 44

2.3.2 Flooding and Roadways, Railways, and Shared Use Paths .............................. 46 3 | P a g e

2.3.3 Flooding and Underground/At-Grade Telecommunications and Electrical Infrastructure ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 49

2.3.4 Flooding and Transit Facility Damage ................................ ............................ 50

2.3.5 Flooding and Bridge Damage ................................ ................................ ........ 51

2.4 Wildfire ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 52

2.4.1 Wildfire and Smoke Impacts to Travelers ................................ ....................... 52

2.5 Multiple Hazards ................................ ................................ ................................ 53

2.5.1 Power Grid Failure ................................ ................................ ....................... 53

3. Exposure Analysis ................................ ................................ ................................ 55

3.1 Hazard Analysis ................................ ................................ ................................ . 55

3.1.1 Flooding ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 60

3.1.2 Heat................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 75

3.1.3 Landslide ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 79

3.1.4 Disadvantaged Communities ................................ ................................ ....... 83

3.1.5 Power Grid Vulnerabilities ................................ ................................ ............ 90

3.1.6 Anticipated Future Growth ................................ ................................ ........... 91

4. Public Outreach Findings................................ ................................ ...................... 93

5. Key Takeaways................................ ................................ ................................ ... 117

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Introduction
This vulnerability assessment will inform the priorities and focus areas of the SacAdapt Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure Adaptation Plan. Some key terms used throughout the vulnerability assessment are defined in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Relevant definitions to the assessment, adapted from the 2024 City of Sacramento Climate Action and Adaptation Plan Vulnerability Assessment
A literature review compiling relevant plans, strategies, and data was conducted to document the analysis that has already occurred in the region and the relevant strategies and plans for this assessment. One of the more critical documents reviewed, the 2024 City of Sacramento Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (CAAP), includes a Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (VA); this assessment draws from the CAAP VA where possible.1 However, this assessment differs from the CAAP VA in two key ways: 1) this assessment has a direct focus on transportation, and 2) this assessment incorporates the most recent generation of climate projections as of January 2025.

Table 1 was adapted from the CAAP VA, detailing the assessment of climate hazards most likely to affect Sacramento and qualifying the impact of each on the city.

1 https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/cdd/Planning/Long -Range/Climate-Action- Plan/18-06051_Sac CAAP_Digital - Final Adopted FEB272024.pdf The extent to which individuals, communities, or
infrastructure are exposed to, susceptible to, and/or unable to cope with or adapt to the effects of climate change
Climate
Vulnerability
The ability of a system, community, structure, or individual to withstand and recover from a climate hazard while
maintaining its core functions
Climate
Resilience
The ability to respond to climate change impacts
Adaptive
Capacity
The probability of being adversely affected by a hazard Hazard
Likelihood
The overall impact of a hazard based on a combination of likelihood and severity
Hazard Risk
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Table 1. Primary and secondary climate change impacts in Sacramento. Adapted from Table 2-1 in the 2024 City of Sacramento Climate Action and Adaptation Plan Vulnerability Assessment
Impacts Temporal Extent Spatial Extent Permanence Level of Disruption Level of Uncertainty
Temperature Increase
• Increased Heat waves
• Increased Urban heat
island effects
• Warmer average
temperatures
Moderate. Effects will be
most extreme in July and
August, but may be felt
anytime between May and
October
High. Effects will be felt throughout
the City, but will be most extreme in
and around urban heat islands
High. The most
extreme effects will
be seasonal, but
average ambient
temperatures will
increase steadily
over the century
High. Increased strain and
potential physical damage
to energy, utility, and
transportation infrastructure
from extreme heat; risk of
blackouts; and heat-related
illness/death. Higher source
water temperature create
need for additional water
treatment technologies
Low.

Precipitation Changes
• Extreme Storms
• Flooding
• Snowpack reduction
• Drought
• Reduced groundwater
recharge
• Increased water
temperature
• Deteriorated water
quality
High. Increased
likelihood of riverine
flooding in winter/early
spring. Reduced surface
water supply in summer
due to reductions in
winter snowpack
High. Nearly all of the city is low-
lying and dependent on levee
protection and a system of pumping
stations, pipes, ditches, and
channels, but areas already
susceptible to localized, riverine,
and flash flooding and/or that have
limited stormwater infrastructure
will be most affected by increased
winter rain and flows. Drought will
affect most areas and increase
demand for groundwater use
High. The most
extreme effects will
be seasonal, with
continued changes
expected over the
century
High. A large storm could
cause significant health and
infrastructure impacts over
potentially large portions of
the city. Increased water
temperature is harmful to
water treatment, reservoir
and hydroelectric operation,
and ecological health
Moderate. While
impacts vary year to
year, climate change
is increasing the
likelihood of a storm
event capable of
significant flooding;
drought frequency is
projected to increase
in California
Wildfire
• Declines in air quality
Moderate. Projected
wildfire extent/severity is
highly variable but will
generally increase over
the century. Future fire
seasons may become
longer
High. A wildfire is unlikely to break
out within City limits, but wildfire
smoke will affect the entire city
Moderate. Wildfire
intensity is
expected to
gradually increase,
with significant
year-to-year
variability
Moderate. The wildfire
impact most likely to have a
significant impact on the
city is reduced air quality
from wildfire smoke
Moderate.

Sea Level Rise
• Higher river levels during
major storm events
Low. Sea level rise is
projected to occur
gradually over the course
of the century
Low. Areas within or near the Delta
are most at risk
High. In the longer
term, sea level rise
may exacerbate
flood risk
associated with
major storm events
Low. Effects may be
significant when coinciding
with riverine or flash
flooding. Increasing salinity
of water may increase
burden on upper watershed
resources
Moderate.
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Additional relevant studies provided useful data, like the 2020 NASA Extreme Heat and Social Vulnerability Study that developed extremely high-resolution data showing areas where extreme heat impacts the city most strongly;2 and the 2022 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan which includes a detailed assessment of flood risk for the Sacramento and American Rivers.3

2 https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/ff71072724c14084a7e674df9847708b 3 https://water.ca.gov/-/media/DWR-Website/Web-Pages/Programs/Flood-Management/Flood-Planning- and-Studies/Central-Valley-Flood-Protection-Plan/Files/CVFPP- Updates/2022/Central_Valley_Flood_Protection_Plan_Update_2022_ADOPTED.pdf 7 | P a g e

1. Climate Science & Projections
To analyze future climate impacts in Sacramento, the following datasets and tools were used:
• Localized Constructed Analogs Version 2 (LOCA2) Hybrid:4 recently developed high-resolution downscaled climate projections for temperature, precipitation, and humidity across California utilizing the most recent generation of climate models from the sixth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). This robust dataset is specific to California and incorporates a strong combination of techniques including different types of downscaling that provide more accurate projections for localized conditions. This data was used for the analysis of heat index and heavy precipitation. The following parameters were used for the analysis based on this data:
o Time Periods:5
▪ Historical Baseline: 1985-2014
▪ Mid-Century/2050s: 2035-2064
▪ End-of-Century/2080s: 2070-2099
o Emissions Scenarios:
▪ SSP 2-4.5 (Moderate Emissions): some mitigation and adaptation measures are taken globally, there is some level of cross-country collaboration, and global population growth levels off in the second half of the century
▪ SSP 3-7.0 (High Emissions): greater levels of coal use, social inequality, population growth, nationalism, and regional conflicts and security concerns with decreasing investments in technological development, leading to drastic environmental damage
▪ SSP 5-8.5 (Very High Emissions): continual and increasing use of fossil fuels continuing throughout the coming century, reaching levels of around double the current consumption level by the end of the century – this is now considered a worst-case outcome
• California Heat Assessment Tool (CHAT):6 tool developed by the state of California to estimate future heat health events, or periods of extreme heat where public health impacts become more likely. While CHAT relies on CMIP5 data, rather

4 https://loca.ucsd.edu/loca-version-2-for-california-ca-may-2023/ 5 The future time periods are the same as those used in the CAAP, but the historical period differs because the baseline data used by LOCA have since been updated. The CAAP used data from CMIP5 LOCA projections.
6 https://www.cal-heat.org/
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than the current CMIP6 data, it remains a valuable resource for assessing the risks of extreme heat on public health for transit riders. This data is based on LOCA, the previous generation of projections, using the localized constructed analogs statistical downscaling method. The emissions scenarios are slightly less refined than the SSPs and do not include consideration of social dynamics and inequalities but are comparable to two of the SSPs used. The following parameters were used for the analysis based on this data:
o Time Periods (year-round; and June, July, and August):
▪ Historical: 1984-2013 (weather data); 2005-2013 (health data) ▪ Mid-Century/2050s: 2041-2060
▪ End-of-Century/2080s: 2071-2090
o Emissions Scenarios – Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs):
▪ RCP 4.5 (Moderate Emissions): fossil fuel dependence peaks in 2040 and declines for the remainder of the century – comparable to SSP 2-

4.5 ▪ RCP 8.5 (Very High Emissions): fossil fuel dependence increases and continues growing higher through the end of the century – comparable to SSP 5-8.5
• NASA Extreme Heat and Social Vulnerability Study:7 2020 study from NASA DEVELOP that produced an urban heat island index based on historical remote sensing data at a very high resolution.
• Central Valley Flood Protection Plan (CVFPP):8 2022 report from California Department of Water Resources (DWR) with projected future flows and water surface elevations for large rivers, including the American and Sacramento Rivers.

All these datasets use the statistical downscaling method of localized constructed analogs, which refines coarse global climate model (GCM) outputs to more fine-grained data to better represent local conditions. LOCA2 improves upon the previous iteration by better simulating extreme events, particularly for precipitation, based on improved spatial pattern analysis and updated baseline data upon which the projections are trained. This data underpins the National Climate Assessments, and the California-specific LOCA2 data was used in the most recent California Climate Assessment. The following sections contain the results of the analyses.

7 As of April 2025, due to ongoing changes in the federal administration, this dataset is no longer publicly available and was not able to be used in its entirety.
8 https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Flood-Management/Flood-Planning-and-Studies/Central-Valley-Flood- Protection-Plan
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1.1 Extreme Heat
The LOCA2 Hybrid data was used to project future conditions for extreme heat for dry bulb temperature thresholds (those that only consider air temperature) and heat index (which considers both air temperature and humidity). The prior generation of data was used in conjunction with the CHAT tool to project heat health events.

Under all emissions scenarios and for every future time period, the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events is projected to increase. The sensitivities discussed in the previous section related to heat will all be exacerbated to some degree in the future. As the effects of extreme heat grow more frequent and intense, vulnerable populations, those with underlying health conditions, households without cars, and people without access to regular cooling will be at the greatest risk.

From waiting at the bus stop in warmer temperatures to missing work due to transit delays because of malfunctioning equipment, impacts on transit riders will vary. A study published in 2024 by researchers from Arizona State University and the University of Texas at Austin found that extreme heat, particularly when combined with humidity (heat index), makes people more likely to stay indoors, avoid non-essential travel, and travel in early morning or late evening rather than mid-day.9 The study also found that public transit trips decrease by nearly 50% on extremely hot days and car trips (with reliable air conditioning in personal vehicles) increase, presenting significant challenges for public transit. This impact could make it more challenging for the region to achieve its goals for mode shift toward more public transit and active transportation.

1.1.1 Temperature Thresholds
Five different temperature thresholds were selected for analysis in this assessment based on a combination of the feedback received in interviews and high impact thresholds for transportation infrastructure. The thresholds were selected with the following reasoning:
• 80°F – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards for outdoor worker safety measures implemented10
• 90°F – General infrastructural impacts to roads, rails, bridges, and vehicles11

9 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1361920924003882 10 https://www.dir.ca.gov/title8/3395.html
11 https://nca2009.globalchange.gov/transportation/index.html#:~:text=and%20safety.2 -, Extreme%20Temperatures%20and%20Drought,snow%20and%20ice%20removal%20costs.&text=Increases %20in%20very%20hot%20days,rail%20closures%20in%20affected%20areas 10 | P a g e

• 95°F – OSHA standards for outdoor worker safety measures implemented;12 minor City contractor work restrictions13
• 100°F – SacRT overhead catenary system (OCS) speed restrictions;14 general infrastructural impacts to equipment;15 DPW worker health concern threshold noted in staff interview; SacRT Facilities CNG compressor malfunction threshold noted in staff interview
• 104°F – SacRT warping of light rail tracks threshold noted in staff interview; threshold of extreme heat as defined by the CAAP VA (103.8°F) The results of this analysis are shown in Table 2. As expected, the number of average annual days above each threshold increases over the coming century for each scenario, with greater intensity under the higher emissions scenarios. For example, there has been a historical average of six days with temperatures at or above 104°F. This is projected to increase to 27 days per year, by the 2080s under the ‘high’ emissions scenario, or 39 days under the ‘very high’ emissions scenario. The thresholds were calculated individually, not categorically, meaning that a day of 92°F will count as both a day over 80°F and a day over 90°F. Maps are available in the appendix.

Table 2. Average annual number of days over thresholds ranging from 80°F to 104°F. Values shown are the 50th percentile, and the 10th and 90th percentiles are italicized in parentheses to provide uncertainty bounds16 Annual
Average Days
Over
Historical
2050s 2080s
SSP 2-4.5 SSP 3-7.0 SSP 5-8.5 SSP 2-4.5 SSP 3-7.0 SSP 5-8.5 80°F 148 days
167 days
(161-
175)
168 days
(147-
175)
174 days
(164-
177)
177 days
(165-
180)
182 days
(132-
193)
192 days
(177-
199)
90°F 80 days 104 days
(97-110)
105 days
(93-111)
111 days
(102-
117)
116 days
(104-
123)
121 days
(92-138)
135 days
(127-
147)
95°F 44 days 67 days
(61-74)
69 days
(60-74)
74 days
(67-81)
78 days
(67-89)
85 days
(68-103)
101 days
(92-117)
100°F 17 days 33 days
(28-40)
34 days
(29-39)
40 days
(31-44)
42 days
(32-53)
50 days
(40-64)
66 days
(49-78)
104°F 6 days 14 days
(11-20)
15 days
(11-19)
19 days
(12-22)
20 days
(14-28)
27 days
(19-37)
39 days
(23-49)

12 https://www.dir.ca.gov/title8/3395.html
13 https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/dou/Specifications_FINAL2020.pdf 14 https://www.sacrt.com/light-rail-service-disruption-faqs/ 15 https://nca2009.globalchange.gov/transportation/index.html#:~:text=and%20safety.2 -, Extreme%20Temperatures%20and%20Drought,snow%20and%20ice%20removal%20costs.&text=Increases %20in%20very%20hot%20days,rail%20closures%20in%20affected%20areas 16 For a more visual summary of extreme heat projections, the CAAP VA Figures 2 -2, 2-3, 2-4, and 2-5 visually show extreme heat projections for a single climate model for RCP 8.5. 11 | P a g e

1.1.2 Extreme Heat & Humidity (Heat Index)
Heat index, a measure combining air temperature and relative humidity, is particularly useful for measuring public health impacts of extreme heat. The National Weather Service (NWS) categorizes public health impacts of heat index temperatures in four classifications based on the relationship between relative humidity and air temperature (Figure 2), each with different impacts on physical health (Figure 3).17 Vulnerable populations are particularly susceptible to high heat index temperatures.

Figure 2. National Weather Service heat index chart

Figure 3. Heat index classifications and the impacts on human health

17 The heat index was calculated using the National Weather Service’s methodology for heat index calculation utilizing the Rothfusz and Steadman equations and adjustments https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/heatindex_equation.shtml

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Table 3 indicates the projected number of days within each of the four NWS heat index classifications. Days are categorized by health classification and are not counted cumulatively as in the previous section of air temperature thresholds. The projected number of days in the ‘Caution (80°F – 90°F)’ classification decreases into the future; however, this occurs as warmer temperatures shift ‘Caution’ days into the ‘Extreme Caution’ or ‘Danger’ classifications. For example, a day that would previously have been 85°F but now reaches 95°F is classified in the ‘Extreme Caution (90°F – 103°F)’ category instead. Days in the last category, ‘Extreme Danger (> 125°F),’ are rare on average even by the 2080s in the extremely high emissions scenario.

It is important to note that these projections estimate average conditions. Due to weather variability, most years will fall either below or above the thresholds presented.

Table 3. Average annual number of days within each of the four National Weather Service heat index classifications. Total days in all categories combined are calculated in the bottom row to show the upward trend even though categorizations of days may vary. Values shown are the 50th percentile, and the 10th and 90th percentiles are italicized in parentheses.

The following maps depict the historical conditions and projections for the 2050s and 2080s based on SSP 3-7.0 for the average annual number of days in category ‘Danger (103°F-125°F)’.

Classification Historical 2050s 2080s
SSP 2-4.5 SSP 3-7.0 SSP 5-8.5 SSP 2-4.5 SSP 3-7.0 SSP 5-8.5 Caution
(80°F-90°F) 81 days 74 days
(70-77)
73 days
(59-78)
70 days
(66-75)
70 days
(66-74)
65 days
(39-70)
61 days
(55-68)
Extreme
Caution
(90°F-103°F)
54 days 69 days
(62-76)
66 days
(60-76)
75 days
(65-83)
72 days
(66-83)
69 days
(48-83)
73 days
(66-84)
Danger
(103°F-125°F) 4 days 17 days
(11-28)
16 days
(12-30)
21 days
(14-33)
24 days
(17-37)
35 days
(23-46)
52 days
(29-65)
Extreme
Danger
(> 125°)
0 days 0 days
(0-3)
0 days
(0-2)
0 days
(0-3)
0 days
(0-3)
0 days
(0-6)
1 day
(0-10)
Total (Days
Above 80°F) 139 days 160 days
(143-184)
155 days
(131-186)
166 days
(145-194)
166 days
(149-197)
169 days
(110-205)
187 days
(150-227)
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Map 1. Historical annual average number of days with a heat index between 103- 125°F

Map 2. 2050s high emissions scenario (SSP 3-7.0) projected annual average number of days with a heat index between 103-125°F

Map 3. 2080s high emissions scenario (SSP 3-7.0) projected annual average number of days with a heat index between 103-125°F

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1.1.3 Heat Health
Extreme heat events have significant implications for public health, particularly among vulnerable populations with limited access to indoor cooling resources. Increased emergency room visits and hospitalizations associated with extreme heat, or heat health events, were analyzed using the CHAT tool.

Heat health events are warm weather periods lasting two or more days associated with significant negative public health impacts. Table 4 shows projections of the annual number of days with heat health events.18 Major increases in the number of days with heat health events in Sacramento are expected as the century progresses.

Table 4. Number of days with heat health events for the general population. Projected values shown are the minimum and maximum of the 5 model results presented by CHAT. Table shows averages across Sacramento census tracts.

1.1.4 Urban Heat Island (UHI) Index
Urban areas often experience higher ambient temperatures than surrounding regions due to the concentration of buildings, pavement, and limited vegetation—an effect known as the urban heat island (UHI). To assess this phenomenon, the 2020 NASA DEVELOP Extreme Heat and Social Vulnerability study19 produced a fine-scale daytime Urban Heat Island Index using historical remote sensing data. This index quantifies relative differences in surface temperature, in degrees Fahrenheit, across the urban landscape, to identify localized hotspots of elevated heat exposure.

Map 4 shows cooler areas are generally found where there is greater vegetation and nearby water features, such as the American River Parkway and the Sacramento River corridor.

Parks, golf courses, and cemeteries often serve as localized cool spots within the urban landscape. In contrast, the hottest zones are concentrated along major transportation corridors and densely built urban areas, including Franklin Boulevard, Stockton Boulevard, Freeport Boulevard, and Del Paso Boulevard. Notably, the light rail line and Sacramento Executive Airport are among the most heat-intense locations. The highest temperatures

18 The number of days of heat health events was calculated by taking the product of the average annual heat health events and average annual duration of heat health events for each percentile model. 19 https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20210013844/downloads/2020Fall_LaRC_Sacramento UrbanDevelopment_TechPaper_FD-final.docx.pdf
Heat Health Events Historical
2050s 2080s
RCP 4.5 RCP 8.5 RCP 4.5 RCP 8.5
Average Days per Year 5 days 19 – 48 days 24 - 91 days 25 - 96 days 56 - 113 days 15 | P a g e

within the study area are found in industrial zones such as Florin Fruitridge Industrial Park, Erikson Industrial Park, and Pell-Main Industrial Park.

Map 4. UHI index for Sacramento in degrees Fahrenheit

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1.2 Wind
Wind speed data was gathered from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 7-22 Hazard Tool, which provides location-specific hazard data based on commonly used design standards for buildings.20,21 Table 5 shows wind speeds for gusts lasting for 3 seconds by return period (i.e. the average period of time between wind speeds of that magnitude occurring).

Table 5. ASCE 7-22 3-second wind gusts in wind speed miles per hour (Vmph) by return period for Sacramento Return Period Wind Speed (3-Second Gust)
10-Year 65 Vmph
25-Year 71 Vmph
50-Year 75 Vmph
100-Year 80 Vmph
300-Year 88 Vmph
700-Year 94 Vmph

Future changes in extreme wind are not assessed in this VA. Projections were not readily available, and accurately assessing how future climate conditions affect extremely strong short bursts of wind (e.g., 3-second gusts) is difficult given the high temporal and spatial resolution of modeling needed.

1.3 Heavy Precipitation
Historical data for precipitation return periods (i.e., a 100-year storm), or annual exceedance probabilities (i.e., a 1% chance annual storm – an alternative way of referring to return periods), was obtained from a historical extreme precipitation dataset from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Atlas-14.22

20 The ASCE risk delineations, from 1 to 4, provide a scale of criticality of infrastructure. A risk level of 4, the highest, was assumed in the generation of the wind data. https://ascehazardtool.org/ 21 The City’s design standards require that residential buildings must withstand up to 110 mph winds.

The City’s design standards for commercial buildings vary from 90 mph to 105 mph winds, depending on risk category. See: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/community-development/building/plan-review/design- criteria. For traffic signals and utility poles, standards typically align with Caltrans Standard Plans, which require design for 3-second gusts up to 100 mph or more, depending on location and configuration. See:
https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-
media/programs/engineering/documents/standardplanuserguides/signsohstructures/201901ugspsectesele ctricalsystemspolespostsstandardsa11y.pdf.
22 Given the robust nature of the LOCA2 Hybrid projections, additional bias correction was not conducted on any of the metrics calculated except for heavy precipitation. It was completed for this metric because the calculation of return period storms incorporates extreme value analysis, so additional processing to correct potential biases in the model is warranted. The distribution of the historical data in the LOCA2 dataset was

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The projected increases in extreme precipitation events indicate a greater likelihood of severe flooding that can damage infrastructure and cause service delays relative to historical conditions. These disruptions have direct consequences for vulnerable populations with limited mobility and no alternative transportation options, who are more likely to rely on active or public transit and have fewer resources to adapt. The results are shown in Table 6. Maps are available in the appendix.

Table 6. Precipitation depth for various return periods of a 24-hour storm. Values shown are the 50th percentile, and the 10th and 90th percentiles are italicized in parentheses to provide uncertainty bounds.

compared to the NOAA Atlas-14 data; although the difference was not very large, it was significant enough to justify its use, even with the 1.13 ratio adjustment recommended by NOAA to transform daily data into 24 - hour data. A delta bias correction method was employed, applying the modeled difference between historical and future modeled data to the NOAA Atlas -14 data.

Return
Period Historical 2050s 2080s
SSP 2-4.5 SSP 3-7.0 SSP 5-8.5 SSP 2-4.5 SSP 3-7.0 SSP 5-8.5 2-Year 2.1 in
(1.9-2.3)

2.1 in
(1.9-2.6)

2.1 in
(1.9-2.5)

2.1 in
(1.9-2.4)

2.3 in
(1.9-2.7)

2.3 in
(2.0-2.6)

2.2 in
(1.9-2.8)
5-Year 2.7 in
(2.4-3.0)

2.8 in
(2.4-3.5)

2.7 in
(2.4-3.3)

2.7 in
(2.3-3.3)

2.9 in
(2.4-3.6)

3.0 in
(2.5-3.5)

2.9 in
(2.4-3.7)
10-Year 3.1 in
(2.8-3.6)

3.3 in
(2.8-4.4)

3.3 in
(2.9-4.0)

3.2 in
(2.7-4.0)

3.5 in
(2.8-4.4)

3.6 in
(3.0-4.3)

3.5 in
(2.9-4.6)
25-Year 3.8 in
(3.3-4.4)

4.1 in
(3.3-5.8)

4.0 in
(3.3-5.1)

4.0 in
(3.2-5.2)

4.3 in
(3.3-5.6)

4.4 in
(3.6-5.6)

4.3 in
(3.4-5.9)
50-Year 4.3 in
(3.6-5.1)

4.8 in
(3.7-6.9)

4.6 in
(3.7-6.0)

4.6 in
(3.6-6.1)

4.9 in
(3.7-6.6)

5.2 in
(4.0-6.7)

5.0 in
(3.8-7.0)
100-Year 4.8 in
(4.0-5.9)

5.5 in
(4.1-8.3)

5.3 in
(4.1-7.0)

5.3 in
(4.0-7.3)

5.6 in
(4.2-7.9)

6.0 in
(4.5-8.1)

5.7 in
(4.3-8.3)
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1.4 Large River Flows
The city faces significant flood risks from the American and Sacramento Rivers, and these risks are expected to increase as the climate changes and the region continues to develop.

Major flooding resulting from a levee failure or similar event would lead to widespread damage and likely loss of life and injury. Much of the system would become impassable, disrupting regular travel patterns and potentially hindering evacuation and emergency response efforts.

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Central Valley Flood Protection Plan (CVFPP) 2022 Update performed extensive analysis of current and future flood risks in the Central Valley, including in the Sacramento area.23 The next several figures summarize information about current and projected future flows and flood depths on the American and Sacramento Rivers, as well as projections of flood damage and loss of life associated with levee failure along these rivers. The figures in this section are from the CVFPP Technical Analyses Summary Report and Appendices.24
The climate projections used in the CVFPP leverage LOCA CMIP5 projections for a number of climate models for both RCP 4.5 (moderate emissions) and RCP 8.5 (very high emissions).25, 26 Low, medium, and high climate scenarios were created based on these downscaled projections. The analysis focused on a 2022 baseline and a 2072 horizon year, encompassing a 50-year time period.

These projections were used in hydrologic modeling that accounts for changes in atmospheric variables such as precipitation and temperature, and hydrologic variables such as runoff and snowpack, across the large drainage basins that feed the major rivers in the Central Valley, including the Sacramento and American Rivers. This modeling was used to develop climate change ratios that represent the proportion of future flows (with climate change) to current flows. Larger ratios represent larger expected increases in flows. For example, a ratio of 1.0 indicates no change, and a ratio of 1.5 indicates a 50% increase.

The next two figures show climate change ratios for unregulated flows (i.e., flows uninterrupted by dams). These were then converted into regulated flow projections for use in the risk analysis. The figures depict ratios for 3-day duration flow events for different

23 https://water.ca.gov/Programs/Flood-Management/Flood-Planning-and-Studies/Central-Valley-Flood- Protection-Plan
24 https://water.ca.gov/-/media/DWR-Website/Web-Pages/Programs/Flood-Management/Flood-Planning- and-Studies/Central-Valley-Flood-Protection-Plan/Files/CVFPP-Updates/2022/FINAL-2022-CVFPP- Technical-Analysis-Summary-Report.pdf
25 CVFPP 2022 Update Technical Appendix A. Climate Change Analysis 26 The LOCA CMIP5 projections are the same utilized in the CHAT tool. 19 | P a g e

exceedance intervals. The different colors correspond with the three different climate scenarios. Figure 4 shows ratios for the American River below Folsom Dam, and Figure 5 shows ratios for the Sacramento River below Sacramento Weir. Both curves show high ratios for more frequent events (e.g., a 2-year exceedance interval), with a relatively wide spread between the three scenarios. The ratios decrease and converge for lower probability events (e.g., a 100-year exceedance interval) but remain above one, implying that, for a 3-day flow duration, future extreme flows (e.g., in 2072) will be higher than current extreme flows of the same exceedance interval.

Figure 4.Climate Change Ratios of unregulated flows by Exceedance Interval and Climate Scenario, 3-Day Duration, American River below Folsom Dam (CVFPP Technical Appendix B)

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Figure 5. Climate Change Ratios of unregulated flows by Exceedance Interval and Climate Scenario, 3-Day Duration, American River below Folsom Dam (CVFPP Technical Appendix B) The next several figures show results from risk modeling for different areas that include the city. The analysis incorporates current and future flows and flood elevations, potential for levee failure, and other data to model expected annualized loss of life and damages due to flood events. The results include both with and without the State Systemwide Investment Approach (SSIA), a collection of investments and management strategies to mitigate flood risk in the Central Valley. These results are referred to as “with” or “without project.”27 Map 5 shows the three geographies, or impact areas, from the CVFPP that are summarized in this Vulnerability Assessment (Natomas, Sacramento North, and Sacramento South).

The CVFPP assesses flood risk for each impact area associated with levee failure at one or two locations called index points. For the purposes of this Vulnerability Assessment, if

27 Chapter 3 of the CVFPP delves further into the SSIA and how flood risk may evolve with and without it. More information on ongoing investments can be found on the California Natural Resources Agency website:
https://bondaccountability.resources.ca.gov/Program/ProgramDetail/57?PropositionPK=5

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there are two index points associated with a given impact area, the highest-impact index point was selected.

Map 5. CVFPP impact areas most relevant for SacAdapt (CVFPP Technical Appendix D)

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The next several tables show the relationship between annual exceedance probability (AEP),28 flows in cubic feet per second (cfs), water surface elevations (WSE) in feet,29 and levee failure probabilities.

Table 7 focuses on Natomas and shows different WSEs associated with different AEPs and then different levee failure probabilities associated with different WSEs.

Table 7. Natomas (SAC36) AEPs, WSEs and levee failure probabilities at higher impact index point (SAC36) (CVFPP Technical Appendix D)

Table 8 focuses on South Sacramento and shows different flows associated with different AEPs, then different flows associated with different WSEs, and finally different levee failure probabilities associated with different WSEs. Table 9 shows the same information for North Sacramento.

28 AEPs are another way of describing return periods. For example, a 100 -year return period event has an AEP of 0.01, or a 1% chance of occurring annually; a 50-year return period event has an AEP of 0.02, or a 2% chance of occurring annually.
29 Given in North American Vertical Datum of 1988

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Table 8. South Sacramento (SAC40) AEPs, Flows, WSEs and levee failure probabilities at higher impact index point (SAC40) (CVFPP Technical Appendix D)

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Table 9. North Sacramento (SAC63) AEPs, Flows, WSEs and levee failure probabilities at higher impact index point (SAC63) (CVFPP Technical Appendix D)

Table 10 summarizes the expected annual damage (EAD) for 2022 and 2072, with and without project, for the three climate scenarios. It is organized by impact area and contains results for the higher impact index point at each of these areas. The expected annual damage reflects both the very low probability of levee failure and the high consequences when failure does occur.

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Table 10. Expected Annual Damage in thousands of January 2021 dollars by Impact Area and higher impact Index Point (CVFPP Technical Appendix C)
Impact Area (and
Index Point)
2022
Without-
Project
(WoP)
2072
WoP
Climate
Change-
Low
2072
WoP
Climate
Change-
Medium
2072
WoP
Climate
Change-
High
2022
With-
Project
(WP)
2072 WP
Climate
Change-
Low
2072 WP
Climate
Change-
Medium
2072 WP
Climate
Change-
High
Natomas (SAC36) 3,720 5,567 6,761 11,069 3,520 3,250 3,618 4,676 North Sacramento
(SAC40) 5,809 7,916 8,546 9,332 5,809 6,589 7,051 7,373 South Sacramento
(SAC63) 45,994 93,447 99,093 142,194 43,282 71,396 73,606 111,280 Focusing on the ‘without-project’ alternative, with current climate conditions, annualized damages are $3.7 million for Natomas, $5.8 million for North Sacramento, and $46.0 million for South Sacramento (in 2021 dollars). Depending on the climate scenario, these annualized damages are expected to increase from 2022 to 2072 by 50-198% for Natomas, 36-61% for North Sacramento, and 103-209% for South Sacramento. With the SSIA project in 2072, damages are generally expected to increase less compared to the 2022 without- project baseline. Percent changes from 2022 without-project to 2072 with-project are 13- 26% for Natomas, 13-27% for North Sacramento, and 55-142% for South Sacramento.

Table 11 shows the breakdown of damages by type for the 2022 without-project baseline.

Streets and highways make up a comparatively small proportion of damages according to the CVFPP modeling.

Table 11. 2022 Without Project Expected Annual Damage by Damage Category in thousands of January 2021 dollars (CVFPP Technical Appendix C)
Damage Category Natomas (SAC36) North Sacramento (SAC40) South Sacramento (SAC63) Business Loss 7 14 93
Commercial Structures 404 999 7,137
Crops 8 0 1
Emergency Costs 60 98 887
Highways 9 6 98
Industrial Structures 611 396 4,639
Public Structures 178 585 2,496
Residential Structures 2,215 3,347 27,184
Streets 22 38 293
Vehicles 206 327 3,165
Total 3,720 5,809 45,994
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Table 12 summarizes the expected annual loss of life (EALL)30 for 2022 and 2072, with and without project, for the three climate scenarios. It is organized by impact area and contains results for the higher impact index point at each of these areas.

Table 12. Expected Annual Loss of Life in number of persons by Impact Area and higher impact Index Point (CVFPP Technical Appendix C)
Impact Area (and
Index Point)
2022
Without-
Project
(WoP)
2072
WoP
Climate
Change-
High
2072
WoP
Climate
Change-
Low
2072
WoP
Climate
Change-
Medium
2022
With-
Project
(WP)
2072 WP
Climate
Change-
Low
2072 WP
Climate
Change-
Medium
2072 WP
Climate
Change-
High
Natomas (SAC36) 1.1 3.2 1.7 2.0 1.1 1.2 1.4 1.7
North Sacramento
(SAC40) 2.6 4.4 3.7 4.0 2.6 3.3 3.6 3.8
South Sacramento
(SAC63) 12.7 34.4 23.1 25.0 12.7 19.2 20.3 28.8

Focusing on the without-project alternative, with current climate conditions, annualized losses of life are 1.1 persons for Natomas, 2.6 persons for North Sacramento, and 12.7 persons for South Sacramento. Depending on the climate scenario, these annualized losses are expected to increase from 2022 to 2072 by 55-191% for Natomas, 42-69% for North Sacramento, and 82-171% for South Sacramento. With the SSIA project in 2072, losses of life are generally expected to increase less compared to the 2022 without-project baseline. Percent changes from 2022 without-project to 2072 with-project are 9-55% for Natomas, 27-46% for North Sacramento, and 51-127% for South Sacramento.

1.5 Wildfire
Although wildfires are relatively unlikely to ignite within Sacramento City limits, they can have far-reaching impacts from elsewhere in the state and cause public health concerns with high levels of air pollution from wildfire smoke. Exposure to wildfire smoke is associated with a range of health impacts, particularly for vulnerable populations, including exacerbation of existing respiratory diseases like asthma, adverse birth outcomes, and cardiovascular health events.31 Active transportation users and people who

30 EALL is the average loss of life experienced in a given year. It accounts for both the probability of a loss event occurring and the magnitude of the loss when it occurs. Because EALL is an average, it can include decimals.
31 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9076366/#:~:text=Exposure%20to%20wildfire%20 smoke%20is,birth%20outcomes%2C%20and%20cardiovascular%20events . 27 | P a g e

use public transit as their primary or only method of transportation are more likely to experience negative outcomes as they will have more exposure to smoke.

Map 6. CalFire Fire Severity Zones32

32 CalFire Fire Hazard Severity Zones

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2. Potential Transportation Damage Types
To understand agency concerns regarding extreme weather impacts to transportation assets, key staff from various City of Sacramento departments and offices – including the Public Works Department, Office of Emergency Management (OEM), and Department of Utilities (DOU) – and the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) provided feedback through interviews and a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). In both the TAC meetings and staff interviews, the primary extreme weather concerns were extreme heat, heavy precipitation and flooding, and wind. Indirect impacts from wildfire were also discussed but, given the relatively lower wildfire risk in the city, it was not covered heavily in this section.33
TAC members were polled on level of concern for each hazard. Results are shown in Figure

6. The most concerning hazard was extreme heat by a significant margin, though nearly half of the TAC members were either ‘very concerned’ or ‘extremely concerned’ with all four hazards discussed: flooding, extreme heat, wind, and fire.

Figure 6. TAC member level of concern by hazard (percent). Hazards were ranked individually, not relatively

33 That said, some staff identified concerns about trees with decorative lighting catching on fire.

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Specific concerns for the City and SacRT are described in the sections below. While some of the issues discussed affect many aspects of the city, the descriptions focus primarily on the transportation system in the study area (i.e., all transportation assets within City boundaries, and SacRT light rail and key transit facilities outside City boundaries).

Emergency management issues are considered throughout, as transportation infrastructure is a critical conduit for emergency response for evacuation route accessibility, emergency vehicle mobility, and coordination of multi-agency response during extreme weather and climate-related incidents. The public health impacts to travelers are another important consideration.

Table 13 provides a qualitative summary of the level of concern for each damage type based on staff feedback. The “Agency Ability to Adapt” column is a qualitative summary of the feasibility of the City or SacRT to directly address the damage type and mitigate risk, and does not reflect the current availability of funding to implement recommended adaptation measures. For damage types with relatively low Agency Ability to Adapt, either the City or SacRT do not have many options to reduce the risk, even if funding was available (e.g., neither the City nor SacRT directly manage the power grid). That said, funding will be a key constraint and consideration with all strategies (unless the strategy has no upfront cost and immediate savings).
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Table 13. Summary of transportation damage types, level of concern, and ability to adapt, classified as low, medium, or high
Damage Type Level of Concern Agency Ability to
Adapt
Extreme Heat
Outdoor Traveler Comfort and Health High Low-Moderate
Outdoor Workers Health High High
Pavement Moderate High
SacRT Light Rail Tracks Low High
Power Distribution System for SacRT High High
Overhead Catenary System (OCS) for SacRT High High
SacRT Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Plant Low High
HVAC Systems Moderate Moderate
Signage Moderate-High Moderate
Extreme Wind
Crossing Gate Arms and other SacRT
Infrastructure
Low High
Traffic Signals, Streetlights, and Other City
Infrastructure
Moderate Moderate-High
Flooding and Heavy Precipitation
Levee Failure High Moderate
Roadways, Railways, and Shared Use Paths Moderate Low-Moderate Underground/At-Grade Telecommunications
and Electrical Infrastructure
Low Moderate
Transit Facility Damage Moderate-High Moderate
Bridge Damage Moderate High
Wildfire
Smoke Impacts to Travelers High Low
Multiple Hazards
Power Grid Failure High Low-Moderate

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2.1 Extreme Heat

2.1.1 Heat and Outdoor Traveler Comfort and Health
Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
Traveler Health

Extreme Heat

☒ City of
Sacramento
☒ SacRT
Level of Concern = High
Agency Ability to Manage = Low-Moderate

• Brief Description: Heat, particularly when combined with humidity, can affect the health of travelers, particularly those that are walking, bicycling, scooting, or riding transit. It can cause heat-related illness, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, respiratory problems, and exacerbation of pre-existing medical conditions including, but not limited to, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory disease.
• Assets/System Components/Users Affected: People riding transit, walking, or biking, particularly vulnerable populations. Populations at high risk, as identified in the CAAP VA, include children (14 and younger), older adults (65 and older), people with disabilities, low-income households, outdoor workers, cost-burdened households, households living in substandard housing conditions, linguistically isolated households, and communities of color.34
• Locations Affected: Throughout the study area. Some areas of the city are more affected than others by extreme heat due to the urban heat island effect, which refers to the increased temperatures that urban areas with high amounts of impervious surfaces, like pavement and roadways, experience compared to rural areas. Sidewalks, roads, and bicycle facilities that are not shaded by trees or other structures are more heavily impacted. Similarly, bus stops without shelters or canopy coverage are similarly impacted. Light rail stations have larger shade structures and are less severely impacted, although ambient air temperatures will still impact transit users.
• Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: High.
o The majority of bus routes operate at 30-minute headways, so people may be waiting for 30 minutes at a bus stop, and possibly longer for routes with

34 https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/cdd/Planning/General -Plan/07Redlined-Version- of-the-revised-Draft-Climate-Action--Adaptation-Plan.pdf

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poor on-time performance. As a result, transit riders are exposed to the heat for prolonged periods, with possible direct sun exposure. o Approximately 30% of sidewalks citywide are shaded by existing overhead tree canopy. Coverage is highest in neighborhoods such as Downtown Sacramento, East Sacramento, and Land Park, and lowest in North Sacramento, South Sacramento, and the Fruitridge/Broadway corridor.

Shared-use bike paths have about 19% canopy coverage. On-street bike lanes 12% canopy coverage.35
o Discomfort and potential health risks as a result of extreme heat exposure will decrease mode shift to active and public transportation. This reduced mode shift will impact the ability to reach local and regional greenhouse gas emission goals, as identified in the CAAP.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: Low to moderate. o Bus shelters can provide a limited amount of shade coverage at a transit stop. At crowded stops, a single shelter may not be sufficient. Additionally, bus shelters do not shade transit riders while traveling to and from the stop.

Bus shelters can be very costly to install due to material costs, as well as costs to redesign infrastructure to maintain ADA accessibility at and around bus stops.
o Trees can provide shade at bus stops and along sidewalks and bicycle facilities. Consideration must be given to the type of tree, maintenance impacts, planting area (including sufficient soil space to allow trees to establish without damaging streets and sidewalks), irrigation infrastructure, and planting location (e.g., preferably to the west or south of the asset). o Hydration and misting stations can mitigate heat stress on active and public transportation users. Hydration and misting stations can be costly to install as the result of needed water and power connections.
o Strategies that speed up bus and light rail service (e.g., transit signal priority, bus rapid transit), thus decreasing waiting times at transit stations, can mitigate the heat exposure to transit users.
• Ongoing Actions:
o SacRT was recently awarded a grant to procure and install heat-resilient bus shelters at up to 20 shelter-ready36 bus stop locations that were identified in

35 https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/pw/Transportation/Public%20Draft%20Tree%20Op portunity%20Analysis%20Results.pdf
36 A shelter ready bus stop has an existing concrete pad that is large enough to support a shelter. 33 | P a g e

a previous study. The grant will fund the study of heat-resilient shelter options and designs, in addition to the installation of these new bus shelters. o The City of Sacramento has an approved street tree list. The Urban Forest Plan includes a recommendation to update the tree list with more climate resilient trees.
o The City’s Street Design Standards are undergoing an update, which will include new requirements around street trees.
o The City is launching a heat mitigation project to develop minimum tree planting requirements for new development and update design guidelines to incorporate heat-resilient strategies for private development.

2.1.2 Heat and Outdoor Worker Health
Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
Worker Health

Extreme Heat

☒ City of
Sacramento
☒ SacRT
Level of Concern = High
Agency Ability to Manage = High

• Brief Description: Heat can significantly impact the health of the workforce, particularly for maintenance workers or emergency response crews who must be outdoors in inclement conditions.
• Assets/System Components/Users Affected: Workforce. Outdoor workers from vulnerable communities are at greater risk.
• Locations Affected: Throughout the study area.
• Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: High.
o Several agency officials interviewed noted heat as a significant threat to outdoor worker health but have implemented strategies and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations that mitigate much of the impact.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: High.
o Training is conducted regularly to ensure that there are adequate supplies (e.g., ice machines, sunscreen, Gatorade, canopies, etc.) and understanding of the signs of heat illness. Workers themselves are encouraged to self- monitor for signs of heat illness. Extra breaks are provided when temperatures reach certain levels.

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o OSHA regulations in California require access to shade starting at 80°F, in addition to other procedures regarding rest, acclimatization, and availability of cold water.
o Maintenance can re-schedule some work to night shifts or early morning shifts to minimize work during times of high heat.

2.1.3 Heat and Asphalt
Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
Roadways

Extreme Heat

☒ City of
Sacramento
☐ SacRT
Level of Concern = Moderate
Agency Ability to Manage = High

• Brief Description: Heat can soften asphalt, making it more susceptible to deterioration and shortening its lifespan. At some intersections, traffic signal loops – systems embedded in asphalt that detect vehicles and/or bicycles – can be destroyed when pavement softens.
• Assets/System Components/Users Affected: Roadway asphalt and shared-use path asphalt.
• Locations Affected: Throughout the city. Chronic rather than acute issue.

Deterioration more likely in areas with heavy truck and bus traffic. Traffic signal loops at older intersections are more susceptible.
• Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: Moderate. o Both engineering and maintenance staff noted that heat does not seem to be a major contributor to decreasing pavement quality, but it may become a future issue as temperatures continue to increase.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: High.
o Maintenance efforts can shave down asphalt to address deformation. o Streets in poor condition can be fully reconstructed; however, this is estimated to be 26 times more expensive than maintaining a good street.37 o Traffic signal loops can be replaced with traffic cameras. • Other notes:

37 https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/pw/Maintenance -Services/Sacramento-2022- Pavement-Update-FINAL.pdf

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o The City’s asphalt pavement design specifications require a similar asphalt binder performance grade as Caltrans.38
o If ambient temperatures are too high, or too low, pavement cannot be placed.
o Increasing temperatures may shorten the season for preventative maintenance.

2.1.4 Heat and SacRT Light Rail Tracks
Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
Rail

Extreme Heat

☐ City of
Sacramento
☒ SacRT
Level of Concern = Low
Agency Ability to Manage = High

• Brief Description: Heat can cause tracks to expand. If not properly managed, this can cause warping or buckling of the tracks, which can lead to train derailment. • Assets/System Components/Users Affected: Light rail tracks. • Locations Affected: Typically, the places where the tracks meet bridges can be trouble spots, though issues can occur throughout the system. Some of these locations are identified in the Exposure Analysis section. • Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: Low.
o Light rail maintenance staff noted that buckling and derailment due to high heat are highly unlikely on SacRT systems, but not impossible, as a result of current preventative maintenance practices. Track-buckling has not happened previously on the SacRT system.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: High.
o Inspections can proactively identify potential issue areas. o Preventative maintenance, e.g., addressing profile issues (tracks not straight and level), and hardening are the preferred methods to mitigate impacts from high temperatures.
o Concerns about warping tracks from extreme heat arise around 104°F- 105°F. These concerns can be managed operationally through slow orders, particularly in certain spots where there is a higher likelihood of issues.

38 Chapter 630 of the Caltrans Highway Design Manual provides detailed information on pavement selection.

See: https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-media/programs/design/documents/chp0630-032020.pdf. Sacramento is in the Inland Valley region for purposes of asphalt binder grade selection.

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However, slow orders result in slower service and impact schedule adherence and service reliability. This creates longer wait times for passengers and increases the amount of time spent outdoors in high heat.

Slow orders can usually be lifted in the evening (e.g., 7pm), but if temperatures do not drop below 70°F at night, slow orders must be implemented for longer periods.
• Other Notes:
o Buckling and derailment is a bigger risk on Class 1 railroads39 where the tonnage is higher. Heavy rail lines utilize heat patrols to mitigate issues. o Rails can break at or under 34°F. Proper maintenance and ultrasonic flaw testing minimize risk. However, this weather hazard is likely to decrease in frequency with warmer temperatures on average.

2.1.5 Heat and Power Distribution System (Substations) for SacRT Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
Substations

Extreme Heat

☐ City of
Sacramento
☒ SacRT
Level of Concern = High
Agency Ability to Manage = High

• Brief Description: SacRT’s all-electric light rail system is powered by multiple substation locations. Extreme heat can cause substations to shut off when in-unit cooling capacity is exceeded in hot conditions. Substations can also go offline if the power grid fails due to extreme heat.
• Assets/System Components/Users Affected: Light rail substations. • Locations Affected: Can occur throughout light rail system. • Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: High.
o During the summer months, substation outages occur regularly. Light rail maintenance staff estimated about one substation outage per week. o Equipment can be damaged from high temperatures, with failure most common during hotter months.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: High, when outage is caused by SacRT equipment failures due to extreme heat. Low, when the result of grid outage.

39 Class 1 railroads are generally the largest in rail networks with high operating revenues. Class 1 railroads are defined as “heavy rail”; SacRT is classified as “light rail”.

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o Operational impacts range from slower train speeds that run behind schedule (i.e., to minimize the electrical load the trains pull from the substations), to smaller train sets (e.g., fewer train cars, again minimizing electrical load required to accelerate), to bus bridges (buses operating between the stations when the light rail cannot).
o Existing equipment redundancies mitigate impacts (e.g., each substation has two air handlers for substation cooling; if there are three substations in a row and the middle substation fails, the outside two can often carry the light rail load). However, when equipment fails, the load requirements increase for the operating equipment, which can lead to subsequent equipment failures.
• Ongoing Actions:
o There is a proposed heat management study to better understand how high temperatures affect the power distribution system and develop improved cooling solutions. Most air conditioning systems procured by SacRT are designed based on American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air- Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standards for the Sacramento area. • Other Notes:
o Crossing cabinets and signal enclosures have air conditioning as well. These are also susceptible to failure, although with a smaller relative impact as compared to substation failure.
o In addition to direct heat impacts on substations, increased energy demand from light rail vehicles requiring more air conditioning can also strain equipment during hot conditions.

2.1.6 Heat and Overhead Catenary System (OCS) for SacRT Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
OCS

Extreme Heat

☐ City of
Sacramento
☒ SacRT
Level of Concern = High
Agency Ability to Manage = High

• Brief Description: The OCS, a system of overhead electrical cables that are used to transmit electricity to power trains via electric propulsion, is metal and therefore expands and contracts due to heat. There are two types of OCS: fixed tension, where lines are tied off at the poles, and constant tension, where tension is kept by

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weighted blocks at the end of lines. Constant tension encounters issues more frequently.
• Assets/System Components/Users Affected: Light rail OCS. • Locations Affected: Can occur throughout light rail system. • Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: High.
o High level of concern, but operational and maintenance strategies mitigate most risk.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: High, in most cases. o SacRT performs inspections often (every section is checked at least once a quarter) and addresses issues to prevent breaks due to heat. Gauges are placed on the contact wire during inspection to measure the level of contact wire wear; when these reach a certain threshold, the contact wire is replaced or other preventative measures are taken.
o For constant tension systems, weighted blocks prevent the contact wire from sagging as temperatures change; but sometimes these assemblies hit the ground if the copper expands too much, at which point not much can be done.
o Slow orders during high heat reduce the stress on the OCS to avoid damage. • Other Notes:
o Ambient temperatures used in design standards are selected by consultants and are based on ASHRAE.
o None of SacRT’s OCS systems have been replaced, or needed to be replaced as of 2025, since installation in the 1980s.

2.1.7 Heat and SacRT Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Plant Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
CNG Plant

Extreme Heat

☐ City of
Sacramento
☒ SacRT
Level of Concern = Low
Agency Ability to Manage = High

• Brief Description: Heat can disrupt SacRT’s CNG plant in midtown, which is currently the main fueling location for much of its fleet. During hot conditions, compressors can overheat, and the plant may need to shut down or trigger pressure release valves.

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• Assets/System Components/Users Affected: SacRT CNG plant and CNG-fueled buses.
• Locations Affected: SacRT CNG plant in midtown.
• Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: Low.
o Compressors overheat each summer about 3-4 times per month. They get back in service relatively quickly, but it is not healthy for the system or the lifespan of the compressors. Temperatures over 100°F are usually where issues start to occur; refueling typically begins at 5pm, so high nighttime temperatures can lead to service delays.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: High.
o Old infrastructure can be replaced. SacRT does not currently have designated funding for this.
o Staff are assigned to monitor the issue.
o Different refueling schedules could be explored, working around high temperature times.

2.1.8 Heat and Transit-Related HVAC Systems
Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
HVAC

Extreme Heat

☐ City of
Sacramento40
☒ SacRT
Level of Concern = Moderate
Agency Ability to Manage = Moderate

• Brief Description: Extreme heat can exacerbate the load on HVAC systems and lead to equipment malfunction.
• Assets/System Components/Users Affected: Facilities, buses, light rail vehicles. • Locations Affected: There are many aging systems throughout SacRT facilities, e.g., the bus maintenance facility at 29th Street.
• Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: Moderate. o OSHA regulations in California include an indoor heat standard, requiring functioning HVAC systems during extreme summer heat.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: Moderate.

40 Hotter conditions will also affect City-owned buildings, but these were not a major focus of this assessment as they are not transportation-specific.

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o Old rooftop units can be replaced with new, more energy efficient systems that can withstand higher temperatures.

2.1.9 Heat and Signage
Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
Signage

Extreme Heat

☒ City of
Sacramento41
☒ SacRT
Level of Concern = Moderate-High
Agency Ability to Manage = Moderate

• Brief Description: Exposure to extreme heat, high temperatures, and direct sunlight damages signage (including traffic control and wayfinding signage); worn and fading signage can make navigation for active transportation users difficult.

Illegible wayfinding signage prevents transit riders from being able to navigate the system resulting in missed trips and unnecessary detours, and faded traffic control signage can pose a direct traffic safety risk.
• Locations affected: Citywide, concentrated around light rail stations and transit centers. Streets and major roadways provide wayfinding to the nearest station/transit center; however, if those are faded and not legible, travelers are not able to determine the direction to transit facilities and services. • Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: Moderate to High. • Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: Moderate.

2.2 Extreme Wind

2.2.1 Wind Impacts to Crossing Gates and other SacRT Infrastructure Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
Infrastructure

Wind

☐ City of
Sacramento
☒ SacRT
Level of Concern = Low
Agency Ability to Manage = High

41 Hotter conditions will also affect City-owned buildings, but these were not a major focus of this assessment as they are not transportation-specific.

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• Brief Description: The primary direct impact of wind on SacRT’s infrastructure is on crossing gates, which wind can bend or break. Wind can also knock down trees or branches, which can block light rail tracks, damage OCS wires, and indirectly result in substations losing power through grid outages.
• Assets/System Components/Users Affected: Light rail crossing gates, OCS. • Locations Affected: Crossing gates in east/west aligned portions of the system are more prone to damage given strong north/south winds, which utilize crossing gates to control north/south traffic. The TAC identified 24 specific locations where crossings have experienced wind damage, the majority of which are on the Gold Line.42
• Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: Low.
o Crossing arm damage often results in a slow down or a stop at the crossing.

The level of damage varies in a given year. In January 2023, when winter storms with heavy winds occurred, an estimated 74 gates were broken or damaged.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: High.
o Branches that can reach OCS wires are trimmed year-round. o Each maintenance person usually carries tools and materials in their trucks for the common equipment that breaks, especially for gates. When grade crossings are damaged by wind, staff prioritize the busiest crossings and key routes for emergency responders. Gate repairs can take place quickly, although some repairs may be postponed after wind events to minimize the potential need for multiple repairs.
o Light rail trains can continue operations using “stop and protect” rules and procedures or with flaggers managing control of the intersection crossings. • Other Notes:
o Clearing downed trees/limbs can take priority over a grade crossing failure if vegetation is on a high voltage conductor.

42 The locations are: Blue Ravine Crossing, Bradshaw Crossing, Butterfield Crossing, Center Parkway Crossing, Florin Perkins, Franklin Crossing, Glenn Crossing, Horn Crossing, Jackson Crossing, Kilgore Crossing, Marketplace Crossing, Mather Crossing, Mayhew Grade Crossing, Mercantile Crossing, Nimbus Crossing, Olsen Crossing, Parkshore Crossing, Richards Crossing, Routier Crossing, S. Watt Crossing, Starfire Crossing, Sunrise Crossing, and Zinfandel Crossing. 42 | P a g e

2.2.2 Wind Impacts to Traffic Signals, Streetlights, and Other City Infrastructure Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
Traffic
Infrastructure

Wind

☒ City of
Sacramento
☐ SacRT
Level of Concern = Moderate
Agency Ability to Manage = Moderate-High

• Brief Description: Wind can bring down large branches or trees, which in turn can damage or destroy traffic signals, streetlights, overhead wires, and other city infrastructure and block vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic. Wind can also crush the hoists used to pull up floodgates and clean their screens. Wind-driven power outages can lead to traffic signal outages and can disrupt pumping stations, leading to flooding in low-lying areas.
• Assets/System Components/Users Affected: Light rail tracks, roadways, sidewalks, shared-use paths, traffic signal infrastructure, pumps. • Locations Affected: Trees weakened by disease, decay, drought or previous damage are particularly vulnerable to limb drop and tree failure, but all infrastructure adjacent to trees may be impacted. Areas with aging signal infrastructure.
• Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: Moderate. o One of the top staff concerns was widespread damage from downed trees as a result of an extreme wind or storm event.
o High consequence impacts from wind events include major roads being blocked by downed trees and power outages that impact pumping stations or traffic signals at major intersections.
o Moderate consequence impacts from wind events can extend for days, or weeks depending on the scale of the event, with tree debris blocking minor roads, bicycle facilities, sidewalks, or shared-use paths. o In 2023, heavy storms with severe winds led to the loss of 3,000 trees in the city, and 99 of 150 pumping stations lost power at some point. Due to the extent of regional damage, some stations were without power for up to three days.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: Moderate to high. o Regular, proactive tree maintenance/trimming and watering is the main way to manage the risk for both city-maintained and private trees.

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o Design standards on vertical infrastructure, like signals and streetlights, can be increased.
o Undergrounding wires can mitigate impacts from downed trees, although these projects are expensive and require partnership with SMUD. o Increased staffing can speed up storm clean-up.
o Battery back-up can be used at traffic signals to make sure they do not “go dark” in a power outage; however, these systems require regular maintenance to ensure reliability in an emergency.
o Back-up generators can power critical pumping stations during outages. • Ongoing Actions:
o City tree crews meet industry recommended maintenance standards, although increased maintenance may help mitigate impacts. o Caltrans sets the signal foundation depth and size standards based on wind loads, and the City chooses to follow these guidelines. Caltrans standards have become more conservative over the years, resulting in a larger base.

Going deeper and wider than current standards would increase costs, require larger sidewalks to maintain ADA compliance around signal poles in sidewalks, and present additional challenges (e.g., with other underground utilities or maintaining Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility design standards).
o 311 is currently used by community members to inform the City of downed branches or trees.
o Currently, not every key pumping site has a dedicated generator, so portable diesel generators are rotated between smaller facilities to maintain levels in the wet wells and avoid flooding/property damage.
o DOU recently completed a study on how to prioritize spending in terms of pumping stations and power outages.
• Other Notes:
o Private trees are the responsibility of private property owners. Trees on private property can fall and block roadways and damage infrastructure, but city crews cannot enter and perform proactive maintenance on trees on private property. This limits the level of control the city has on mitigating incidents of tree conflicts with transportation infrastructure. o Ongoing staffing challenges can also hinder preventative tree maintenance, beyond required industry standards.
o Drought followed by storms can lead to tree failure because roots that are weakened from drought struggle to anchor trees in saturated soils, making them prone to toppling in strong winds.
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2.3 Flooding and Heavy Precipitation
Note: The first subsection briefly describes widespread flood events resulting from levee failure and general strategies for managing that risk that are relevant to SacAdapt. The following subsections discuss impacts to specific parts of the transportation system in more detail. The strategies described in the first subsection can help manage risks to these specific parts of the system but are not repeated in each subsection for the sake of brevity.

2.3.1 Levee Failure and Widespread Flooding
Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
Levees

Flooding &
Heavy Precip

☒ City of
Sacramento
☒ SacRT
Level of Concern = High
Agency Ability to Manage = Moderate

• Brief Description: Flooding
• Assets/System Components/Users Affected: All
• Locations Affected: The majority of the city faces risks from a large-scale flood event (discussed in Section 3.1.1). Significant portions of the city are protected from flooding by the primary and secondary levees; should these levees fail, they would be heavily affected. Other areas, such as portions of Natomas, are in the 100-year floodplain.43
• Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: High.
o While it has a small annual probability, a levee failure along the American or Sacramento Rivers or a nearby canal could be catastrophic and inundate large portions of the city and its transportation infrastructure, making it impassable in many cases. Death and injury to travelers can also occur due to high water.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: Moderate. There are many ways the City and others can, and already do, manage flood risk. However, much of the risk is difficult to mitigate – both because of the potential catastrophic impact from levee failure and due to Sacramento’s flat terrain, which is challenging to drain even

43 Per FEMA, a 100-year floodplain is the boundary of a flood that has at least a 1% chance of occurring in any given year.

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under frequent local flooding events. Some flood management considerations relevant to transportation are:
o Flood monitoring
▪ For larger riverine flooding, the I Street gauge and telemetry monitors Sacramento River levels. The H Street gauge for the American River is less active because of upstream Folsom Dam control, although high Sacramento River levels can backflow to the American River. ▪ The State Water Resources Control Board (WRCB) website also monitors river levels.
▪ Staff coordinate and deploy based on water levels, e.g., for closer monitoring, levee patrol, floodgate deployment. When the I Street gauge gets to 25 ft., the City begins 24/7 monitoring of all levees/streams.
o Evacuation
▪ Major events like levee overtopping would likely happen after a heavy precipitation winter and heavy rain-on-snow in the Sierras. Weather forecasts would serve as a critical tool for providing the advance warning needed to evacuate.
▪ Evacuation routes depend on the hazard and level of advance notice.

Finding the easiest way out of town if a levee breaks is critical. Signal disruptions and/or road inundation will make evacuations more difficult to manage.
▪ Signal timing is one of the main tools to use during evacuations or other events when rerouting traffic is needed. The Traffic Operation Center (TOC) monitors busy intersections in real-time. Most major intersection signals can be managed remotely from the TOC. ▪ The City has an emergency evacuation plan involving multiple agencies, such as OEM, PD, FD, DPW, DOU, SacRT, etc. DPW is involved with closing the roads (with barricades, cones, etc.). ▪ If flooding affects the secondary floodgate system, the City is partnered with SacRT buses to help with evacuation.
▪ Other potential challenges for evacuation include lane reductions (i.e., road diets) and self-driving cars.
o Floodgates
▪ The flood protection system in the Sacramento Region is made up of levees, floodgates, and other components. The City maintains and operates 18 floodgates, which are a critical part of this system. • Ongoing Actions:
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o The DOU Comprehensive Flood Management Plan discusses the City’s strategies to manage flooding in greater detail.
o The Floodgate Modernization and Resilience Project is currently repairing and modernizing ten of the 18 City-operated floodgates. Additional funding will be needed to continue implementing the recommendations identified from the Floodgate Assessment.

2.3.2 Flooding and Roadways, Railways, and Shared Use Paths Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
Roads & Paths

Flooding &
Heavy Precip

☒ City of
Sacramento
☒ SacRT
Level of Concern = Moderate
Agency Ability to Manage = Moderate

• Brief Description: Flooding can inundate, disrupt, and damage linear transportation infrastructure. The magnitude of impacts varies widely in the Sacramento region and includes localized flooding, smaller riverine flooding, and major riverine flooding resulting from levee failure.
• Assets/System Components/Users Affected: Roads, railways, bicycle facilities, sidewalks, shared-use paths, and travelers.
• Locations Affected: The majority of the city.
o In addition to system-wide flood risks, there are specific concerns with localized flooding in low-lying areas because of overloaded, blocked, or inadequate stormwater drainage. These locations are noted in the Exposure Analysis section of this report.
o Although most of Sacramento’s linear infrastructure is not on earthen embankments (including levees), this infrastructure (e.g., certain roadways, many shared-use paths) is susceptible to acute erosion damage from riverine flooding with relatively high velocities.
o Inundation of Discovery Park during significant storm events, or during subsequent dam releases, poses a major barrier to North-South active transportation connections by flooding a shared-use path connection without a nearby alternative route.
o Roadways with high traffic from heavy vehicles— e.g., solid waste trucks, commercial truck traffic, buses, light rail tracks embedded in streets—are more susceptible to pavement deterioration. Areas above hollow sidewalks or other tunnels can also be more susceptible.

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o Flooding can further exacerbate the formation of sinkholes in areas where groundwater levels fluctuate.
• Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: Moderate. o While it has a small annual probability, a levee failure along the American or Sacramento Rivers would be catastrophic and inundate large portions of the city, including transportation infrastructure, making them impassable in many cases and critically disrupting evacuation travel. o Flooding can delaminate pavement acutely when water velocities are higher or, more commonly, accelerate deterioration. Deterioration occurs when water seeps through cracks and gets into the base layer, and is exacerbated by heavy vehicles.
o Most recurring flood issue locations along roadways have shallow and lower velocity water. This can lead to traffic delays due to slower speeds or rerouted traffic. Unlike motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians can be highly impacted even by shallow water depths, particularly in bicycle facilities, curb ramps, and crosswalks.
o Wind can exacerbate impacts during heavy rainstorms if pump station power is disrupted, thus worsening or prolonging localized flooding. o Impacts of regular flooding events include increased maintenance costs and shorter asset lifecycles. This accelerated pavement deterioration impacts year-round travel through slower traffic through areas with lower quality pavement and potential physical barriers to people walking and biking. For light rail, impacts can result in service disruption.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: Moderate. There are many ways the City and others can, and already do, manage flood risk. However, much of the risk is difficult to mitigate – both because of the potential catastrophic impact from levee failure and due to Sacramento’s flat terrain, which is challenging to drain even under frequent local flooding events. Some flood management considerations relevant to transportation are:
o Flood monitoring
▪ For local rainfall/urban runoff, flooding is mostly identified by feedback from O&M staff, 311 calls from community members, or sometimes, through stormwater modeling.
▪ For new infrastructure, the City can check dewatering wells to make sure they are properly managed.
o Evacuation
▪ See previous subsection.
o Internal drainage improvements
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▪ Increasing drainage pipe size of the combined sewer system (CSS) can be helpful.
▪ DOU requires new development projects to submit drainage studies and implement drainage mitigation methods to ensure they do not negatively impact the City’s storm drain system.
▪ Drain inlets can cause localized flooding when leaves and debris block grates. Certain drain inlet styles are more prone to this than others.
▪ Culverts are cleaned out by DPW maintenance staff September to November before the rainy season. More maintenance capacity is needed during this season.
o Land use development
▪ Local flooding can also be caused by homeowners installing non- compliant driveways over drainage ditches.
o Transportation system maintenance
▪ For pavement degradation, maintenance is prioritized where the pavement condition index (PCI) is the worst.
▪ For light rail in areas that get compacted, sometimes SacRT needs to raise the tracks.
• Ongoing Action:
o The DOU Comprehensive Flood Management Plan discusses the City’s strategies to manage flooding in greater detail.
o DOU is required to maintain a level of service for all services including drainage:
▪ Under a 10-year design storm event, streets should be clear of flooding.
▪ For anything above a 10-year design storm event, ponding is expected on streets. Six inches of flooding – which poses barriers to people walking, biking, and driving – is the maximum allowed for a 10-year design storm event. DOU uses a 10-year design storm for its standard pipe design.
▪ For a 100-year design storm event, damage to structures should be prevented.
o The County of Sacramento is updating its design storms to include a future climate hydrology scenario. Once the county adopts these design storms, the City plans to adopt the same ones.
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o Hydraulic modeling has been completed for about half of the basins in the city. The areas where modeling has been completed have generally been those that are at higher risk.
o Implementation of the Streets for People Active Transportation Plan and Transportation Priorities Plan would create greater redundancy in the active transportation network.

2.3.3 Flooding and Underground/At-Grade Telecommunications and Electrical Infrastructure
Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
Electrical
Infrastructure

Flooding &
Heavy Precip

☒ City of
Sacramento
☐ SacRT
Level of Concern = Low
Agency Ability to Manage = Low-Moderate

• Brief Description: Localized or riverine flooding can inundate and destroy underground or at-grade electrical and telecommunications infrastructure. This includes interconnections with the police department and other emergency responders, IT infrastructure, traffic signals, and railway infrastructure. • Assets/System Components/Users Affected: Affected transportation-specific infrastructure includes traffic signals and underground or at-grade SacRT electrical or communications infrastructure, but the issue affects a broader set of assets as described above.
• Locations Affected: More likely to occur in denser urban areas where more infrastructure is underground and in areas susceptible to inundation. Along Freeport Boulevard there is infrastructure that was undergrounded and serves the Police Department; they have lost communication during a flood event for a brief period in the past.
• Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: Low.
o Flooding typically only causes temporary outages, rather than permanent damage to signal equipment.
o Damage could be widespread during a levee breach, though annual probability is very low.
o In cases where signals are disrupted, evacuations can be more difficult to manage. That said, for major widespread flood events, roads being

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inundated may be a larger issue than the signals on those roads not functioning properly.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: Relatively low for a widespread flood event. Moderate for more localized or smaller riverine flooding; can be managed somewhat operationally.
o Some of the infrastructure in the downtown area is in hollow sidewalks which can fill with water in certain areas and is difficult to detect given its age and the fact that it is are underground. After initial flooding, it can be difficult and time-consuming to pinpoint what is still flooded and causing things to shut down.
• Other Notes:
o Traffic signals (and signal boxes) are not designed to account for flooding. However, short-term inundation with stormwater has not created permanent damage in the past, rather just temporary outages.

Waterproofing signal boxes is a possibility, though it may not be cost effective; making them tamper-proof is more of a concern. o Traffic signal elevation and design is not based on climate hazards (for example, a 100-year storm) as there is usually enough time to prepare for storms, close intersections, and implement certain traffic patterns. o Fiber optic cable connects many traffic signals to the TOC, enabling remote signal pattern changing. This signal connection would facilitate an evacuation. Signals that are not connected to fiber, or where signal connection has been lost, can only be changed at the traffic control box at the signal itself. The goal is for every signal to be connected to the TOC. More than half are currently connected. For new developments that will induce traffic, there are usually development fees that fund signal(s).

2.3.4 Flooding and Transit Facility Damage
Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
Facilities

Flooding &
Heavy Precip

☐ City of
Sacramento
☒ SacRT
Level of Concern = Moderate-High
Agency Ability to Manage = Moderate

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• Brief Description: Flooding can damage buildings and their contents, including transit facilities.
• Assets/System Components/Users Affected: SacRT facilities and other transit facilities.
• Locations Affected: Specific locations mentioned by TAC members or other key agency staff include:
o The SacRT bus maintenance facility in midtown has a large amount of underground storage and pathways for stormwater to drain into the facility.

The main building with dispatch has drainage issues. In 2024, a pump in the basement died during one of the heaviest rain events, and stormwater drained into the basement, causing electrical issues.
o Other SacRT facilities, e.g., bus stops, stations, transit centers. o Sacramento Valley Station.
• Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: Moderate to high. o With a levee breach, all SacRT facilities in the downtown area would likely flood.
o Even in a localized flooding event, if the main dispatch building is flooded, it can heavily impact service.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: Moderate.
o SacRT has a second bus maintenance facility in McClellan where buses can be relocated in case of a levee breach. This would allow SacRT to move its vehicles away from downtown flooding and still provide transit service (including emergency service) to the city.
o The majority of the equipment downtown is fixed in place so it would be difficult to move it up above flood levels.
o Emergency drills can improve agency ability to manage these disruptions.

2.3.5 Flooding and Bridge Damage
Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
Bridges

Flooding &
Heavy Precip

☒ City of
Sacramento
☒ SacRT
Level of Concern = Moderate
Agency Ability to Manage = High

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• Brief Description: Flooding can damage road and rail bridges, particularly through scour of abutments or piers.
• Assets/System Components/Users Affected: City and SacRT bridges. • Locations Affected: City bridge inspection data has information on bridges with issues that could make them more susceptible to flooding. The Exposure Analysis section discusses some bridge crossings where flooding occurs. • Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: Moderate. o Bridges can be at risk if they are not well maintained. For instance, one City engineer noted that if channels are not clear of debris, particularly at piers, it can essentially dam water and put more pressure on the structure. o Neither City nor SacRT engineering staff noted recent major flood damage at bridges.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: High.
o Caltrans performs bridge inspections every other year and sends them to the City. The City divides them into maintenance activities for minor repairs, and capital improvement projects for major repairs.
o Existing channel clean-up and trash capture initiatives exist. Opportunity to focus efforts around key bridge infrastructure.
• Other Notes:
o For the city, many bridges were built to have a 50-year life cycle but some last for twice that long. A few older bridges were built under different standards .

As those bridges come up for needed repairs or reach the end of their life cycles, they are rebuilt to current standards (i.e., at least 2 feet above the 200- year storm depth).
o SacRT does not have a standardized process for bridge design. They hire consultants who suggest design standards (usually based on Caltrans).

2.4 Wildfire

2.4.1 Wildfire and Smoke Impacts to Travelers
Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
Traveler
Health

Wildfire

☒ City of
Sacramento
☒ SacRT
Level of Concern = High
Agency Ability to Manage = Low

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• Brief Description: Wildfires, while unlikely to break out within Sacramento city limits, can cause significant public health impacts due to wildfire smoke. Wildfire smoke also encourages travel in personal vehicles rather than by active or public transportation.
• Assets/System Components/Users Affected: City-wide. Vulnerable populations are at greater risk, particularly households that do not own a vehicle. • Locations Affected: City-wide.
• Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: High.
o Exposure to wildfire smoke is associated with a range of health impacts, particularly for vulnerable populations. People walking, biking, driving, or riding transit that breathe in the fine particulate matter in wildfire smoke can experience respiratory problems, especially those at higher risk or with underlying health conditions.
o Wildfire can also impact the ability of first responders to respond in emergencies.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: Low.
o Masks can be distributed to people walking and biking to mitigate the impacts of wildfire smoke, but there is not much that can be done - particularly for outdoor areas where any sort of air filtration is impossible. o With more sophisticated HVAC technology, some indoor transit facilities could be turned into clean air centers.
o Air filtration systems are already in place on transit vehicles. The benefits of improved filtration would be minimal due to regular opening of doors on these vehicles.
o Outdoor air quality sensors can help residents make informed decisions about time spent outdoors.

2.5 Multiple Hazards

2.5.1 Power Grid Failure
Damage
Focus
Hazard Agency Level of Concern and
Agency Ability to Manage
Power Grid

Multiple

☒ City of
Sacramento
☒ SacRT
Level of Concern = High
Agency Ability to Manage = Low-Moderate

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• Brief Description: Power grid failure can be weather-driven, including by heat, wildfire, wind, or flooding.
• Assets/System Components/Users Affected: All. Grid failure can significantly disrupt traffic signals, light rail substations, pumping stations, electric bus chargers, agency maintenance and public safety vehicles, chargers for personal EVs, and active transportation (e.g., via e-scooters and e-bikes). Bridges, roadways, walking/biking facilities, traffic flow, and evacuation are all impacted. • Locations Affected: Entire study area.
• Qualitative Level of Concern and Rationale: High.
o Extreme heat can cause power outages by overloading electrical infrastructure, precipitating failures. Overloaded infrastructure during extreme heat can be caused by increased air conditioning usage throughout the entire day, higher equipment operating temperatures forcing shutoffs to avoid overloads, or a combination of these events.
o Power outages can significantly disrupt many parts of the City and SacRT transportation systems, including but not limited to traffic signals, pump stations used to reduce flooding, the light rail system, critical facilities, and electric buses and vehicles. Larger scale and longer outages present a higher level of concern.
o As described in Section 2.2.2, in 2023, a storm caused power outages at over 99 pumping stations (out of 150 that require power). Due to the extent of regional damage, some stations were without power for up to three days.

DOU has standby power at critical sites to continue operations, but the smaller facilities share 23 portable diesel generators that are deployed and require staff to make rotations.
o There are also concerns of fleet electrification and its impacts during power outages if EVs are used during emergencies.
• Agency Ability/Opportunities to Manage: Low to moderate. o The City and SacRT do not manage the grid directly so are dependent on SMUD for resolving issues. That said, there are ways both agencies can add more backup power capabilities to mitigate power outages. Battery storage capacity may provide additional backup power
o EVs and electric buses can serve as mobile generators during power outages. When equipped with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) or vehicle-to-building (V2B) technology, they can store additional power in their batteries that can be returned to the grid during peak times of use or, in emergencies, as 55 | P a g e

backup generators.44 Additionally, critical and emergency facilities that must run or must have an operating fleet to provide mobile services can install stationary storage or behind the meter energy storage to power their electric fleets or vehicles during a grid outage. Building microgrids on critical facilities can further mitigate outage impacts to electrified fleet operations. o DOU conducted an in-house study to prioritize spending on back-up generators based on areas that would flood during power outages. The study identified the need for more permanent generators at key locations. o Back-up power systems at traffic signals can prevent them from “going dark” if they lose grid power but are still operable.

3. Exposure Analysis
This section describes the results of a GIS-based exposure analysis which involved querying hazard data at asset locations and summarizing information across the system.

3.1 Hazard Analysis
The hazard analysis includes a range of transportation assets, including roadways, bridges, sidewalks, bikeways, traffic signals, pump stations, light rail tracks and stations, bus stops, transit facilities, and zero emissions bus (ZEB) charging stations. Map 7 and Map 8 show the locations of City-owned assets and SacRT assets considered in this analysis. Overall, 181 bridges, 78 pump stations, over 725 miles of bicycle facilities, over 1,921 centerline miles of road, 927 traffic signals, 2,843 bus stops, 54 light rail stations, 10 transit facilities (see Table 14), 16 ZEB charging stations, and approximately 44 miles of light rail tracks45 were analyzed across multiple hazards to assess exposure. Table 15 summarizes the percentage of assets located within the official boundaries of the City of Sacramento, excluding unincorporated areas such as Florin, Rio Linda, and other nearby communities. Although these areas are not strictly within the City boundaries, City-owned assets located there were still included in the analysis.

44 https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/what-if-electric-school-buses-could-be-used-supply-power-when- duty
45 There are roughly 88 miles of actual track (since the system is double track in most areas). But this 44 number is used for consistency with roads (which are summarized in terms of centerline miles). 56 | P a g e

Table 14. Transit Facility Information
Name Type
Louis Orlando Transit Center Operations (transit) Center Florin Towne Centre Transit
Center
Operations (transit) Center
Pocket Transit Center Operations (transit) Center
Sunrise Transit Center Operations (transit) Center
Bus maintenance facility 1 (BMF1) Maintenance buildings Bus maintenance facility 2 (BMF2) Maintenance buildings Light Rail maintenance facility Maintenance buildings
Downtown bus lot Bus lot
Elk Grove yard Bus lot
Security Operations Center (SOC) Other

Table 15. Asset breakdown by percentage inside versus outside the City of Sacramento Asset Class Total Asset Count/
Total Linear Miles
Percentage
Within City
Percentage
Outside City
City Assets
Pump Stations 235 94% 6%
Traffic Signals 927 98% 2%
Bicycle Facilities 725.2 96% 4%
Roadways 1,921.34 97% 3%
Curbs and Sidewalks 2,899 100% 0%
Bridges 452 93% 7%
SacRT
Assets
Light Rail Stations 54 73% 27%
Bus Stops 2,843 54% 46%
Transit Facilities 10 38% 62%
ZEB Charging Stations 16 69% 31%
Light Rail Tracks 44 65% 35%

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Map 7. City owned assets included in exposure analysis

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Map 8. Bikeway classification

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Map 9. SacRT Assets included in exposure analysis

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3.1.1 Flooding
Transportation assets were analyzed for exposure to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 100-year and 500-year floodplains, as well as the 200-year floodplain defined by the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA). SAFCA is a regional agency responsible for managing flood protection infrastructure and modeling residual flood risk, particularly in levee-protected areas such as the Natomas Basin and portions of South Sacramento. Overlays were performed to determine where assets intersect these floodplains. Linear assets such as roadways were summarized by total mileage, while point and area assets were summarized by count.

Map 10 and Map 11 show the spatial extent of the FEMA and SAFCA floodplains across the Sacramento area. The SAFCA floodplain modeling is distinct from the FEMA modeling.

Some assets can be seen in both the SAFCA and FEMA floodplains.

Most of the City lies within a FEMA-designated floodplain. Old north Sacramento, central neighborhoods—including Downtown, Midtown, and Land Park—the Pocket and large portions of South Sacramento are generally located within the 500-year floodplain. Many of these areas are protected by levees, which reduce the likelihood of flooding, though they still carry residual risk.

Much of the Natomas area falls within the FEMA 100-year floodplain but is also protected by levees and subject to ongoing SAFCA mitigation efforts. The SAFCA 200-year floodplain includes areas where extreme flood events could cause inundation, including those behind levees. This modeling accounts for potential levee failure scenarios and assigns estimated flood depths. Areas shown within the SAFCA 200-year floodplain may include zones with water depths of “less than 3 feet” or “3 feet or greater”, which indicate increasing levels of potential hazard. In some cases, depth values are provided outside the 200-year floodplain due to localized risks, while some areas inside the boundary may show no depth where flooding is not expected or below the reporting threshold.

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Map 10. FEMA floodplains

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Map 11. SAFCA 200-year floodplains.

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Table 16 shows the results of the overlay for exposure to the FEMA 100-year floodplain. Table 17 shows the roadway results further broken down by functional class, and Table 18 shows bikeways by simplified class.

Table 16. FEMA 100-year floodplain exposure results by asset type Asset Class
Total
Asset
Count or
Total
Linear
Miles
FEMA Floodplain Exposure
Floodway 100-year floodplain 100-year shallow
floodplain, ponding
100-year floodplain
with reduced risk due
to levee
Count/
Mileage Percent Count/
Mileage Percent Count/
Mileage Percent Count/
Mileage Percent
City
Assets
Pump
Stations 235 2 1% 10 4% 2 1% 27 12%
Traffic
Signals 927 6 1% 4 0.4% 0 0% 127 14%
Bicycle
Facilities 725 29 4% 32 4% 24 3% 159 22%
Roadways 1,921 19 1% 13 1% 4 0.2% 387 20%
Sidewalks 2,899 8 0.2% 4 0.1% 3 0.1% 48 2%
SacRT
Assets
Bus Stops 2,843 5 0.2% 19 0.7% 7 0.2% 14 5%
Light Rail
Stations 54 0 0% 0 0% 2 2% 0 0%
Transit
Facilities 10 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
ZEB
Charging
Stations
16 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Light Rail
Tracks 44 1 1% 1 1% 2 2% 0 0%

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Table 17. FEMA 100-year floodplain exposure results for roadways by functional classification FEMA Floodplain Exposure for Roadways by Functional Classification Floodway 100-year floodplain 100-year shallow
floodplain, ponding
100-year floodplain with reduced
risk due to levee
Class Total Mileage Mileage Percent Mileage Percent Mileage Percent Mileage Percent Highway 104 3 3% 1 1% 0 0% 22 22%
Collector 168 1 0.5% 1 0.3% 0.3 0.2% 25 15%
Arterial 195 3 2% 4 2% 1 0.3% 33 17%
Local 1,233 2 0.2% 6 0.5% 3 0.3% 273 23%

Table 18. FEMA 100- year floodplain bikeway exposure by classification.

FEMA Floodplain Exposure for Bikeways by Classification Floodway 100-year floodplain 100-year shallow
floodplain, ponding
100-year floodplain with reduced
risk due to levee
Class Total Mileage Mileage Percent Mileage Percent Mileage Percent Mileage Percent Class 1: Shared-Use Path
(Off-Street) 218 41 19% 79 36% 9 4% 73 33%
Class 2 - 4: Bike Lane
(On-Street) 507 23 5% 28 6% 4 0.8% 94 19%
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Notable highways and arterials overlapping the standard 100-year floodplains (aside from elevated portions over major river crossings) include:
• Highways:
o I-80 just west of I-5
o I-80 between Northgate Boulevard and Norwood Avenue
o SR-99 north of Mack Road
• Arterials (grouped mainly by water feature)
o Garden Highway, Arden-Garden Connector, and Northgate Boulevard near northern banks of Sacramento and American Rivers
o Arena Boulevard, Truxel Road, Del Paso Road in North Natomas, and Elkhorn Boulevard near or over the East Drainage Canal
o Auburn Boulevard, Watt Avenue, Roseville Road, Marysville Boulevard, and Norwood Avenue near or over the Arcade Creek
o Bell Avenue between Norwood Avenue and Rio Linda Boulevard o Stockton Boulevard, Center Parkway, Franklin Boulevard, and Cosumnes River Boulevard near or over Strawberry Creek (portions sometimes referred to as Union House Creek)
o Watt Avenue, Florin Perkins Road, 65th Street Expressway, Elder Creek Road, Stockton Boulevard, Franklin Boulevard, Mack Road, and Cosumnes River Boulevard near or over Morrison Creek
o Center Parkway and Franklin Boulevard over Elder Creek o Del Paso Boulevard in North Sacramento near or over Steelhead Creek o Del Paso Road, El Centro Road, and El Camino Avenue near or over West Drainage Canal
o El Centro Road north of I-80
o East Stocketon Boulevard over Union House Creek
o Ethan Way south of Exposition Boulevard
o Raley Boulevard near or over Magpie Creek
o West Elkorn Boulevard, Del Paso Road, and El Camino Avenue near or over Steelhead Creek
Of the 12 pump stations in the standard 100-year floodplains:
• Four are located near the Sacramento Marina along the Sacramento River • Four are located near the southern edge of the City in the Beach Lake and Morrison Creek area
• One is located where the West Drainage Canal meets the Sacramento River • One is located where Verano Creek meets Steelhead Creek 66 | P a g e

• One is located near where Dry Creek meets Steelhead Creek • One is located along Arcade Creek near Longview Drive Notable areas where the light rail is at or near grade in the standard 100-year floodplain include:
• Blue line near Arcade Creek in the Del Paso Park area • Gold line near Willow Creek in the Natoma Station area In terms of percentages of assets in the standard 100-year floodplain (i.e., not protected by levee or not shallow flooding only), over 8% of bicycle facility mileage and over 5% of pump stations are exposed.

For flood impacts on roads, paths, or light rail, specific locations mentioned during interviews or TAC meetings include:
• SacRT Gold Line over Alder Creek near the southwestern part of Folsom. • SacRT Gold Line over Folsom South Canal in northeastern Rancho Cordova. • Raley Boulevard north of I-80 – in a floodplain and a known area of concern that floods every year and must be shut down every time there is a storm. The City has an alert station here when water exceeds roadway elevation. • Arcade Creek has regular flooding issues. These often impact the Verano Street at the bridge. Some bus stops near the Creek are impacted; damage is not common, but service has to be suspended. This happens roughly every other year and lingers for a day or two when it happens.
• There is a line on the CSS that runs along I-5 north of Sutterville Road to Front Street at the Pioneer Reservoir to discharge to the river on Front Street; this is a potential issue area.
• Because of flooding from the Natomas East Main Drain Canal (NEMDC), sometimes the parallel Union Pacific (UP) railroad needs to be closed. Alerts are sent when water is 3 and 2 feet below the top of tie. When it is 1 foot below, the floodgates are deployed, and the rail is closed. This affects freight traffic. • Del Paso floodgate gets closed every year (sometimes up to 5-6 times per year). It was recently retrofitted to make it easier to close. Freight railroad closes frequently too. UP notifies the City as soon as water recedes so gates can open. If gates are not opened within 30 minutes, the City gets fined.
• Flooding of rail at Arcade South floodgate, where water comes from Arcade Creek.

Usually there is not much damage to the rail, just temporary closures until the water recedes.
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• Roads and shared-use paths in Discovery Park along northern edge of American River are fully inundated when major storm events prompt dam releases. This flooding (and flooding on the connecting ARP/Sacramento Northern trail) limits bike access to downtown for people living north of the American River. • Roadways in low-lying areas are a concern, particularly in underpasses. • 7th Street downtown near D Street is a low-lying area that has a pump station to avoid road flooding.

The DOU Comprehensive Flood Management Plan’s Repetitive Loss Area Analysis appendix documents flood issues at groups of properties in 20 specific locations in the City. It includes potential mitigation strategies, many of which involve the drainage system and streets.

Table 19 shows the results of the exposure hazard analysis for the FEMA 500-year floodplain. The categories are mutually exclusive; for example, the 500-year floodplain results refer to assets that are only in the 500-year floodplain category and do not include assets already counted in the 100-year floodplain categories. Table 20 and Table 21 further break this data down for roadway functional classes and bikeway classes. 68 | P a g e

Table 19. FEMA 500-year floodplain exposure results by asset type (excludes assets in FEMA 100-year floodplains) Asset Class
Total Asset
Count or
Total Linear
Miles
FEMA Floodplain Exposure
500-year floodplain 500-year floodplain with reduced
risk due to levee
Count/
Mileage Percent Count/
Mileage Percent
City Assets
Pump Stations 235 17 7% 133 57%
Traffic Signals 927 59 6% 523 56%
Bicycle Facilities 725 52 7% 327 45%
Roadways 1,921 146 8% 942 49%
Sidewalks/Curbs 2,899 215 7% 1,466 51%
SacRT Assets
Bus Stops 2,843 217 8% 1,038 37%
Light Rail Stations 54 3 5% 28 52%
Transit Facilities 10 1 10% 3 30%
ZEB Charging
Stations 16 0 0% 11 69%
Light Rail Tracks 44 3 6% 0 0%

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Table 20. FEMA 500-year floodplain exposure results for roadways by functional class (excludes assets in FEMA 100-year floodplains) 500-year floodplain 500-year floodplain with
reduced risk due to levee
Class Total Mileage Mileage Percent Mileage Percent
Highway 104 5 4 % 44 42%
Collector 168 10 6% 90 53%
Arterial 195 25 13% 86 44%
Local 1,233 97 8% 616 50%

Table 21. FEMA 500-year floodplain bikeway exposure by classification. 500-year floodplain 500-year floodplain with
reduced risk due to levee
Class Total Mileage Mileage Percent Mileage Percent
Class 1: Shared-Use Path
(Off-Street) 218 37 17% 113 52&
Class 2 - 4: Bike Lane
(On-Street) 507 66 13% 301 59%

Table 22, Table 23, and Table 24 show the results of the analysis for the 200-year floodplain. A large majority of the assets analyzed fall within the 200-year floodplain, with most protected by levee.

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Table 22. SAFCA 200-year floodplain exposure results by asset type Within 200-year floodplain
Levee Protected
Within 200-year
floodplain
Depth >=3ft
Within 200-year
floodplain
Depth <3ft
Asset Class
Total Asset
Count/
Total Linear
Miles
Count/
Mileage Percent Count/
Mileage Percent Count/
Mileage Percent
City Assets
Pump Stations 235 215 91% 2 0.8% 5 2%
Traffic Signals 927 853 92% 2 0.2% 12 1%
Bicycle Facilities 725 107 15% 1 0.1% 0.2 0%
Roadways 1,921 1,479 77% 9 0.5% 50 3%
Sidewalks 2,899 2,521 87% 15 0.5% 86 3%
SacRT Assets
Bus Stops 2,843 1,592 56% 18 0.6% 2 0%
Light Rail Stations 54 37 69% 1 2% 0 0%
Transit Facilities 10 5 50% 0 0% 0 0%
ZEB Charging Stations 16 11 69% 1 6% 0 0%
Light Rail Tracks 44 28 64% 1 2% 0.5 1%

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Table 23. SAFCA 200-year floodplain roadway exposure by functional classification.

Within 200-year floodplain
Levee Protected
Within 200-year floodplain
Depth >=3ft
Within 200-year floodplain
Depth <3ft
Class Total Mileage Mileage Percent Mileage Percent Mileage Percent Highway 103 89.5 87% 1.6 2% 0.1 0.1%
Collector 168 143.8 86% 0.5 0.5% 3.9 4%
Arterial 195 162.4 83% 1.4 1% 2.8 3%
Local 1,233 1083.6 88% 5.4 5% 42.8 42%

Table 24. SAFCA 200-year floodplain bikeway exposure by classification.

Within 200-year floodplain
Levee Protected
Within 200-year floodplain
Depth >=3ft
Within 200-year floodplain
Depth <3ft
Class Total Mileage Mileage Percent Mileage Percent Mileage Percent Class 1: Shared-Use Path
(Off-Street) 218 80 16% 0.5 0.1% 0.2 0%
Class 2- 4: Bike Lane
(On-Street) 508 27 12% 0.2 0% 0 0%

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Assessing city bridges and exposure to flooding is a special case as many bridges are designed to carry facilities across floodways or floodplains. Therefore, GIS overlays were not performed with the bridges. Table 25 shows bridge inspection comments and work recommendations that are potentially relevant for flood damage prevention to bridges. The list was filtered based on a larger set of inspection comments and work recommendations to include recommendations for addressing scour issues, drainage issues, erosion issues, and miscellaneous substructure issues. It does not include the full list of recommendations involving debris clearing and similar preventative maintenance, though those activities are important for addressing flood risk as well. 73 | P a g e

Table 25. Selected City Bridge Inspection Comments and Work Recommendations Bridge Number Work
Recommendation Field Inspection Comments Bridge Location Facility Carried 24C0133 Drainage Issue
Install slope protection and mitigate the drainage at
Abutment 7. This should be done currently with the joint seal rehabilitation, as the damaged joint seal likely
contributes significantly to the drainage.

Between Northgate
& Norwood W Silver Eagle Rd
24C0538 Drainage-Erosion
Issue
Unclog the drains on both ends of the structure. Repair the erosion holes on both sides of Abutment 1.

0.1 MI E of
Northgate Blvd. Main Avenue
24C0532 Drainage-Erosion
Issue Clean out the deck drains which are filled with debris. 0.7 MI W/O FRANKLIN BLVD.

Cosumnes River
Blvd.
24C0424R Scour-Place
Countermeasures
Mitigate the undermining of the RC diaphragm at
abutment 5. See inspection report for additional
comments.

1.2 MI S/O Del
Paso Rd Truxel Rd
24C0424L Scour-Place
Countermeasures
Mitigate the undermining of the RC diaphragm at
abutment 5. For guidance in choosing and installing
appropriate scour countermeasures, refer to HEC-23,
"Bridge Scour and Stream instability Countermeasures:

Experience, Selection, and Design Guidance.

1.2 MI S/O Del
Paso Rd Truxel Rd
24C0598 Scour-Place
Countermeasures
Mitigate the undermining of the RD diaphragms at both
abutments. For guidance and installing appropriate
countermeasures refer to HEC-23. See additional
comments in inspection report.

E OF Natomas
Blvd Gateway Park Blvd.
24C0105 Scour-Place
Countermeasures
Remediate the bank deterioration under the bridge and
upstream of Abutment 1.

1.75 MI E/O RTE
99 Elkhorn Blvd
24C0521 Scour-Place
Countermeasures
Backfill and patch three holes (2 at Column 13 Pier 1 and 1 at Column 13 of Pier 3) in the concrete lined slope
protection located along the right (upstream) side of the bridge.

N/O Cosumnes
River Blvd Franklin Blvd
24C0113 Scour-Place
Countermeasures
Mitigate the scour vulnerability (across the channel and at the base of the existing concrete slope protection
under the original bridge foundations). SEE
INSPECTION REPORT.

0.3 MI S/O Florin
Rd Franklin Blvd
24C0293 Sub-Fix Scour Crit.

Mitigate the undermining below the Abutment 4 spread
footing. Additionally, protect the Abutment 4 slope with scour countermeasures placed in accordance with HEC-

23. 0.1 MI N/O Mack
Rd Tangerine Ave
24C0133 Sub-Misc Repair the run-off water erosion areas at Abutment 7 Between Northgate & Norwood W Silver Eagle Rd
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Bridge Number Work
Recommendation Field Inspection Comments Bridge Location Facility Carried 24C0177 Sub-Misc
Fill and stabilize the loss of fill and deterioration of the slope protection, most notably at Abutment 1. Refer to photos Nos. 4 and 5 dated 01/26/2016.

0.3 MI N Auburn
Blvd Watt Ave
24C0107L Sub-Misc
Remove the debris (soil and gravel) from the abutment
seat and around the bearings at both Abutments 1 and

12. 0.4 MI N/O SR 50 Howe Ave
24C0107L Sub-Misc Remove loose concrete, clean exposed steel, and patch or paint spall in left wingwall of Abutment 12. 0.4 MI N/O SR 50 Howe Ave 24C0225 Sub-Rehab Repair the broken channel lining at the east (upstream) end of the culvert. N/O Interstate 80 Norwood Ave
24C0209 Sub-Rehab
Mitigate the section loss within the steel pipes (such as with a protective sleeve or placement of a concrete
invert).
100 W/O 21st St Florin Rd
24C0302 Sub-Rehab Mitigate the section loss within the steel pipes (such as with protective sleeve or placement of a concrete invert).

0.1 MI S of Florin
Rd. 21st Street
24C0304 Sub-Rehab Mitigate the section loss with the steel pipes (such as a protective sleeve or placement of a concrete invert).

0.21 MI S of Florin
Rd 24th St
24C0303 Sub-Rehab
Mitigate the effectiveness of the galvanized coating with Barrels 3 to 5 (such as with the use of a protective sleeve or placement of a concrete invert).

0.1 MI S/O Florin
Rd Tamoshanter Way

In addition, the City’s Comprehensive Flood Management Plan identified six large Repetitive Loss Area Analysis (RLAA) regions throughout Sacramento, each organized into several smaller areas (ranging from one to six areas per region) based on properties that have experienced significant flood damage repeatedly within the past several decades. These properties are shown in Map 12. These areas include South Natomas, Downtown Sacramento, Southeast Sacramento, and Sutterville/Meadowview.
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Map 12. Repetitive Loss Properties

3.1.2 Heat
Transportation assets were overlaid with the UHI Index to quantify the extent of exposure across different heat intensity levels. Linear features such as roadways were summarized by total mileage within each UHI category, while point and area assets - including bus stops, bridges, and traffic signals - were counted within zones of elevated surface

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temperature. This approach allows for comparison across asset types and geographic areas.

Map 13 shows the spatial distribution of UHI intensity in Sacramento, with surface temperatures ranging from -24°F to 45°F above regional baselines. Cooler areas are found near vegetation and water - such as the Natomas Basin, American River Parkway, and South Sacramento - while the hottest zones are concentrated in dense urban cores, major roads, and industrial areas like Florin Fruitridge and Lemon Hill. Notable hotspots also include the central grid, key corridors, and the Sacramento Executive Airport.

Figure 7 shows that Transit Facilities and Light Rail Lines experience the highest UHI index, each with an average index of 12.1°F. ZEB Charging Stations and Traffic Signals also show elevated UHI levels at 11.8°F and 10.5°F, respectively. In contrast, assets like Roadways, Sidewalks, Bridges, and Bikeways have the lowest UHI index, all averaging around 8.2°F, indicating relatively lower heat exposure.

In addition to the analysis, TAC members noted particular locations where there have been past issues with heat affecting the SacRT rail:
• Bee Bridge on both inbound and outbound sides
• Near Grand Avenue on the Blue Line
• Between Arden Del Paso and Globe stations on the Blue Line • North B to C Street on the Blue Line
• 8th and K Street
• 7th and H Street
• Between Glenn and Historic Folsom stations on the Gold Line

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Map 13. UHI index for current conditions in °F from Sacramento 2020 NASA UHI study

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Figure 7. Average UHI index per asset type.

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3.1.3 Landslide
CGS Landslide Susceptibility Ratings were overlaid with transportation assets to assess potential exposure to landslides.46 Landslide susceptibility, as classified by the California Geological Survey, represents locations with relatively high potential for landslides due to slope steepness and rock strength. A susceptibility score of 10 is the highest and 0 is the lowest. While landslides are not a major threat in the City given its flat terrain, this analysis was included mainly to understand potential threats to light rail assets in more variable terrain areas to the east of the City. This consideration is particularly important for light rail since impacts in one location can have systemwide implications for travelers and people riding transit.

46 https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/cgs-map-sheet-58-deep-seated-landslide-susceptibility-7b33a 80 | P a g e

Map 14. CGS Landslide Susceptibility ratings

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Map 14 shows landslide susceptibility around Sacramento. The highest concentration of high susceptibility scores is along the American River by Folsom. Only isolated spots within the City received relatively high scores.

Table 26 and Table 27 show asset counts and mileages for the highest susceptibility scores. The majority of assets for all asset types have low scores and are thus not captured in the table. For bridges, 15.0% received a susceptibility score of 7, though only one received a higher landslide susceptibility score than 7. Pump stations and traffic signals have relatively low exposure, with 6.1% and 2.9% respectively in category 7, but no assets in the highest-risk scores. For bicycle facilities, 3.22% are in category 7 and 0.2% are in higher categories. For roads, 1.73% received a score of 7 and 0.11% received higher scores. Among SacRT assets, bus stops have minimal exposure, with 1.2% in category 7, while light rail stations, transit facilities, and light rail tracks have minor susceptibility, with a small fraction falling into category 7 but none in higher-risk zones. For light rail, a small portion toward the eastern end of the Gold Line received high scores, including near the terminus in the City of Folsom and in the Natoma Station area. 82 | P a g e

Table 26. CGS landslide susceptibility score exposure results Asset Class
Total
Asset
Count or
Total
Linear
Miles
Landslide Susceptibility Score
7 8 9 10
Count/
Mileage Percent Count/
Mileage Percent Count/
Mileage Percent Count/
Mileage Percent
City Assets
Bridges 452 68 15% 0 0% 1 0.2% 0 0%
Pump Stations 212 13 6% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Traffic Signals 927 27 3% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Bicycle Facilities 725.19 23 3% 0 0% 1 0.2% 0.3 0.03%
Roadways 1,921 33 2% 0 0% 2 0.1% 0.3 0.02%
SacRT Assets
Bus Stops 2843 33 1% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Light Rail Stations 54 1 1% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Transit Facilities 10 1 10% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
ZEB Charging
Stations 16 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Light Rail Tracks 44 2 5% 0 0% 0.1 0.1% 0 0%

Table 27. Landslide susceptibility score exposure results for roadways by functional class Landslide Susceptibility Score
7 8 9 10
Class Total Mileage Mileage Percent Mileage Percent Mileage Percent Mileage Percent Highway 103 6 6% 0 0% 0.3 0.2% 0.09 0.09%
Collector 168 2 1% 0 0% 0.1 0.05% 0 0%
Arterial 195 6 3% 0 0% 0.3 0.2% 0.001 0.0005%
Local 1,233 6 0.5% 0 0% 0.1 0.007% 0.06 0.004%
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3.1.4 Disadvantaged Communities
CalEnviroScreen from CalEPA evaluates California communities’ pollution burden and vulnerability based on environmental, health, and socioeconomic data. A higher score indicates that a census tract experiences a higher burden than other tracts in California.

The state designates census tracts with CalEnviroScreen scores at or above the 75th percentile as disadvantaged communities (DACs).

A geospatial overlay was performed with the CalEnviroScreen data47 and transportation assets to identify the CalEnviroScreen Score associated with each transportation asset.

For linear assets that intersect multiple census tracts, and thus multiple CalEnviroScreen scores, the maximum score was taken.

Map 15 shows a map of census tracts with CalEnviroScreen scores greater than or equal to the 75th percentile.

A significant portion of communities, and transportation infrastructure serving them, are located in areas with high CalEnviroScreen scores. Approximately 28% of Sacramento’s area is in a DAC, and approximately 30% of Sacramento’s population lives in a DAC.

Roadways (29%), bus stops (23%), bicycle facilities (37%), and bridges (40%) represent substantial portions of infrastructure serving these highly burdened communities.

Additionally, SacRT assets, including light rail (100%) and ZEB charging stations (44%), have a strong presence in areas with higher environmental burdens.

Table 28, Table 29, Table 30, Table 31, and Table 32 show hazard results per asset type for only those assets that serve census tracts with CalEnviroScreen scores greater than or equal to the 75th percentile.

47 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 released October 2021
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Map 15. CalEnviroScreenScores greater than or equal to the 75th percentile

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Table 28. Assets that serve census tracts with CalEnviroScreen Score greater than or equal to 75th percentile

Maximum CalEnviroScreen
Score is greater than or
equal to the 75th percentile
Asset Class
Total Asset Count
or
Total Linear Miles
Count/
Mileage Percent
City Assets
Pump Stations 235 78 33%
Traffic Signals 927 325 35%
Bridges 452 181 40%
On Street Bicycle Lane or Boulevard 349 89 26%
Off-Street Shared-Use Path 92 29 31%
Sidewalks 2,899 761 26%
Roadways 1,921 561 29%
SacRT
Assets
Bus Stops 2843 655 23%
Light Rail Stations 54 23 42%
Transit Facilities 10 4 40%
ZEB Charging Stations 16 7 44%
Light Rail Tracks 44 449 100%
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Table 29. FEMA 100-year floodplain exposure results by asset type for CalEnviroScreen Scores greater than or equal to the 75th percentile Asset Class
Total
Asset
Count or
Total
Linear
Miles
FEMA Floodplain Exposure for CalEnviroScreen Score >=75th Percentile Floodway 100-year floodplain 100-year shallow
floodplain, ponding
100-year floodplain
with reduced risk due
to levee
Count/
Mileage Percent Count/
Mileage Percent Count/
Mileage Percent Count/
Mileage Percent
City
Assets
Pump
Stations 235 1 0.4% 5 2% 1 0.4% 5 2%
Traffic
Signals 927 2 0.2% 2 0.2% 0 0% 13 1%
On Street
Bicycle Lane
or Boulevard
349 1 0.2% 0 0% 0 0% 2 0.7%
Off-Street
Shared-Use
Path
92 3 3% 1 0.2% 0 0% 2 0.5%
Sidewalks 2,899 8 0.2% 4 0.1% 3 0.1% 48 2%
Roadways 1,921 34 2% 108 0.5% 2 0% 34 2%
SacRT
Assets
Bus Stops 2,843 2 0.07% 1 0.03% 2 0.07% 28 1%
Light Rail
Stations 54 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Transit
Facilities 10 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
ZEB
Charging
Stations
16 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Light Rail
Tracks 44 1 1% 1 2% 1 2% 0 0%
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Table 30. FEMA 500-year floodplain exposure results by asset type for CalEnviroScreen Scores greater than or equal to the 75th percentile Asset Class
Total Asset
Count or
Total Linear
Miles
FEMA Floodplain Exposure for CalEnviroScreen Score >=75th Percentile 500-year floodplain 500-year floodplain with reduced
risk due to levee
Count/
Mileage Percent Count/
Mileage Percent
City Assets
Pump Stations 235 4 2% 41 17%
Traffic Signals 927 13 1% 208 22%
On Street Bicycle Lane
or Boulevard 349 4 1% 21 6%
Off-Street Shared-Use
Path 92 0 0% 4 1%
Sidewalk 2,899 50 2% 418 14%
Roadways 1,921 41 2% 305 16%
SacRT Assets
Bus Stops 2,843 79 3% 285 10%
Light Rail Stations 54 1 1% 11 21%
Transit Facilities 10 1 10% 1 10%
ZEB Charging
Stations 16 0 0% 5 31%
Light Rail Tracks 44 3 6% 0 0%
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Table 31. SAFCA 200-year floodplain exposure results by asset type for CalEnviroScreen Scores greater than or equal to the 75th percentile Within 200-year floodplain for CalEnviroScreen Score >=75th Percentile Asset Class Total Asset Count/
Total Linear Miles
Count/
Mileage Percent
City Assets
Pump Stations 235 70 30%
Traffic Signals 927 300 32%
On Street Bicycle Lane
or Boulevard 349 81 23%
Off-Street Shared-Use
Path 92 27 30%
Sidewalks 2,899 623 22%
Roadways 1,921 462 24%
SacRT Assets
Bus Stops 2,843 454 16%
Light Rail Stations 54 16 29%
Transit Facilities 10 2 20%
ZEB Charging Stations 16 5 31%
Light Rail Tracks 44 28 34%
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Table 32. CGS landslide susceptibility score for assets with CalEnviroScreen scores greater than or equal to the 75th percentile Asset Class
Total
Asset
Count or
Total
Linear
Miles
Landslide Susceptibility Score for CalEnviroScreen Score >=75th Percentile 7 8 9 10
Count/
Mileage Percent Count/
Mileage Percent Count/
Mileage Percent Count/
Mileage Percent
City
Assets
Bridges 452 27 6% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Pump Stations 212 3 1% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Traffic Signals 927 8 1% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
On Street Bicycle Lane or
Boulevard 349 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Off-Street Shared-Use Path 92 1 1% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Sidewalks 2,899 4 0.1% 0 0% 0.2 0% 0 0%
Roadways 1,921 14 1% 0 0% 1 0.03% 0.1 0.01%
SacRT
Assets
Bus Stops 2,843 1 0.04% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Light Rail Stations 54 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Transit Facilities 10 1 10% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
ZEB Charging Stations 16 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Light Rail Tracks 44 2 4.5% 0 0% 0.04 0.1% 0 0%

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3.1.5 Power Grid Vulnerabilities
Power grid failure can occur as a result of extreme weather including extreme heat, wildfire, extreme wind, or flooding. Analyzing the exposure and risk to power grid vulnerabilities requires substantial input from partner agencies like SMUD, which manages the power distribution and preventative maintenance and mitigation efforts. This input can help to determine the geographic vulnerabilities of various power infrastructure. The ability of the City and SacRT to address power grid vulnerabilities is limited, although investment in back-up power solutions can mitigate certain risks.

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3.1.6 Anticipated Future Growth

Map 16. Summary of capacity on vacant and underutilized sites by community plan area from the City of Sacramento Housing Element 2021-2029.

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Map 16 shows potential future housing development based on underutilized and vacant sites. Areas like North Natomas, North Sacramento, Central City, Fruitridge/Broadway, and South Sacramento have relatively higher opportunities for growth. Some of these areas, particularly North Natomas, have high flood risks.

Large parts of North Natomas, North Sacramento, Central City, and Fruitridge/Broadway are at higher relative risk to extreme heat due to the urban heat island effect. A large portion of North Sacramento is also in the SAFCA 200-year floodplain (3 feet or greater).

Additional analyses and areas of population growth with anticipated climate impacts will be further analyzed in upcoming tasks within this analysis that focus on risk.

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4. Public Outreach Findings
SacAdapt’s Phase 1 public survey focused on measuring the level and frequency of weather-related impacts to travel. From past outreach efforts, the City has clearly heard that the following are barriers to walking and biking:
• Lack of infrastructure (e.g., sidewalks, bicycle facilities, bike parking) or outdated/poorly maintained infrastructure
• Gaps in connectivity
• Sidewalks or bicycle facilities that feel unsafe
• Sidewalks or bicycle facilities that are uncomfortable, with heat and lack of shade being recurring themes
• Lack of shade at transit stops has also been mentioned frequently.

Other City planning documents are geared toward addressing new and improved pedestrian and bicycle facilities. SacAdapt is primarily focused on existing infrastructure, and what upgrades and investments are needed to increase resilience to extreme weather. 421 people responded to the SacAdapt survey. Out of these, 386 people completed the weather event related questions. The following results summaries are based on those 386 responses.

Per Figure 8, the majority of respondents reported using personal vehicles as their primary mode of travel on a daily basis, while walking and using public transit (bus or light rail) showed more varied patterns of frequency. Modes such as bicycling, scooters, and carpooling or ridesharing were reportedly less frequently used on a daily basis, with a significant portion of respondents indicating they never used them. 94 | P a g e

Figure 8. Frequency of travel by different transportation modes among respondents. 85 respondents reported using an “Other” travel mode not listed in the options provided, at varying frequencies
When asked about the types of extreme weather events that have disrupted or delayed their travel in the past five years, respondents most frequently cited flooding or heavy rain and extreme heat. These two events were consistently reported as

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having the most significant impact, while events such as extreme cold had fewer mentions. In terms of the frequency of disruption, delays caused by flooding or rain and extreme heat were commonly reported as occurring sometimes or rarely, with a smaller number of respondents indicating frequent delays due to these events. These results are summarized in Figure 9 and Figure 10.

Figure 9. Extreme weather events reported to have impacted travel in the past five years.

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Figure 10. Frequency of travel delays caused by specific extreme weather events Figure 11 shows the duration of travel delays varied by hazard, with extreme heat and flooding or heavy rain more often associated with longer disruptions, including instances where travel was delayed for more than a day. In contrast, events such as high winds and extreme cold were generally linked to shorter disruptions, most commonly under four hours.

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Figure 11. Average duration of travel delays by weather events The location of impacts followed an identifiable pattern. For most weather events, respondents reported that the disruption was citywide. This was especially true for events like heatwaves and major flood events, though there were also notable mentions of specific streets, highways, and neighborhoods that experienced repeated disruptions.

The survey also captured how these disruptions affected daily life. These results are shown in Figure 12. Respondents most frequently reported increased travel times or transportation costs, along with disrupted access to schools and essential services such as groceries or healthcare. Some participants noted they chose to stay home or were unable to travel during an emergency. This included 73 respondents during extreme cold, 188 during extreme heat, 185 during

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fire/smoke, 173 during flooding/heavy rain, and 129 during high winds. Among daily users of public transit (bus or light rail), 20 respondents reported staying home during flooding or heavy rain and 17 during extreme heat. Table 33 shows the number of daily users across all travel modes who reported staying home due to different weather events. A smaller number indicated that travel disruptions led to lost wages or job-related consequences.

Figure 12. Types of impacts experienced by respondents during weather events

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Table 33. Number of respondents who reported using a mode of transport daily and indicated they chose to stay home during specific weather events.

Mode of Transport
Weather Event
Extreme
cold
Extreme
heat
Fire,
smoke,
or ad
air
quality
Flooding
or heavy
rain
High
winds
Bicycle or Scooter 12 26 20 24 15
Walk 24 57 50 53 35
Personal Vehicle (car, truck, motorcycle) 24 63 67 63 51 Bus or Light Rail 15 17 15 20 12
Carpool or Rideshare (Uber, Lyft) 3 4 3 2 2
Other 2 3 3 5 2

A further breakdown of the data comparing daily users of different travel modes and their exposure to weather events revealed that people who walk or bike daily experienced a higher incidence of travel disruption from extreme heat and flooding. Daily transit riders also reported diverse impacts from multiple hazards, while those who primarily drive personal vehicles reported fewer disruptions overall but were still affected by flooding in particular. These results can be seen in Figure 13 and Figure 14.

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Figure 13. Heatmap showing which travel modes are most affected by specific weather events

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Figure 14. Travel disruption by weather events among daily users of different travel methods. Number of daily users of each travel mode impacted by weather events shown in parentheses
Additionally, when weather-related impacts were analyzed by income level, respondents across all income categories reported experiencing a range of impacts. The prevalence of certain impacts—such as choosing to stay home, longer travel times, and loss of wages or jobs—varied by income groups. To summarize the findings of the survey, residents reported experiencing a range of transportation disruptions due to extreme weather, with flooding and extreme heat cited most frequently. Active travelers such as those who walk, bike, or use public transit daily, were more likely to report impacts,

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including longer delays and inability to travel. While those driving personal vehicles reported fewer disruptions, flooding still posed a significant challenge. Across all income levels, respondents noted impacts like staying home, increased travel times or costs, and lost wages, illustrating how weather events broadly affected mobility and access to essential services in Sacramento. Together, these findings underscore how both the type of travel and the nature of weather events shape how residents experience transportation disruptions in Sacramento. More information on the impacts of income are shown in Figure 15 and Figure 16.

Figure 15. Weather events most frequently encountered by income groups

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Figure 16. Percent of respondents within each income group reporting specific weather-related impacts. Each percentage represents the share of respondents in that income category who reported experiencing the corresponding impact type at least once across all weather events.

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The following figures and tables provide a demographic profile of the survey respondents.

For comparison, pie charts representing the same demographic categories for the City of Sacramento are provided after each respective survey figure. In the case of age distribution, two accompanying tables are also provided due to the differing age groupings used in the survey and the city’s census. These charts and table regarding the City of Sacramento demography are based on the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates48.

Characteristics of survey respondents and the City writ large are shown for annual household income (Figure 17, Figure 18), age (Figure 19, Figure 20, Table 34, Table 35), gender identity (Figure 21, Figure 22), racial/ethnic identity (Figure 23, Figure 24), and language (Figure 25, Figure 26).

48 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5 -Year Estimates for the City of Sacramento. Tables:
• DP05: Demographic and Housing Estimates (Age, Race, Gender) • S1901: Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2023 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) • S1601: Language Spoken at Home
Accessed June 27, 2025, from https://data.census.gov.

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Figure 17. Annual household income of respondents.

Figure 18. Distribution of annual household income among residents of the City of Sacramento, based on ACS 5-Year Estimates

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Figure 19. Age distribution of respondents

Figure 20. Age distribution of residents in the City of Sacramento, according to the 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates

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Table 34. Age Distribution of Survey Respondents
Age Group Percentage (%)
16 or younger 3.2%
17–25 11.8%
26–39 22.7%
40–49 18.0%
50–61 18.0%
62–74 17.4%
75 or older 8.8%

Table 35. Age distribution of residents in the City of Sacramento, according to the 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Age Group Percentage (%)
14 or younger 17.8%
15-19 6.5%
20-24 6.6%
25-34 17.8%
35-44 14.7%
45-54 11.6%
55-59 5.5%
60-64 5.5%
65-74 8.5%
75 or older 5.5%

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Figure 21. Gender identity of survey respondents

Figure 22. Gender identity of residents in the City of Sacramento, according to the 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates

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Figure 23. Race/Ethnicity of respondents

Figure 24. Race and ethnicity of residents in the City of Sacramento, according to the 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates

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Figure 25. Language in which respondents completed the survey

Figure 26. Most spoken languages at home for residents in the City of Sacramento, according to the ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates
The following three figures document whether respondents are enrolled in relevant alert systems (Figure 27, Figure 28), and how they completed the survey (Figure 29).

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Figure 27. Respondents' enrollment in Sacramento Alert

Figure 28. Respondents’ enrollment in SacRT transit disruption alerts

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Figure 29. Distribution of respondents by survey collector or source Most responses came through online sources: email (28%), newsletter (18.1%), website (17.4%), and blog (11.7%).

Community partners and in-person outreach contributed a smaller share: La Familia (8%), on-train/CityConnect Mixer (7.8%), and community centers (1.3%). Map 17 through Map 20 show the reported home and work zip codes of participants across the Sacramento region.

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Map 17. Home zip codes of survey respondents (small-scale)

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Map 18. Home zip codes of survey respondents (large-scale)

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Map 19. Work zip codes of survey respondents (small-scale)

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Map 20. Work zip codes of survey respondents (small-scale)

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5. Key Takeaways
Damage types with a high level of concern were:
• Levee Failure and Widespread Flooding
• Heat and Outdoor Traveler Comfort & Health
• Heat and Outdoor Worker Health
• Heat and Power Distribution System for SacRT
• Heat and OCS
• Wildfire and Smoke Impacts to Travelers
• Power Grid Failure
Many of these are complex issues that are not fully under the City’s and SacRT’s jurisdiction. However, there are still many opportunities to manage risk, particularly around flooding.

Moderate impacts with high ability to manage include:
• Heat and Asphalt
• Flooding and Bridge Damage
Moderate impacts with moderate ability to manage include:
• Heat and HVAC systems
• Wind damage to Traffic Signals, Streetlights, and Other City Infrastructure • Flooding and Disruption to Roadways, Railways, and Shared-Use Paths • Flooding and Transit Facility Damage
The vulnerability assessment additionally identified potential or planned projects that can enhance resilience of the transportation system. These include:
• The specific areas mentioned by agency partners and documented under the “Locations Affected” portions of the “Potential Transportation Damage Types” section
• Drainage and other improvements described in the DOU Comprehensive Flood Management Plan’s Repetitive Loss Area Analysis appendix • Maintenance and rehabilitation recommendations from the City’s bridge inspection list
• Connecting every traffic signal to the City’s Traffic Operations Center (TOC) • Improving tree pruning efforts
• Including dedicated maintenance funding as part of capital project budget 118 | P a g e

• Remaining floodgate improvements, after Floodgate Modernization and Resilience Project is completed
• More maintenance capacity for DOU to collect and clear debris from drains, especially during leaf-fall season
• Projects from DOU’s study on how to prioritize spending for pump stations, particularly in portions of system most susceptible to power outages • Joint operations center for emergency management
• Regular schedule for evacuation planning, training, and exercises • SacRT’s proposed study on heat management for light rail substations • Recommendations stemming from SacRT’s current heat-resilient bus shelters pilot • Replacement of aging CNG infrastructure at the SacRT CNG plant • Specific assets flagged as exposed in “Exposure Analysis” section The Sacramento-specific climate projections summarized in the “Climate Science & Projections” section will be incorporated into the risk analysis and project prioritization. 1 | Page

Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure
Risk Assessment

January 2026

2 | Page
Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................. 4 Methodology................................................................................................................. 4 Overview ................................................................................................................... 4 Asset Classes Included .............................................................................................. 5 Units of Analysis ........................................................................................................ 9 Asset-Hazard Combinations ...................................................................................... 9 Consequence Metrics .............................................................................................. 11 Usage .................................................................................................................. 11 Redundancy ........................................................................................................ 11 Critical Facility Access ......................................................................................... 11 Equity: CalEnviroScreen Score .............................................................................. 13 Hazard Likelihood .................................................................................................... 13 Flooding .............................................................................................................. 13 Extreme Heat ....................................................................................................... 14 Asset Results .............................................................................................................. 15 Major Roadways ...................................................................................................... 15 Consequence Metrics .......................................................................................... 15 Consequence Scores ........................................................................................... 22 Likelihood and Risk .............................................................................................. 27 Bikeways ................................................................................................................ 33 Consequence Metrics .......................................................................................... 33 Consequence Scores ........................................................................................... 40 Likelihood and Risk .............................................................................................. 47 Bus Stops ............................................................................................................... 50 Consequence Metrics .......................................................................................... 50 Consequence Scores ........................................................................................... 55 Likelihood and Risk .............................................................................................. 59 Light Rail Stations .................................................................................................... 63 3 | Page
Consequence Metrics .......................................................................................... 63 Consequence Scores ........................................................................................... 68 Likelihood and Risk .............................................................................................. 72 Traffic Signals .......................................................................................................... 75 Consequence Metrics .......................................................................................... 75 Condition Scoring ................................................................................................ 78 Consequence Scores ........................................................................................... 88 Likelihood and Risk .............................................................................................. 91

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Introduction
The SacAdapt planning effort will develop prioritized adaptation strategies, which may include capital projects, operational changes, maintenance improvements, policy changes, and other types of interventions. The Risk Assessment deliverable serves to prioritize parts of the transportation system for adaptation strategy development.

The Risk Assessment is performed at a systems scale, meaning that it looks across a broad set of assets to inform which have higher risks from a given climate-related hazard (i.e., flooding, extreme heat). The Risk Assessment prioritizes assets based on both the likelihood of being affected by hazards and consequences to the transportation system, including the people who use it.

The systems-scale risk assessment was shaped by the following considerations:
• The analysis focuses on asset-hazard combinations that present an opportunity for the City or SacRT to directly manage these risks.
• The analysis does not attempt to differentiate between assets when risk is very similar.
• The analysis avoids duplicating recently completed or ongoing efforts.

The systems-scale risk assessment was not completed for asset-hazard combinations where potential projects have already been identified or for asset-hazard combinations where general strategies (e.g., using more resilient materials or design specifications) can be developed without going through asset-by-asset prioritization.

Methodology
Overview
The system-scale risk assessment analyzes and prioritizes different types of transportation assets based on their likelihood of experiencing climate hazards and the consequences to the transportation system when these hazards occur.

Different asset classes are assessed separately. The following list summarizes the basic process for each asset type:

1. Develop a set of metrics for the asset related to their relative importance to the overall transportation system and the consequences when disrupted.

2. Place metrics on a common scale (ranging from 0-10).

3. Weight metrics based on their relative importance.
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4. Sum weighted and scaled metrics together to create a consequence score (ranging from 0-10, with 10 being the highest consequence score).

5. Create consequence scores based on combination of consequence metrics (e.g., 0-10 score). The consequence scores are one output of the analysis.

6. Combine consequence scores with likelihood metrics to inform prioritization. This process is handled differently for extreme heat and flooding. Those approaches are described in more detail later in this section.

It is important to understand that this indicator-based risk assessment produces scores that can be used for comparison of risk between different assets in relative terms; however, the scores are not representative of an absolute value of risk. Scaling and weighting enables the comparison of consequence scores between assets within an asset class, but comparisons cannot always be made across asset classes given the metrics used to evaluate each asset class differ.

Asset Classes Included
The asset-hazard combinations identified in the vulnerability assessment are advanced either directly to general adaptation strategies or through the risk assessment. Table 1 lists each of these asset-hazard combinations, potential next steps, and whether or not each is included in the risk assessment. It incorporates input from TAC members.

Table 1: Major Asset-Hazard Combinations and Whether they are included in Risk Assessment Hazard Damage & Asset
Type
Strategy Identification
Pathways Next Steps
Heat Outdoor Traveler
Comfort and
Health: Bus Stops
• General adaptation
strategies
• Risk assessment
• Risk assessment may identify
priority assets where strategies
might be needed.
• SacRT has current grant-funded
project on heat resilient bus
shelters for selected stops with
existing concrete pads. This and
other efforts will inform general
adaptation strategies.

Heat Outdoor Traveler
Comfort and
Health: Light Rail
Stations
• General adaptation
strategies
• Risk assessment
• Risk assessment may identify
priority assets where strategies
might be needed.
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Hazard Damage & Asset
Type
Strategy Identification
Pathways Next Steps
Heat Outdoor Traveler
Comfort and
Health: Active
Transportation
• General adaptation
strategies
• City’s Tree Opportunity Analysis
(2024) serves as systems scale
risk assessment, identifying gaps
in tree canopy over active
transportation facilities.
• Cool pavements and de-paving
should also be considered as
general adaptation strategies.

Possible recommendations to
improve outdoor traveler comfort
and health (in the context of heat
mitigation).

Heat Outdoor Workers
Health
• General adaptation
strategies
• General adaptation strategies are
likely to be policy
recommendations and not
location specific.

Heat Pavement, Traffic
Detection
• General adaptation
strategies
• Pavement treatments (e.g.,
different binder grade
specifications) that mitigate
degradation from heat stress may
be explored in the general
adaptation strategies.

Heat Signage, Striping • General adaptation
strategies
• General strategies can include
information on better maintaining
signs and striping affected by heat.

Heat SacRT Light Rail
Tracks
• General adaptation
strategies
• Recommendations likely to be
operational. Additional adaptation
implementation guidance may be
considered.

Heat SacRT Power
Distribution
System
• General adaptation
strategies
• Heat management for light rail
substations will be assessed
through adaptation
implementation guidance to
inform general strategies.

Heat SacRT Overhead
Catenary System
(OCS)
• General adaptation
strategies
• Recommendations likely to be
operational. Additional adaptation
implementation guidance may be
considered.

Heat SacRT
Compressed
Natural Gas (CNG)
Plant
• General adaptation
strategies
• Heat resilience for CNG
infrastructure will be assessed
through adaptation
implementation guidance to
inform general strategies.
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Hazard Damage & Asset
Type
Strategy Identification
Pathways Next Steps
Heat Transit Facility
HVAC Systems
• General adaptation
strategies
• Of transit facilities, project-
specific analysis would be most
helpful at 29th St., though likely
moving out of this facility in next
10 years or so. Lower priority for
project-specific analysis given the
plans to leave the facility.

Wind Crossing Gate
Arms and other
SacRT
Infrastructure
• General adaptation
strategies
• Recommendations likely to be
operational. Maintenance staff
already understand differential
impacts to gates, as summarized
in the Vulnerability Assessment.

Wind Traffic Signals,
Streetlights, Trees,
and Other City
Infrastructure
• General adaptation
strategies
• Recommendations likely to be
policy and maintenance related
(e.g., updating street/traffic
infrastructure to current standards
and managing trees according to
current standards).

Flood Levee Failure • General adaptation
strategies
• Leverage recent DPW assessment
on floodgate improvements for
recommendations (beyond what's
already covered by Floodgate
Modernization and Resilience
Project).
• SacAdapt project scope does not
include assessment of levees.

Flood Roadways • General adaptation
strategies
• Risk assessment
• Perform risk analysis to help
prioritize among assets.
• Additional adaptation
implementation guidance may be
considered for permeable pavers
or pavement.

Flood Bikeways • General adaptation
strategies
• Risk assessment
• Perform risk analysis to help
prioritize among assets.

Flood Railways • General adaptation
strategies
• Recommendations likely to be
maintenance related or specific to
bridges. Additional adaptation
implementation guidance may be
considered.

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Hazard Damage & Asset
Type
Strategy Identification
Pathways Next Steps
Flood Pump Stations and
Drainage
• General adaptation
strategies
• DOU Local Hazard Mitigation Plan,
Comprehensive Flood
Management Plan, Repetitive Loss
Analysis, and drainage master
plans have priority locations and
recommendations for stormwater
drainage improvements (including
pump stations, culverts, etc.).
• Will likely include maintenance
recommendations regarding
culvert and storm drain cleaning.

May use risk assessment
prioritization among roads to
inform where maintenance should
be prioritized.

Flood Traffic Signals • General adaptation
strategies
• Risk assessment
• Can use risk assessment to
prioritize signals upgrades.
• General interest in managing
traffic/signal infrastructure in an
emergency response and recovery
situation.

Flood Underground
Infrastructure
• General adaptation
strategies
• Limited ability to use existing data
to conduct system level analysis
to understand where risks are.

May be some operational or
maintenance recommendations.

Flood Transit Facilities • General adaptation
strategies
• For SacRT transit facility
improvements, consider
overlapping risks through the Zero
Emission Bus (ZEB) subtask and
general adaptation strategies.
• For Sacramento Valley Station,
discuss if analysis is needed.

Flood ZEB Charging
Stations
• Advance to ZEB
subtask analysis
• For ZEB charging stations,
leverage VA and ZEB analysis.

Flood Transit Emergency
Preparedness
• General adaptation
strategies
• Recommendations likely to be
operational, not location specific.

Flood Bridges • General adaptation
strategies
• Recommendations likely to be
policy and funding related (e.g.,
more funding for bicycle bridge
inspections and mid-level bridge
improvements).
• Consider case study for potential
project-level analysis.
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Hazard Damage & Asset
Type
Strategy Identification
Pathways Next Steps
Wildfire Smoke Impacts to
Travelers
• General adaptation
strategies
• Recommendations likely to be
operational.
• Not feasible to manage on a
location specific basis.

Multiple Power Grid Failure • General adaptation
strategies
• Limited ability to manage.

Coordination with SMUD is
critical.
• Highlight importance of DOU
analysis on pump station
prioritization.

Units of Analysis
The individual assets were the units of analysis that were used.

Bus stops and light rail stations were used directly from SacRT GIS datasets.

Both major roadways and bikeways units of analysis were created by taking the City GIS data and performing further selection and segmentation for purposes of this analysis. For roadways, the dataset was filtered to include only streets functionally classified as arterials or collectors. These features were then dissolved by their names and segmented into intersection-to-intersection units. For bikeways, all existing routes in the City’s bikeway dataset were included. Like the roadway network, the bikeways were also segmented into intersection-to-intersection units. The segmentation of both these datasets by intersection-to-intersection segments is more logical for metrics such as detour time or length and enables easier comparison between assets.

The traffic signals were used directly from City GIS data. Components of these assets were further analyzed, although these additional analyses leverage incomplete datasets and are used to support future analysis. These components were cabinets, controllers, detection devices, network devices, and hardware. Only components at or near their End of Life (EOL) were assessed. For these traffic signal components, one or more condition-related metrics were combined to create an EOL indicator score ranging from 0 to 10 (with 10 corresponding with highest need for replacement).

Asset-Hazard Combinations
The asset-hazard combinations used in the risk assessment are depicted by check marks in Table 2
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Table 2: Asset-Hazard Combinations in the Risk Assessment Asset Class Flooding Extreme Heat
Major Roadways 
Bikeways 
Bus Stops 
Light Rail Stations 
Traffic Signals  
Cabinets 
Controllers 
Detection Devices 
Hardware 

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Consequence Metrics
This section gives a brief overview of the different types of consequence metrics used for each asset class. Generally, each asset class has four categories of consequence metrics:
usage, redundancy, critical facility access, and equity. This is the case for major roadways, bikeways, bus stops, and light rail stations. Traffic signals are a special case; this special case is discussed in more detail in the Traffic Signals portion of the Asset Results section below.

The four consequence metric categories are introduced in this section. For some of these types, metrics vary heavily by asset class. In those cases, the specific metrics are discussed in each asset class’s portion of the Asset Results section. For others, the metrics are the same or very similar across asset classes. In those cases, the metrics are discussed here for sake of brevity.

Usage
One aspect of consequence is the level of usage of a particular asset. Assets with higher levels of usage tend to have greater consequences to the system when damaged or disrupted. The usage metrics vary widely by the asset class, from traffic volume to ridership to level of stress. Therefore, these metrics are discussed in each asset class’s portion of the Asset Results section.

Redundancy
Redundancy is also an important aspect of consequence. Assets with low redundancy tend to affect the system more when they are damaged or disrupted. The redundancy metrics also vary widely by asset class so are described in each asset class’s portion of the Asset Results section.

Critical Facility Access
Ensuring reliable access to critical facilities is essential for maintaining life-safety services, supporting emergency response, and sustaining day‑to‑day community functioning.

Critical facilities can include a wide range of definitions; for the purposes of SacAdapt, critical facilities were considered in two categories aligned with the transportation networks that serve them: (1) roadway‑dependent critical facilities and (2) bikeway/public transit–dependent critical facilities. Maintaining uninterrupted connectivity to these facilities is central to community resilience.
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Major Roadway Critical Facilities
These facilities rely primarily on the roadway network for emergency vehicle response, continuous operations, or distribution of essential services. Any disruption of access (e.g., flooding, road closures, debris blockage, structural failures) can directly impact life safety, utilities, and public health. These include hospitals, fire and police stations, utility sites (water, wastewater, electric), transit depots, and flood control assets. These facilities require dependable roadway access for emergency response crews, utility operators, and incident management.

Table 3 shows the categories for access to critical facilities by roadways and the scoring contributing to consequence scores. This metric reflects how reliant a facility is on a specific roadway. If a disrupted road is the only or primary route to a critical facility, the consequence score will be high because the loss of access could impede emergency response, service delivery, or utility operations.

Table 3: Access to Critical Facilities Categories and Scores for Roadways Category Description Score
Exclusive Access Only route to the facility or its neighborhood; includes one-way-in/out cases 10
Primary Access
Provides direct access to the facility but has a
local street network serving the facility at other
access points
8 Multiple Access
Points
Two or more major roads directly connect to
facility 6
Local Access Access road to a neighborhood or local road network; Does not provide direct access to facility 4
No Access No access to critical facilities 0

Bikeway and Transit Critical Facilities
This category includes facilities that serve community members who depend on non‑automobile travel, including anyone who walks, bicycles, or takes public transportation. Maintaining access to public and active transportation is essential to ensuring equity, transportation resilience, and the continuity of social and community functions. Facilities in this category include schools, community centers, libraries, evacuation shelters, and transit hubs.
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Table 4 defines the categories and scores used to measure how close a bikeway, bus stop, or light rail station is to a critical facility. Bikeways or transit stops that are located closer to a critical facility are considered more critical for facility access, resulting in higher consequence scores.

Table 4: Access to Critical Facilities Categories and Scores for Bikeways and Transit Assets Category Score
Within ¼ mile 10
Within ½ mile 5
Within ¾ mile 2
Over ¾ mile 0

Equity: CalEnviroScreen Score
CalEnviroScreen percentiles represent how a census tract ranks relative to others in California in terms of environmental pollution burden and population vulnerability, with higher percentiles indicating greater cumulative impacts. Disruptions in these high- percentile areas are more likely to affect already overburdened communities. The maximum CalEnviroScreen score was taken for linear assets (roadways and bikeways).

Hazard Likelihood
Flooding
For flooding, likelihood was assessed using FEMA floodplain data.

For traffic signals and bikeways, likelihood was categorized into the following tiers:
• Tier 1 (highest likelihood): Located in or crosses through 100-year floodplain • Tier 2: Located in or crosses through shallow 100-year floodplain • Tier 3: Located in or crosses through 100-year floodplain but protected by a levee or a 500-year floodplain
For major roadways, the following likelihood tiers were used:
• Tier 1 (highest likelihood): At least one of the following is true:
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o Segment crosses through 100-year floodplain one or more times and no bridge appears to be present for at least one of those crossings o Segment contains one or more underpasses
• Tier 2: Segment crosses through shallow 100-year floodplain one or more times and no bridge appears to be present for at least one of those crossings • Tier 3: At least one of the following is true:
o Segment crosses through 100-year floodplain but protected by a levee or a 500-year floodplain
o Segment contains a bridge over water
For flooding, likelihood tiers can be combined with consequence scores by first sorting by likelihood tier (highest to lowest) and then by consequence score (largest to smallest). The results section of this assessment focuses on assets in the highest tier of flood likelihood.

For roadways and bikeways, it can also be helpful to sort high-likelihood assets by length of overlap with the 100-year floodplain.

Extreme Heat
For extreme heat, daytime Urban Heat Island (UHI) intensity data from NASA in 2020, measured in degrees Fahrenheit, was used to quantify relative likelihood of impacts.

Generally, transit stops and light rail stations in areas with more intense UHI were assumed to be higher priorities for extreme heat risk.

UHI intensity at bus stops and light rail stations was normalized from 0 to 10, with 10 corresponding to the highest intensity among the assets. UHI data was only available for the City of Sacramento. Assets outside of the city have no UHI scores leading to null heat risk scores.

A heat risk score was also created by multiplying together consequence scores by the scaled UHI score. Higher scores are associated with higher extreme heat risks. 15 | Page
Asset Results
This section documents the results of the asset risk analysis and is organized by asset type. Each subsection includes, where applicable, maps, a brief narrative summary, the associated consequence metrics and scores, and a list of the highest‑priority assets. For brevity, each list shows up to 50 total assets.

Major Roadways
Consequence Metrics
Major roads are defined as City-owned collectors or arterial roadways. Table 5 shows the metrics, scales and weights used for calculating consequence scores for major roads. The metrics were weighed equally. The following subsections describe the metrics in more detail.

Table 5: Consequence Score Metric Weights for Major Roads Metric Scale Weight
Average Daily
Traffic (ADT)
Logged value of existing counts.

Then, Min-Max scaling from 0 to 10. 25%
Incremental Detour
Time
No data or Detour <= 1 minute: 1
Values > 1 minute and <= 10 minutes: Remain as is
Values > 10 minutes: 10
25%
Nearby Critical
Facilities
Exclusive Access: 10
Primary Access: 8
Multiple Access Points: 6
Local Access: 4
No Access: 0
25%
CalEnviroScreen
Score All scores divided by 10 25%

Average Daily Traffic
Average Daily Traffic (ADT) is a measure of the average number of vehicles that travel along a given roadway each day. It quantifies how frequently a roadway is used and thus its importance to a transportation network. All else being equal, roads with higher ADTs tend to have a greater societal and economic impact if disrupted during a hazard when compared with roads with lower ADTs.

ADT data for arterial and collector roads were provided by the City of Sacramento based on 2019 counts. The counts were provided in an Excel sheet for road segments by road names 16 | Page
and intersection. To apply this data to the segmented roadway network in GIS, intersections were geolocated using a locator tool, and ADT values were manually assigned to the corresponding road segments based on their spatial relationship to the identified intersections. For segments without ADT, values were gap-filled using a tiered approach. If a segment was located between two others with ADT values, the average of those values was used. If only one adjacent segment had an ADT value, that value was applied, assuming comparable traffic volume. When no suitable adjacent data were available, the 10th percentile ADT for the corresponding functional classification was used (it was assumed that segments without counts were likely to have lower ADT values).

In the original dataset, most ADT values were below 30,000, with a small number of outliers exceeding 60,000 daily users. To prepare the data for analysis, ADT values were log-transformed and then scaled using the minimum and maximum of the logged values.

This approach reduced the influence of extreme values while preserving the relative differences across the dataset, allowing for more meaningful comparison.

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Map 1 shows the distribution of ADT across the City of Sacramento. Segments with the highest ADT are arterials that serve as access points to highways. These include Watt Ave./South Watt Ave., Howe Ave./Power Inn Rd., and Arden Way in the eastern part of the City; Truxel Rd. in Natomas; and Cosumnes River Blvd. in the south. The gridded downtown area generally has lower ADT values, likely due to the redundancy of the street network in the area, as well as a higher density that allows for higher mode shares for active transportation and transit.

Map 1: Unscaled Average Daily Traffic (ADT) values for major roadways Incremental Detour Time
Incremental detour time measures the amount of additional time required for a typical detour around a roadway segment if it becomes inaccessible.

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Incremental detour times were estimated by mapping each major roadway segment in Google Maps to identify typical travel time by car in minutes. All measurements used weekday 8am conditions to reflect peak travel patterns. The fastest feasible detour route was then identified using nearby arterials, collectors, or highways that a driver would likely choose if their primary route were inaccessible. In instances where a reroute was not possible or unreasonably long, the detour followed local streets outside the major roads.

For 352 road segments in the densely gridded downtown Sacramento area, very short detours were assumed rather than measured in Google Maps due to the high redundancy of the network.

To quantify the incremental detour time, the original travel time was subtracted from the delayed travel time. All roadways that had no incremental detour time, a negative incremental detour time, or an incremental detour time of 1 minute were assigned a score of 1. Roadways with incremental detour times that exceed 10 minutes were given a score of 10. Roadways with incremental detour times between 1 and 10 minutes remained as is (e.g., a road with a 4-minute detour received a 4).

Most segments have relatively short detour times, falling under five minutes. Only a small portion of the network, fewer than 50 segments, have detour times exceeding eight minutes. These longer detour segments may reflect areas with limited connectivity, physical barriers such as rivers or freeways, or a lack of parallel routes, and could represent potential vulnerabilities in the transportation network during closures or emergencies.

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Map 2 shows the distribution of incremental detour times across the City of Sacramento.

Segments with the highest detour times are predominately located in more suburban or agricultural areas where alternative travel routes via major roadways are limited. For example, the Elkhorn Boulevard segment on the northern edge of the City with the longest detour time is almost two miles away from the next major roadway that could be used as a potential reroute. A similar example is a portion of Cosumnes River Boulevard at the southern edge of the City with a relatively sparse roadway network.

An important exception to this is the high detour times associated with three of Sacramento’s bridges: Watt Avenue, N 16
th Street leading to N Highway 160, and I Street
leading to the I Street Bridge. Few other options exist for travelers to cross the American or Sacramento River, and for those that do, a high detour time is required to access them.

Map 2: Incremental detour time for major roadways in minutes

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Nearby Critical Facilities
Map 3 illustrates which roadway segments provide access to critical facilities. While downtown Sacramento benefits from a dense grid that offers multiple alternative routes to most critical facilities, several surrounding neighborhoods rely on only a more limited set of key corridors to reach these facilities.

Map 3: Critical Facility Access by Roadways

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CalEnviroScreen Score
A large portion of roadways have high CalEnviroScreen scores. A little under 50% of segments have CalEnviroScreen scores of 75 or higher, the State’s threshold for disadvantaged community status.

Map 4 has the distribution of CalEnviroScreen percentiles mapped for these segments.

Segments with scores of 75 or higher are mostly found in Downtown, the River District, North Sacramento, Southeastern Sacramento, South Oak Park, and Parkway.

Map 4: CalEnviroScreen percentiles for major roads

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Consequence Scores
The highest scoring segments consistently serve as exclusive or primary access routes to critical facilities, experience higher ADT, are in areas with elevated CalEnviroScreen scores, and have longer incremental detours. The following segments, listed from highest to lowest consequence score, are considered the most critical. Key drivers contributing to their high scores are also noted:
• Folsom Boulevard (between Power Inn Rd and Jackson Rd) High ADT (38,544), Exclusive critical facility access, 6.5- minute incremental detour time, and CalEnviroScreen percentile of 91.3. • Folsom Boulevard (between Elvas Ave and State University Dr) Exclusive critical facility access, long incremental detour time (11 mins).
• Watt Ave (between Folsom Blvd and La Riviera Dr) Very high ADT (84,384), long incremental detour time (12.5 mins). • Jibboom Street (between I Street and N 7th Street) Moderate ADT (26,432) and CalEnviroScreen percentile of 98.8. • El Camino Ave (between Auburn Blvd and Ethan Way) Moderate ADT (32,946), primary critical facility access, and CalEnviroScreen percentile of 93.0.
• Power Inn (between Fruitridge Rd and Belvedere Ave) Moderate ADT (37,908), moderate incremental detour time (5.5 mins), and CalEnviroScreen percentile of 91.3.
• Auburn Boulevard (between South Ave and Arcade Blvd) High ADT (21,160), moderate detour time (4.5 min), CalEnviroScreen percentile of 92.3, primary access to critical facilities. • Truxel Rd (between San Juan Rd and Gateway Park Blvd) High ADT (58,072), long incremental detour time (9 mins). • Power Inn Rd (between 14th Ave and Folsom Blvd) High ADT (62,511), long detour time (10 min), CalEnviroScreen percentile of 91.3.
• 12th (between Richards Blvd and State Highway 160 Bridge) Long detour time (9 min), CalEnviroScreen percentile of

98.8. • San Juan (between Azevedo Dr and E Commerce Way) Incremental detour time of 7 mins, exclusive critical facility access.
• Elder Creek (between Power Inn Rd and Florin Perkins Rd) Moderate ADT (27,088), exclusive critical facility access, incremental detour time 5.5 mins) CalEnviroScreen percentile of 70.5. 23 | Page
Consequence scores listed from highest to lowest for the top 50 segments can be found in Table 6.

Table 6: Top 50 consequence scores for major roads
Number Asset
(WSPID) Road Name Cross
Street 1
Cross
Street 2 AADT
Incremental
Detour
Time
(minutes)
Critical
Facility
Access
CES
percentile
Consequence
Score
1 237 Folsom Power Inn Notre Dame
Dr 38,544 6.5 Exclusive
Access 9.1 7.7
2 249 Folsom 69th/Elvas State
University 19,365 11 Exclusive
Access 7.8 7.4
3 359 Watt Folsom La Riviera 84,384 12.5 No Access 7.8 6.9 4 0056 Jibboom C Richards 26,432 8 Local
Access 9.9 6.7
5 800 El Camino Evergreen Harvard 32,946 5.5 Primary
Access 9.3 6.7
6 206 Power Inn Fruitridge Belvedere 37,908 5.5 Primary Access 9.1 6.7
7 910 Auburn Winding Kitty 21,160 7 Exclusive
Access 6.3 6.6
8 885 Truxel Gateway San Juan 58,072 9 Local
Access 6.2 6.6
9 236 Power Inn Folsom 14th 62,511 10 No Access 9.1 6.5 10 738 12th Richards Northgate 15,299 11 Local
Access 9.9 6.5
11 855 San Juan E
Commerce Azevedo 12,707 7 Exclusive
Access 6.6 6.4
12 133 Elder Creek Power Inn Florin
Perkins 27,088 5.5 Exclusive
Access 7.0 6.4
13 132 Power Inn Elder Creek Lorin 29,621 5.5 Primary
Access 8.0 6.4
14 0037 H Camellia Campus
Commons 41,226 12 Local
Access 6.5 6.4
15 0038 Fair Oaks Campus
Commons Howe 41,226 10 Local
Access 6.5 6.4
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Number Asset
(WSPID) Road Name Cross
Street 1
Cross
Street 2 AADT
Incremental
Detour
Time
(minutes)
Critical
Facility
Access
CES
percentile
Consequence
Score
16 0082 Del Paso Northgate Pell 16,244 5 Local
Access 9.4 6.4
17 71 Meadowview 21st 24th 31,108 6 Primary
Access 7.4 6.3
18 75 Meadowview 24th 29th 31,108 6 Primary
Access 7.4 6.3
19 736 7th G St Richards 10,095 4.5 Exclusive
Access 9.9 6.3
20 173 65th Street Fruitridge Lemon Hill 22,622 6.5 Primary Access 7.8 6.3
21 766 Arden Blumenfeld Heritage 54,546 4
Multiple
Access
Points

9.3 6.3
22 313 La Riviera Howe Occidental 18,052 8 Exclusive
Access 5.2 6.3
23 418
Watt (bridge
over La
Riviera)
La Riviera
American
River Bike
Trail
84,384 12.5
No Access

5.2 6.3
24 968 Natomas N Bend N Park 27,718 10 Exclusive
Access 2.0 6.2
25 177 Florin
Perkins Fruitridge Elder Creek 20,583 5.5 Primary
Access 9.1 6.2
26 0065
San Juan
(bridge over
Natomas
Ditch)
Northgate
Blvd
Western
Ave 13,760 5 Local
Access

8.5 6.1
27 42 Bruceville Wyndham Cosumnes 19,630 5.5 Exclusive Access 6.9 6.1
28 153 Power Inn Lemon Hill Elder Creek 29,621 6.5 Primary Access 5.8 6.1
29 0039 Broadway Front 3rd 10,285 5
Multiple
Access
Points

6.9 6.0
25 | Page
Number Asset
(WSPID) Road Name Cross
Street 1
Cross
Street 2 AADT
Incremental
Detour
Time
(minutes)
Critical
Facility
Access
CES
percentile
Consequence
Score
30 726 16th N B C 24,175 In downtown Exclusive
Access 9.9 6.0
31 59 Mack Alta Valley Stockton 38,136 9.5 No Access 9.3 5.9 32 208 Florin
Perkins Belvedere Fruitridge 11,297 5.5 Primary
Access 9.1 5.9
33 37 Franklin Valley Hi Cosumnes 27,950 6.5 Primary
Access 6.1 5.9
34 209 Sutterville Freeport 24th 27,246 10 Local
Access 6.6 5.9
35 990 Elkhorn Natomas E Levee 17,935 13 Exclusive
Access 1.4 5.9
36 0077 Raley Doolittle St Bell Ave 33,804 6 Local
Access 9.4 5.9
37 36 Cosumnes
River Freeport Franklin 22,868 10.5 Local
Access 6.4 5.8
38 149 65th Street Lemon Hill Elder Creek 22,622 4.5 Exclusive Access 5.8 5.8
39 917 Northgate N Market San Juan 32,742 7 Local
Access 8.3 5.8
40 211 Stockton 14th 21st 19,570 6 Primary
Access 7.1 5.8
41 841 Arcade Roseville
Rd
Del Paso
Blvd 18,241 8 Local
Access 9.1 5.8
42 0083 Main Norwood
Ave
Main Ave
Bridge 16,244 9 Local
Access 8.0 5.8
43 35 Center Valley Hi Cosumnes
River 6,590 5 Exclusive
Access 6.9 5.7
44 0040 Front Broadway Neasham
Cir 10,285 3
Multiple
Access
Points

6.9 5.7
45 727 12th N B C 19,549 In downtown Exclusive
Access 9.9 5.7
26 | Page
Number Asset
(WSPID) Road Name Cross
Street 1
Cross
Street 2 AADT
Incremental
Detour
Time
(minutes)
Critical
Facility
Access
CES
percentile
Consequence
Score
46 875 El Centro Radio San Juan 13,346 5.5 Exclusive
Access 5.4 5.7
47 799 El Camino Evergreen
Harvard/
Auburn
underpass
32,946 5.5 Local
Access

9.4 5.7
48 130 47th 24th City
boundary 23,856 6.5 Local
Access 9.3 5.7
49 0066 Silver Eagle Western Norwood 13,760 5 Local
Access 8.5 5.6
50 760 Arden Heritage Challenge 54,546 4
Multiple
Access
Points

6.5 5.6

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Likelihood and Risk
Map 5 shows the tiered flood-likelihood categories for major roadways across the city, highlighting which segments face the greatest exposure. 104 roadway segments are classified in the highest flood-likelihood tier. Many of these segments are located near the American or Sacramento Rivers or smaller tributaries such as Cosumnes River and Arcade Creek. There are also many shorter segments with underpasses, often under highways; these are often low points that collect water and may drain poorly.

Map 5: Flood likelihood tiers for major roadways

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Map 6 shows the consequence scores for the roadways in the highest flood likelihood tier (Tier 1). Other roadways are grayed out. Table 7 list these same assets with higher consequence scores listed first. Roadways with high consequence and high flood exposure include Folsom Blvd., Auburn Blvd., Power Inn Rd., 7th St., and Arden Way. Many of these roads are located along the American River Parkway, where flooding is influenced by the American River, or are underpasses in downtown Sacramento along Capital City Freeway and US-50.

Map 6: Consequence scores of major roads segments in highest flood likelihood tier

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Table 7: Major road segments in highest flood likelihood tier by descending consequence score Number Asset
(WSPID)
Road Name Cross Street 1 Cross Street 2 Consequence
Score
1 249 Folsom Elvas Ave State University Dr E 7.4
2 910 Auburn Winding Wy Kitty Ln 6.6
3 236 Power Inn Folsom Blvd 14th Ave 6.5
4 736 7th G St Richards Blvd 6.3
5 766 Arden Harvard St Heritage Ln 6.3
6 313 La Riviera La Riviera Dr Underpass
under Howe Ave
Occidental Dr 6.3
7 0039 Broadway Front St 3rd St 6.0
8 726 16th N B St C St 6.0
9 36 Cosumnes River Franklin Blvd Freeport Blvd 5.8
10 0040 Front Broadway Neasham Cir 5.7
11 727 12th C St N B St 5.7
12 875 El Centro Radio Rd San Juan Rd 5.7
13 754 Northgate Del Paso Blvd State Highway Underpass near Union Pacific Railroad

5.6 14 0057 Richards N 7th St Jibboom St 5.5
15 783 Garden Truxel Rd Garden Hwy On-Ramp 5.4
16 397 J J St Underpass under Elvas
Ave
Carlson Dr 5.4
17 181 Watt Fruitridge Rd Elder Creek Rd 5.4
18 769 Del Paso Northgate Blvd Canterbury Rd 5.3
19 358 La Riviera Occidental Rd La Riviera Dr Underpass under S Watt Ave

5.3 20 709 I Street Jibboom St Sacramento Valley Station 5.1 21 107 Florin Indian Ln Florin Rd 5.0
22 758 Exposition Leisure Ln Tribute Rd 4.8
23 753 Del Paso Northgate Blvd State Highway 160 4.8
24 926 Bell Norwood Ave Rio Linda Blvd 4.7
25 276 Riverside Sutterville Rd Vallejo Wy 4.5
26 290 La Riviera College Town Dr La Riviera Dr Underpass under Howe Ave

4.4 27 669 5th J St L St 4.4
28 251 Watt Folsom Blvd Manlove Rd 4.3
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Number Asset
(WSPID)
Road Name Cross Street 1 Cross Street 2 Consequence
Score
29 847 El Centro San Juan Rd W El Camino Ave 4.3
30 67 Freeport Pocket Rd Bill Conlin Youth Sports Complex 4.2 31 923 Rio Linda Bell Ave North Ave 4.1
32 419 H Elvas Ave Carlson Dr 4.1
33 767 Garden Orchard Ln Garden Hwy Underpass under
State Highway 80

3.9 34 801 Truxel W El Camino Ave Garden Hwy 3.9
35 0002 Arden Garden Connector Northgate Blvd Colfax St 3.8 36 30 Cosumnes River Center Pkwy Bruceville Rd 3.8
37 764 Northgate Arden Garden Connector Del Paso Blvd 3.7 38 779 Arden Garden Connector Northgate Blvd Garden Hwy On-Ramp 3.6 39 242 65th Broadway S St 3.6
40 854 San Juan Duckhorn Dr E Commerce Wy 3.6
41 899 Roseville Arcade Blvd Longview Dr 3.6
42 781 Garden Gateway Oaks Dr Natomas Park Dr 3.5
43 0055 Ethan Exposition Blvd Hurley Wy 3.5
44 243 Folsom Power Inn Rd State University Dr E 3.4
45 696 J 3rd St J St Ramp Near St 3.4
46 3 Bruceville Sheldon Rd Big Horn Blvd 3.3
47 825 Auburn Marconi Cir Auburn Blvd Underpass under El Camino Ave

3.3 48 785 Harvard Arden Wy Auburn Blvd Underpass under El Camino Ave

3.3 49 0001 Folsom Ascot Ave Main Ave 3.3
50 830 Auburn Marconi Cir Auburn Blvd Underpass under
Marconi Ave

3.3 31 | Page
Map 7 and Table 8 show the segments in the highest likelihood tier organized by length of the segment crossing the 100-year floodplain. Most of the affected road segments have less than a quarter mile of inundation. The road with the longest exposed portion is Garden Highway. Other segments with exposed portions over a quarter mile include segments of El Centro Road, Northgate Boulevard, Rio Linda Boulevard, Ethan Way, Cosumnes River Boulevard, Arden Way, and South Watt Avenue.

Map 7: Length exposed (in miles) for major roads segments in highest flood likelihood tier

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Table 8: Major road segments in highest flood likelihood tier by length in feet Number Asset
(WSPID) Road Name Cross Street 1 Cross Street 2
Total Length
Flooded 100-
Year Event (ft)
Consequence
Score
1 767 Garden Orchard Ln Garden Hwy Underpass
under State Highway 80 1.1 3.9
2 768 Garden Gateway Oaks Dr Orchard Ln 0.8 3.1
3 847 El Centro San Juan Rd W El Camino Ave 0.8 4.3
4 764 Northgate Arden Garden
Connector Del Paso Blvd 0.5 3.7
5 0055 Ethan Exposition Blvd Hurley Wy 0.5 3.5
6 974 Rio Linda Claire Ave Crystal Rd 0.5 2.4
7 0002 Arden Garden Connector Northgate Blvd Colfax St 0.4 3.8 8 36 Cosumnes River Franklin Blvd Freeport Blvd 0.4 5.8 9 0001 Raley Ascot Ave Main Ave 0.3 3.3
10 181 Watt Fruitridge Rd Elder Creek Rd 0.3 5.4
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Bikeways
Consequence Metrics
Table 9 shows the metrics, scales and weights used for calculating consequence scores for bikeways. Bikeway classification and redundancy were weighed twice as much as the other metrics due to their relative importance.

Table 9: Consequence score metric weights for bikeways
Metric Scale Weight
Level of Stress
BLTS 1: 10
BLTS 2: 7
BLTS 3: 4
BLTS 4: 1
40%
Redundancy

Longest detour: 10
Long detour, High Stress: 7.5
Long detour, Low Stress: 5
Short detour, High stress: 2.5
Short detour, Low stress: 0
20%
Nearby Critical Facilities
“Primary”: 10
“Alternate”: 5
None: 0
20%
CalEnviroScreen Score All scores divided by 10 20%

Level of Traffic Stress
The Level of Traffic Stress (BLTS) was used as a proxy metric for calculating the number of people who use a given bikeway segment. The BLTS metric provides a standardized way to assess how comfortable and safe different bikeway segments are for riders of varying ages and abilities. BLTS reflects the amount of stress a typical bicyclist experiences when interacting with motor vehicles, based on factors such as traffic speed, traffic volume, number of lanes, and the type and quality of bicycle infrastructure.

It was assumed that bicycle facilities with a lower BLTS would have a higher ridership than facilities with a higher BLTS. As a result, it was assumed that, if a bicycle facility with a low BLTS failed, it would have a relatively greater impact on people bicycling as compared to a similar facility with a high BLTS.

Table 10 categorizes the BLTS scores and assigns corresponding scores for the metric. For this assessment, BLTS values are derived from the Neighborhood Connections dataset from the City of Sacramento.
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Table 10: BLTS Categories and Scores for Bikeway Consequence Scores Category Description Score
BLTS1 Roadways where bicyclists of all ages and abilities would feel comfortable riding. These roadways are generally characterized by low volumes, low speeds, no more than two travel lanes, and traffic control measures at intersections. These roadways may have bicycle facilities; separated shared-use paths for bicycles also fall into this category. 10 BLTS 2 Slightly less comfortable roadways, where most adults would feel comfortable riding.
7 BLTS 3 Moderately uncomfortable roadways, where most experienced bicyclists would feel comfortable riding
4 BLTS 4 High-stress roadways where only strong and fearless bicyclists would feel comfortable riding. These roadways are generally characterized by high volumes, high speeds, several travel lanes, and complex transitions approaching and crossing intersections.
1 Map 8 illustrates the BLTS across the city’s bikeway network. Many lower-stress segments appear in Downtown and Midtown Sacramento, where a denser street grid, slower vehicle speeds, and a higher concentration of dedicated bicycle facilities create more comfortable riding conditions. Other lower-stress segments include dedicated paths or lanes or lower- volume roads in other parts of the city.

In contrast, higher-stress bikeways are more prevalent in outlying neighborhoods, including portions of North Sacramento, South Sacramento, and Southeastern Sacramento. These segments often occur along higher-speed arterials or locations with limited bicycle infrastructure. Several of these high-stress corridors appear where major roadways intersect with fewer alternative routes, making them especially impactful on mobility for people who rely on bicycling as a primary travel mode. Some of the longest segments in the high-stress category include Cosumnes River Blvd, S Watt Ave, Pocket Rd, Del Paso Blvd, and Freeport Blvd.

To note, this SacAdapt planning effort is not suggesting that bicycle facilities with a high BLTS are of lower priority. The Streets for People Active Transportation Plan is the City’s bicycle and pedestrian plan that identifies needed bicycle and pedestrian facility upgrades, including both new facilities and improvements to reduce the level of traffic stress for facilities that are currently high stress.

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Map 8: Bikeway Level of Traffic Stress
Redundancy
A redundant bikeway network ensures that riders can still reach key destinations using comfortable, continuous routes even when portions of the system are compromised. In contrast, low-redundancy areas force riders onto high-stress corridors or create gaps that reduce overall connectivity.

Table 11 categorized how difficult it is for cyclists to navigate around a disrupted bikeway segment and assigns a corresponding consequence score. The categories account for two factors that directly influence rider impacts:

1. Detour Length – how far a bicyclist must travel on a typical detour to bypass a disruption on the segment of interest. A maximum score of 10 was given to any

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detour over 1.5 miles, which approximates a 10-minute detour for a person riding a bicycle at 10 miles per hour.

2. Detour Quality (BLTS Level) – whether the alternate route is high-stress or low-stress.

Together, these dimensions quantify how severe the consequences are for people biking when a segment becomes impassable.

Table 11: Bikeway Redundancy Metric Categories and Scoring Category Description Score
Longest Detour Any detour > 1.5-miles 10
Long detour, High Stress
Detour length is between 0.5 and 1.5-miles,
and detour goes on a high stress network
(BLTS = 3 or 4)

7.5 Long Detour, Low Stress
Detour length is between 0.5 and 1.5-miles,
and detour goes on a low stress network
(BLTS = 1 or 2)
5 Short Detour, High Stress Detour length is <0.5 and detour goes on a high stress network (BLTS = 3 or 4) 2.5
Short Detour, Low Stress Detour length is <0.5 and detour goes on a low stress network (BLTS = 1 or2) 0

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Map 9 illustrates that across the city, redundancy varies significantly. Downtown Sacramento benefits from a denser street grid, providing multiple parallel, lower-stress route options that help maintain safe bicycle access even when individual segments are disrupted.

In many peripheral neighborhoods, however, the bikeway network becomes more linear and reliant on a limited number of key corridors. These areas often contain higher concentrations of BLTS 3 and 4 segments, meaning that alternative routes, when they exist, tend to be higher-stress and less comfortable for most riders. Examples of segments with low redundancy include long portions of the bikeways on both sides of the American River, the Consumnes River Blvd. bicycle facility, and the bicycle path on the levee east of Steelhead Creek.

Map 9: Bikeway Redundancy

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Nearby Critical Facilities
Map 10 categorizes proximity of bikeway segments to critical facilities: within ¼ mile, within ½ mile, within ¾ mile, or over ¾ mile. Most bikeway segments are within a ¼ mile or ½ miles of a critical facility. A significant portion of the bikeway network in Downtown Sacramento falls within ¼ mile of critical facilities, reflecting the concentration of essential services and the dense street grid that supports multimodal access. Many bikeway segments in South Sacramento, North Sacramento, and the Natomas Basin fall within the ½-mile to ¾-mile ranges.

Map 10: Bikeway Critical Facility Access

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CalEnviroScreen
A significant portion of bikeway segments pass through communities facing higher cumulative environmental burdens and meeting the 75th percentile criterion for being designated by the State as disadvantaged.

Map 11 shows high-scoring corridors concentrated in areas such as North Sacramento, South Sacramento, the River District, and portions of Oak Park, where bikeways pass through neighborhoods experiencing elevated environmental burdens and socioeconomic disadvantages.

Map 11: CalEnviroScreen percentiles for bikeways

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Consequence Scores
Map 12 shows the consequence scores for bikeway segments. Some of the main areas of high-consequence bikeway segments include along the American and Sacramento Rivers and in low-redundancy portion of the network, including in North Sacramento. Bikeways with long segments of high consequence scores include Sacramento Northern Bike Trail, American River Bike Trail, Two Rivers Bike Trail, Raley Blvd., and Garden Highway Bike Trail.

Map 12: Consequence scores for bikeways

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Table 12 summarizes the 50 highest-scoring bikeways. A total of 1,787 bikeway segments were analyzed. The top scorers and their key drivers contributing to their high scores are listed here:
• Sacramento Northern Bike Trail (between Bell Ave and over Rio Linda Creek) Low stress (BLTS 1), Longest detour >1.5-miles, Within ¼ mile of critical facility, and CalEnviroScreen percentile of 84.1. • 99 Pedestrian Overcrossing (POC) At 27th Ave (between 27th Ave and 34th St) Low stress (BLTS 1), Longest detour >1.5-miles, Within ¼ mile of critical facility, and CalEnviroScreen percentile of 80.6. • Ramp Way (between Front St and Miller Park Marina) Low stress (BLTS 1), Longest detour >1.5-miles, Within ¼ mile of critical facility, and CalEnviroScreen percentile of 78.9. • 3rd St (between Log Pond Ln and Broadway) Low stress (BLTS 1), Longest detour >1.5-miles, Within ¼ mile of critical facility, and CalEnviroScreen percentile of 78.9.
• Tangerine Ave (between Brookfield Dr and Center Parkway) Low stress (BLTS 1), Longest detour >1.5-miles, Within ¼ mile of critical facility, and CalEnviroScreen percentile of 74.5 • Freeport Shores Bike Trail (between Sacramento Water Tower and Bill Conlin Youth Sports Complex) Low stress (BLTS 1), Longest detour >1.5-miles, Within ¼ mile of critical facility, and CalEnviroScreen percentile of 73.8 Table 12: Top 50 consequence scores for bikeways
Number Asset
(WSPID) Asset Name Cross Street
1 Cross Street
2 BTLS Redundancy
Based Detour
Critical
Facility
Access
CES
percentile
Consequence
Score
1 1737
Sacramento
Northern Bike
Trail
Bell Ave Outside City
Boundaries 1 Longest Detour Within ¼ mile 84.1 9.7
2 451 99 POC At
27th Ave 27th Ave 34th St 1 Longest Detour Within ¼ mile 80.6 9.6 3 804 Ramp Way Front St Miller Park
Marina 1 Longest Detour Within ¼ mile 78.9 9.6
4 1821 3rd St Log Pond Ln Broadway 1 Longest Detour Within ¼ mile 78.9 9.6 5 115 Tangerine
Ave Brookfield Dr Center
Parkway 1 Longest Detour Within ¼ mile 74.5 9.5
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Number Asset
(WSPID) Asset Name Cross Street
1 Cross Street
2 BTLS Redundancy
Based Detour
Critical
Facility
Access
CES
percentile
Consequence
Score
6 91
Freeport
Shores Bike
Trail
Sacramento
Water Tower
Bill Conlin
Youth Sports
Complex
1 Longest Detour Within ¼ mile 73.8 9.5
7 1239 Dos Rios St Richards Blvd N B St 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 98.8 9.5
8 1278 Two Rivers
Bike Trail N 10th St State
Highway 160 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 98.8 9.5
9 605 4th Ave 32nd St 4th Ave Dead
End 1 Longest Detour Within ¼ mile 72.0 9.4
10 1731 Raley Blvd Ascot Ave Bell Ave 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 94.1 9.4
11 1807 Ninos Park
Bike Trai San Juan Rd
Waterway
North of Rio
Norte Wy
1 Longest Detour Within ¼ mile 62.5 9.2
12 1592
Sacramento
Northern Bike
Trail
Bell Ave Rose St cul-
de-sac 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 85.2 9.2
13 1177 18th St D E 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 80.4 9.1
14 1211 C St 13th St 16th St 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 80.4 9.1
15 1321 Unnamed Rd Garden Hwy
Natomas
Park
Underpass
1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 79.7 9.1
16 1440 Edmonton Dr Westward Wy Northstead
Dr 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 79.7 9.1
17 401 38th Ave Wallace Ave Wilkinson St 1 Long detour, High Stress Within ¼ mile 78.2 9.1
18 402 Wilkinson St 38th Ave Lemon Hill
Ave 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 78.2 9.1
19 434 Wilkinson St Fruitridge Rd 38th Ave 1 Long detour, High Stress Within ¼ mile 78.2 9.1
20 1172 28th St McKinley
Village Wy E St 1 Longest Detour Within ½ mile 98.8 9.0 43 | Page
Number Asset
(WSPID) Asset Name Cross Street
1 Cross Street
2 BTLS Redundancy
Based Detour
Critical
Facility
Access
CES
percentile
Consequence
Score
21 1271
Sacramento
Northern Bike
Trail
Dreher St
Jedediah
Smith
Memorial
Trail
1 Longest Detour Within ½ mile 98.8 9.0
22 1216
Sutter
Landing Park
Bikeway
28th St
Dead End
near
American
River
1 Longest Detour Within ½ mile 98.8 9.0
23 348 Cougar Dr Eldercreek
Rd
Hometown
Wy 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 70.6 8.9
24 1331 Jackrabbit
Trail River Plaza Dr
Bridge near
Orchard Park
Skate Park
1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 69.8 8.9
25 1372 Jackrabbit
Trail
Bridge near
Orchard Park
Skate Park
W El Camino
Ave 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 69.8 8.9
26 82 Center Pkwy Bamford Dr Center
Parkway Ln 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 69.5 8.9
27 149 Alma Vista
Way Branwood Wy Pocket Rd 1 Longest Detour Within ¼ mile 44.3 8.9 28 1618 River Birch
Park Trail Terracina Dr
East
Drainage
Canal
1 Longest Detour Within ¼ mile 44.1 8.9
29 1270
American
River Bike
Trail
State
Highway 160
Underpass
Capital City
Fwy
Underpass
1 Longest Detour Within ½ mile 93.5 8.9
30 1328 Dixieanne
Ave
Union
Pacific
Railroad
Harvard St 1 Longest Detour Within ½ mile 93.0 8.9
31 293 Chorley Park 20th St 56th Ave 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 66.8 8.8
32 580 Maryknoll Ct Maryknoll
Cul-de-sac
Notre Dame
Dr 1 Longest Detour Within ½ mile 91.3 8.8
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Number Asset
(WSPID) Asset Name Cross Street
1 Cross Street
2 BTLS Redundancy
Based Detour
Critical
Facility
Access
CES
percentile
Consequence
Score
33 483 23rd St 20th Ave 22nd Ave 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 66.2 8.8
34 1397 Bannon
Creek Dr Crossmill Wy Azevedo Dr 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 65.8 8.8
35 1806 Two Rivers
Bike Trail H St
Dead End
Near
American
River and
Union Pacific
Railroad
2 Longest Detour Within ¼ mile 98.8 8.8
36 877 18th ST/R ST R St
Dead End
Near Quill
Alley and
Light Rail
Tracks
1 Longest Detour Within ½ mile 88.6 8.8
37 918 13th St Quill Aly T St 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 88.6 8.8
38 608 17th St Vallejo Wy McClatchy
School Park 1 Longest Detour Within ¼ mile 32.0 8.6
39 710 24th St Broadway
Capital City
Fwy E
Underpass
1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 56.5 8.6
40 754 24th St
Capitol City
Fwy E
Underpass
V St 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 56.5 8.6
41 860 University
Ave
University
Ave off
American
River Dr
University
Ave cul-de-
sac
1 Longest Detour Within ¼ mile 30.6 8.6
42 1803 Off Katanis
Way Cotton Ln Kastanis Wy 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 55.4 8.6
43 1361
Sacramento
Northern Bike
Trail
Traction Ave
Junction of
Sacramento
Northern Bike
1 Longest Detour Within ½ mile 79.8 8.6
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Number Asset
(WSPID) Asset Name Cross Street
1 Cross Street
2 BTLS Redundancy
Based Detour
Critical
Facility
Access
CES
percentile
Consequence
Score
Trail and
Altos Ave
Near Leitch
Ave
44 1379
Sacramento
Northern Bike
Trail
Intersection
of Altos Ave
and
Hawthorne St
Junction of
Sacramento
Northern Bike
Trail and
Altos Ave
Near
Lampasas
Ave
1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 79.8 8.6
45 1380
Sacramento
Northern Bike
Trail
Triangle Park
Junction of
Sacramento
Northern Bike
Trail and
Altos Ave
Near
Lampasas
Ave
1 Longest Detour Within ½ mile 79.8 8.6
46 1381
Sacramento
Northern Bike
Trail
Altos Ave
Junction of
Sacramento
Northern Bike
Trail and
Triangle Park
1 Longest Detour Within ½ mile 79.8 8.6
47 1408
Sacramento
Northern Bike
Trail
Altos Ave
Junction of
Sacramento
Northern Bike
Trail Adjacent
to Rio Linda
Blvd
1 Longest Detour Within ½ mile 79.8 8.6
48 1320
Garden
Highway Bike
Trail
Gateway
Oaks Dr
Natomas
Park Dr 1 Longest Detour Within ½ mile 79.7 8.6
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Number Asset
(WSPID) Asset Name Cross Street
1 Cross Street
2 BTLS Redundancy
Based Detour
Critical
Facility
Access
CES
percentile
Consequence
Score
49 1829 Unnamed Rd Natomas
Park Dr
Discovery
Park 1 Longest Detour Within ½ mile 79.7 8.6
50 455 Del Rio Bike
Trail Normandy Ln Fruitridge Rd 1 Long detour,
High Stress Within ¼ mile 78.9 8.6

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Likelihood and Risk
Map 13 shows bike segments by flood likelihood tier. Most bikeways in Sacramento are located outside the 100-year floodplain or are protected by levees. 140 of almost 1,800 segments cross through the 100-year floodplain. High-consequence and high-exposure bikeway segments include routes along the Sacramento River such as the American River Bike Trail and Two Rivers Bike Trail; Raley Blvd; Sacramento Northern Bike Trail; and Garden Highway Bike Trail.

Map 13: Flood likelihood tiers for bikeways

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Map 14 shows consequence scores for bikeways located within the 100-year floodplain.

Map 14: Consequence scores of bikeways within highest flood likelihood tier

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Map 15 shows bikeway segments crossing the 100-year floodplain by length of exposure.

Long portions of the following bikeways are exposed to the 100-year flood: American River Bike Trail, Sacramento River Bikeway, and Jedediah Smith National Recreation Trail.

Map 15: Length of flooded miles for bikeways within the highest flood likelihood tier

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Bus Stops
Consequence Metrics
Table 13 shows the metrics, scales, and weights used for calculating consequence scores for bus stops. All metrics were given an even weight.

Table 13: Consequence score metric weights for bus stops Metric Scale Weight
Ridership Average daily boardings normalized from 0
(lowest) to 10 (highest) 25%
Proximity to Closest
Stop
Within ¼ mile: 0
Within ½ mile: 2
Within ¾ mile: 5
Over ¾ mile: 10
25%
Nearby Critical Facilities
Within ¼ mile: 0
Within ½ mile: 2
Within ¾ mile: 5
Over ¾ mile: 10
25%
CalEnviroScreen Score All scores divided by 10 25%

Ridership
Ridership is a key metric for evaluating the importance of individual bus stops within the bus stop network. Average daily ridership data for bus stops was provided by SacRT. The data reflects the average daily boardings at each stop on a typical weekday in January 2025. Ridership is heavily skewed with many stops serving few riders each day and a small number of stops experiencing high volumes.

Map 16 shows these ridership numbers for each bus stop. The stops Carlson Dr & State University Drive North and Arden Way & Del Paso Blvd LRT have the highest ridership values. Carlson Dr & State University Drive North is in the center of California State University, Sacramento (CSUS). Arden Way & Del Paso Blvd is a major hub for connecting buses, serving busy areas like Arden Fair Mall. Other high ridership stops include Marconi- Arcade LRT, Arden Fair Mall & Terminal, 65th St & Sky Parkway, Mather LRS & Bay 2, and Watt Ave & I-80 LRT.
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Map 16: Bus Stop Ridership
Proximity to Closest Stop
This metric evaluates how far riders must travel to reach the next closest active bus stop if their primary stop becomes inaccessible. This does not include the paired stop across the street serving the opposite direction; instead, it reflects how far a rider must walk to reach an alternate stop that still provides service in their intended direction of travel.

Stops with greater distances to the next closest active bus stop receive higher consequence scores because a disruption at that location requires riders to travel farther to continue their trip. Table 14 categorizes the distance to the next active stop and scores it for the consequence score.

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Table 14: Proximity to Next Closest Active Stop Categories and Score Category Score
Over ¾ mile 10
Within ¾ mile 5
Within ½ mile 2
Within ¼ mile 0

Map 17 shows how far each bus stop is from the next closest active stop serving the same direction, highlighting where disruptions would create the greatest access challenges for riders. The large majority of stops are within ¼ mile of another active stop. Only 16 of over 2,700 stops have proximities of over ½ mile. Only two unique stop pairings have proximities over ¾ mile: Del Paso Rd & El Centro Rd and CA State Prison & Folsom Prison Rd.

Map 17: Proximity to Next Closest Active Bus Stop

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Nearby Critical Facilities
Map 18 shows the proximity of bus stops to critical facilities, highlighting where transit access plays an important role in connecting community members to essential services. A high concentration of stops within ¼ mile of critical facilities appears in central Sacramento, reflecting the dense clustering of hospitals, schools, community centers, libraries, and emergency shelters in the urban core. Note that critical facilities were only evaluated for the City of Sacramento, so many stops outside the City were categorized as over ¾ mile from critical facilities. However, some of these stops may be near other critical facilities that were not included in this analysis.

Map 18: Bus Stop Critical Facility Access

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CalEnviroScreen Score
Map 19 shows which bus stops are within census tracts with the highest CalEnviroScreen percentiles. The highest scoring bus stops tend to be in Downtown and surrounding neighborhoods, North Sacramento, McClellan Park, Southeastern Sacramento, South Oak Park, Parkway, Lemon Hill, and Florin.

Map 19: CalEnviroScreen percentiles for bus stops

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Consequence Scores
Map 20 displays the spatial distribution of consequence scores across the city. Stops with higher consequence scores tend to serve more riders, have fewer nearby alternatives, provide access to essential destinations, and be in more disadvantaged communities. The stops with the highest scores include Arden Way & Del Paso Blvd. light rail connection, Arden Fair Mall Terminal, Carlson Dr. & State University Dr., 7th St. and J St., J St. and 6th St., and Arden Way & Heritage Lane.

Map 20: Consequence scores for bus stops

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Table 15 lists the 50 highest-scoring bus stops by consequence score. Among the 1,582 bus stops analyzed, 3 have consequence scores above 6, indicating their critical role in the transit network. These top-scoring stops are characterized by high daily ridership, close access to critical facilities, and location in communities with elevated CalEnviroScreen scores. • ARDEN WAY & DEL PASO BLVD LRT (Stop ID: 9807) High daily ridership (482), within ¼ mile of a critical facility, CalEnviroScreen percentile of 93.5
• ARDEN FAIR MALL TERMINAL (Stop ID: 1099) High daily ridership (343), within ¼ mile of a critical facility, CalEnviroScreen percentile of 93.0.
• CARLSON DR & STATE UNIVERSITY DRIVE NORTH (Stop ID: 275) High daily ridership (549), within ¼ mile of a critical facility, CalEnviroScreen percentile of 77.5
• 7TH ST & J ST (Stop ID: 223) Moderate ridership (86), within ¼ mile of a critical facility, CalEnviroScreen percentile of

95.5 • J ST & 6TH ST (Stop ID: 414) Moderate ridership (92), within ¼ mile of a critical facility, CalEnviroScreen percentile of

95.6. • L ST & 5TH ST (Stop ID: 5252) Moderate ridership (182), provide access to critical facilities, CalEnviroScreen percentile of 95.6
• ARDEN WAY & HERITAGE LN (Stop ID: 1164) High daily ridership (121), within ¼ mile of a critical facility, CalEnviroScreen percentile of 93.0.

Table 15: Top 50 consequence scores for bus stops
Number Stop ID Stop Name Daily
Ridership
Access to
Critical
Facilities
Proximity to
Closest Stop
CES
percentile
Consequence
Score
1 9807 Arden Way & Del Paso Blvd LRT (Eb) 482 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 93.5 7.1 2 1099 Arden Fair Mall Terminal (Nb) 343 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 93.0 6.3 3 275 Carlson Dr & State University Drive
North (Eb)
549 Within ½ mile Within ½ mile 77.5 6.2
4 223 7th St & J St (Sb) 86 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 95.5 5.4 5 414 J St & 6th St (Eb) 92 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 95.5 5.4 6 1164 Arden Way & Heritage Ln (Wb) 121 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 93.0 5.3 57 | Page
7 560 Marysville Blvd & Los Robles Blvd 1
(Nb)1
7 Within ¼ mile Within ½ mile 88.9 5.2
8 561 Marysville Blvd & Los Robles Blvd 2
(Nb)1
7 Within ¼ mile Within ½ mile 88.9 5.2
9 282 Amtrak Depot (Wb) 69 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 98.8 5.2 10 222 7th St & H St (Sb) 39 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 95.5 5.1 11 413 J St & 4th St (Eb) 40 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 95.5 5.1 12 5252 L St & 5th St (Wb) 79 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 95.5 5.1 13 284 Del Paso Blvd & Hawthorne (Sb) 38 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 93.5 5.1 14 545 Del Paso Blvd & Winnipeg St (Nb) 29 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 93.5 5.1 15 547 Del Paso Blvd & El Camino Ave (Nb) 40 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 93.5 5.1 16 2370 Florin Rd & Luther Dr (Eb) 34 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 93.3 5.1 17 2375 Stockton Blvd & Elsie Ave (Nb) 29 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 92.5 5.1 18 1518 Auburn Blvd & Watt Ave (Wb) 33 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 92.3 5.1 19 583 Marysville Blvd & Los Robles Blvd (Sb) 4 Within ¼ mile Within ½ mile 81.0 5.0 20 584 Marysville Blvd & Los Robles Blvd (Sb) 4 Within ¼ mile Within ½ mile 81.0 5.0 21 221 7th St & G St (Sb) 13 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 98.8 5.0 22 536 Richards Blvd & Dos Rios St (Eb) 0 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 98.8 5.0 23 603 Richards Blvd & Dos Rios St (Wb) 0 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 98.8 5.0 24 5328 Richards Blvd & Louise St (Eb) 3 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 98.8 5.0 25 537 Sunbeam Ave & Richards Blvd (Sb) 3 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 98.8 5.0 26 418 J St & 11th St (Eb) 109 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 78.3 5.0 27 415 J St & 8th St (Eb) 125 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 78.3 5.0 28 528 L St & 9th St (Wb) 123 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 78.3 5.0 29 3135 65th St & Lemon Hill Ave (Nb) 19 Within ¼ mile Within ½ mile 78.2 5.0 30 1335 Del Paso Rd & El Centro Rd (Eb) 18 Within ½ mile Within ½ mile 48.0 5.0 31 1609 65th St & Lemon Hill Ave (Sb) 7 Within ¼ mile Within ½ mile 76.0 4.9 32 1608 65th St & Mcmahon Dr (Sb) 3 Within ¼ mile Within ½ mile 76.0 4.9 33 116 3rd St & K St (Nb) 9 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 95.5 4.9 34 281 5th St & I St (Nb) 3 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 95.5 4.9 35 531 L St & 4th St (Wb) 26 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 95.5 4.9 36 577 Grand Ave & Dayton St (Wb) 25 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 94.1 4.9

1 These stop locations are so close together that it was assumed if one stop was inaccessible, the other stop would similarly be inaccessible. As a result, these stops were not considered as part of the proximity to the closest stop calculation. A similar logic was used for all other occurrences of those co-located bus stops.
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37 842 Grand Ave & Jasmine St (Eb) 1 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 94.1 4.9 38 580 Grand Ave & Jasmine St (Wb) 17 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 94.1 4.9 39 843 Grand Ave & Mahogany St (Eb) 4 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 94.1 4.9 40 579 Grand Ave & Mahogany St (Wb) 11 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 94.1 4.9 41 839 Grand Ave & Dry Creek Rd (Eb) 37 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 84.1 4.9 42 840 Grand Ave & Elm St (Eb) 54 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 84.1 4.9 43 850 Grand Ave & Elm St (Wb) 76 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 84.1 4.9 44 1167 Arden Way & Beaumont St (Wb) 3 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 93.5 4.8 45 1168 Arden Way & Cantalier St (Wb) 2 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 93.5 4.8 46 1402 Colfax St & El Camino Ave (Sb) 1 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 93.5 4.8 47 596 Del Paso Blvd & Winnipeg St (Sb) 1 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 93.5 4.8 48 595 Del Paso Blvd & El Camino Ave (Sb) 4 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 93.5 4.8 49 1401 El Camino Ave & Edgewater Rd (Wb) 2 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 93.5 4.8 50 684 Grove Ave & El Monte Ave (Nb) 13 Within ¼ mile Within ¼ mile 93.5 4.8

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Likelihood and Risk
Map 21 shows the bus stops by UHI intensity scaled from 0 to 10. This metric highlights locations where riders are most at risk during extreme heat events due to both environmental exposure and the consequence of the stop. There are clusters of high UHI stops in the Downtown area, as well as in Southeastern Sacramento (particularly along Stockton Boulevard) and in North Sacramento. Stops outside the City boundary have null values because the UHI dataset used only covered the City of Sacramento.

Map 21: Scaled Urban Heat Island effect for bus stops

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Map 22 shows heat risks scores, which are the product of the scaled UHI scores and consequence scores. Table 16 lists the 50 highest-scoring bus stops by heat risk score.

Bus stops with the highest heat risk scores include Arden Fair Mall & Terminal, Richards Blvd. & Dos Rios St., Florin Rd. & Luther Dr., Amtrak & Depot, Franklin Blvd. & 16th, and Arden Way & Heritage Lane. Many of the stops with elevated heat risk are concentrated in the downtown area and along major corridors such as Del Paso Blvd., Stockton Blvd., and Franklin Blvd. These high-risk stops can be prioritized for adaptation measures such as shade structures, cooling elements, and improved passenger amenities to reduce heat exposure and enhance user comfort.

Map 22: Heat risk scores for bus stops

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Table 16: Bus stops by descending heat risk score
Number Stop ID Stop Name UHI Scaled Consequence
Score
Heat Risk
Score
1 1099 Arden Fair Mall Terminal (Nb) 9.1 6.3 57.8
2 603 Richards Blvd & Dos Rios St (Wb) 10.0 5.0 49.7
3 2370 Florin Rd & Luther Dr (Eb) 8.9 5.1 45.3
4 282 Amtrak Depot (Wb) 8.4 5.2 43.7
5 2579 Franklin Blvd & 16th Ave (Sb) 9.4 4.5 42.3
6 1164 Arden Way & Heritage Ln (Wb) 7.8 5.3 41.7
7 2587 M L King Jr Blvd & Fruitridge Rd
(Sb) 8.7 4.6 39.8
8 2618 Franklin Blvd & 16th Ave (Nb) 8.7 4.5 39.1
9 3722 Broadway & Stockton Blvd (Eb) 8.6 4.5 39.0
10 601 21st Ave & Franklin Blvd (Wb) 8.6 4.5 38.7
11 9807 Arden Way & Del Paso Blvd
LRT(Eb) 5.4 7.1 38.4
12 418 J St & 11th St (Eb) 7.7 5.0 38.0
13 548 Del Paso Blvd & El Camino Ave
(Nb) 8.4 4.5 38.0
14 414 J St & 6th St (Eb) 6.9 5.4 37.5
15 684 Grove Ave & El Monte Ave (Nb) 7.7 4.8 37.4
16 5252 L St & 5th St (Wb) 7.3 5.1 37.4
17 1839 Stockton Blvd & Broadway (Sb) 8.6 4.3 37.1
18 6107 Fruitridge Rd & Fruitridge LRT
(Wb) 7.7 4.8 36.7
19 545 Del Paso Blvd & Winnipeg St (Nb) 7.2 5.1 36.6
20 531 L St & 4th St (Wb) 7.5 4.9 36.6
21 604 Richards Blvd & North 10th St
(Wb) 9.8 3.7 36.6
22 596 Del Paso Blvd & Winnipeg St (Sb) 7.5 4.8 36.3
23 961 Rio Linda Blvd & Lampasas Ave
(Nb) 8.0 4.5 36.2
24 223 7th St & J St (Sb) 6.7 5.4 36.0
25 8042 79th St & 32nd Ave (Nb) 8.0 4.5 35.6
26 284 Del Paso Blvd & Hawthorne (Sb) 7.0 5.1 35.6
27 1894 Stockton Blvd & Lawrence Dr
(Nb) 9.0 3.9 35.5
28 2375 Stockton Blvd & Elsie Ave (Nb) 6.9 5.1 34.9
29 867 Lampasas Ave & Rio Linda Blvd
(Sb) 7.6 4.5 34.3
30 1849 Stockton Blvd & Lawrence Dr (Sb) 8.0 4.3 34.3
31 1136 I St & 12th St (Wb) 7.6 4.5 34.0
32 547 Del Paso Blvd & El Camino Ave
(Nb) 6.6 5.1 33.8
33 840 Grand Ave & Elm St (Eb) 7.0 4.9 33.7
34 850 Grand Ave & Elm St (Wb) 7.0 4.9 33.7
35 968 Rio Linda Blvd & South Ave (Nb) 7.3 4.6 33.7
36 1068 16th St & E St (Nb) 7.5 4.5 33.7
37 2409 Stockton Blvd & Massie Ct 1 (Sb) 7.0 4.8 33.7
38 2282 Fruitridge Rd & Freeport Blvd (Eb) 9.0 3.7 33.5 62 | Page
Number Stop ID Stop Name UHI Scaled Consequence
Score
Heat Risk
Score
39 855 Grand Ave & Altos Ave (Wb) 7.2 4.6 33.3
40 560 Marysville Blvd & Los Robles Blvd
1 (Nb) 6.4 5.2 33.3
41 594 Del Paso Blvd & El Camino Ave
(Sb) 7.3 4.5 33.0
42 1887 Stockton Blvd & Eldercreek Rd
(Nb) 7.4 4.4 32.6
43 593 Del Paso Blvd & Lampasas Ave
(Sb) 7.2 4.5 32.5
44 3131 65th St & Sky Pkwy (Eb) 9.5 3.4 32.4
45 859 Rio Linda Blvd & Grand Ave (Sb) 7.0 4.6 32.4
46 2597 Franklin Blvd & Florin Rd (Nb) 8.4 3.8 32.2
47 595 Del Paso Blvd & El Camino Ave
(Sb) 6.6 4.8 32.2
48 4094 Alta Valley Way & Mack Rd (Sb) 7.6 4.2 32.1
49 5260 North B St & Ahern St (Wb) 8.6 3.7 32.0
50 417 J St & 10th St (Eb) 6.8 4.7 32.0

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Light Rail Stations
Consequence Metrics
Table 17 shows the metrics, scales and weights used for calculating consequence scores for light rail stations. All metrics were given an even weight.

Table 17: Consequence score metric weights for light rail stations Metric Scale Weight
Ridership Average boardings normalized
from 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest) 25%
Typical Bus Bridge Time Around
Station
Values > 1 minute and <= 10
minutes: Remain as is
Values > 10 minutes: 10
25%
Nearby Critical Facilities
Within ¼ mile: 0
Within ½ mile: 2
Within ¾ mile: 5
Over ¾ mile: 10
25%
CalEnviroScreen Score All percentiles divided by 10 25%

Ridership
Average daily ridership data for light rail stations was provided by SacRT for January 2024 to September 2024. The dataset summed the average number of riders boarding at a given stop and was joined to the GIS data by a unique ID. Stops with zero ridership during the dataset period (e.g., stops that were closed due to construction work) were assigned the median value of the dataset. Map 23 shows the spatial distribution of daily ridership. The highest ridership stations are 16th St, 29th St, Mather Field/Mills, Watt/I-80, University/65th St, and Cosumnes River College (CRC).
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Map 23: Light Rail Station Ridership
Typical Bus Bridge Time Around Station
Typical bus bridge time represents the estimated number of minutes required for a replacement bus service to travel around a light rail station segment if train operations are disrupted. This metric captures how quickly SacRT can maintain continuity of service during an outage and how severely a station closure may affect riders. Stations with longer bus bridge times create greater travel delays for passengers.

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Map 24 shows the spatial distribution of bus bridge times across the light rail system.

Shorter bus bridge times are primarily found in and around Downtown Sacramento, where the street grid is dense and offers multiple parallel routes.

In contrast, longer bus bridge times occur on stations along the Blue and Gold Lines outside of the Downtown core, particularly in South Sacramento, Florin, and portions of Rancho Cordova. These stations pose higher operational challenges during service disruptions, as buses must travel longer distances or navigate limited detour options.

Map 24: Light Rail Stations Bus Bridge Time Around Station

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Nearby Critical Facilities
Access to critical facilities is an important metric for understanding the community consequences of disruptions at light rail stations. Map 25 shows each light rail station categorized by its proximity to the nearest critical facility. The large majority of stations within the City of Sacramento are within ¼ mile of a critical facility. Note that critical facilities were only evaluated for the City of Sacramento, so many stations outside the City were categorized as over ¾ mile from critical facilities. However, some of these stations may be near other critical facilities that were not included in this analysis.

Map 25: Light Rail Stations Critical Facility Access

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CalEnviroScreen Score
Map 26 shows the CalEnviroScreen percentiles for light rail stations across the network. Of the highest scoring stations, most are located in the Downtown area or along the Blue Line in North Sacramento, with Power Inn, Mather Field/Mills, and Zinfandel being the exceptions.

Map 26: CalEnviroScreen Percentiles for Light Rail Stations

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Consequence Scores
Map 27 illustrates the distribution of consequence scores across the light rail system, with higher scoring stations concentrated around major destinations and key transfer points.

Stations with higher scores tend to serve large numbers of riders, have longer travel times between stations, provide access to critical facilities, and be located in more disadvantaged communities. The highest consequence score stations are Watt/I-80, University/65th St., 29th St., 16th St., Alkali Flat/La Valentina, and Arden/Del Paso.

Map 27: Consequence scores for light rail stations

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Table 18 lists the light rail stations in descending consequence score order. 7 stations have a consequence score of 8 or greater including:
• Watt/I-80 Station High ridership (860), long bus bridge time around station (11 mins), within ¼ mile of a critical facility, and CalEnviroScreen percentile of 92.3
• University/65th Street Station High ridership (858), long bus bridge time around station (10 mins), within ¼ mile of a critical facility.
• 29th Street Station High ridership (905), long bus bridge time around station (10 mins), within ¼ mile of a critical facility.
• 16th Street Station Very high ridership (978), moderate bus bridge time around station (6 mins), within ¼ mile of a critical facility.
• Alkali Flat/La Valentina Station High ridership (557), long bus bridge time around station (11 mins), within ¼ mile of a critical facility, and CalEnviroScreen percentile of 80.4. • Arden/Del Paso Station High ridership (610), moderate bus bridge time around station (6 mins), within ¼ mile of a critical facility, and CalEnviroScreen percentile of 93.5. • Florin Station Moderate ridership (569), long bus bridge time around station (12 mins), within ¼ mile of a critical facility.

Table 18: Top 50 consequence scores for light rail stations Number Stop Name Ridership
Typical Bus
Bridge Time
Around
Station
(mins)
Access to
Critical
Facilities
CES
Percentile
Consequence
Score
1 Watt/I-80 Station 860 11 Within ¼ mile 92.3 9.5
2 University/65th Street Station 858 10 Within ¼ mile 41.1 8.9 3 29th Street Station 905 10 Within ¼ mile 59.5 8.9
4 16th Street Station 978 6 Within ¼ mile 60.6 8.5
5 Alkali Flat/La Valentina Sta 557 11 Within ¼ mile 80.4 8.4 6 Arden/Del Paso Station 610 6 Within ¼ mile 93.5 8.4
7 Florin Station 569 12 Within ¼ mile 61.8 8.0
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8 Meadowview Station 505 13 Within ¼ mile 57.1 7.7
9 CRC Station 809 4 Within ¼ mile 55.4 7.7
10 Power Inn Station 360 6 Within ¼ mile 91.3 7.5
11 Sacramento Valley Station 347 2 Within ¼ mile 98.8 7.4 12 Royal Oaks Station 298 5 Within ¼ mile 93.5 7.3
13 Fruitridge Station 416 10 Within ¼ mile 48.8 7.3
14 47th Avenue Station 286 10 Within ¼ mile 61.8 7.3
15 4th Ave/Wayne Hultgren
Station 491 10 Within ¼ mile 32.0 7.1
16 St Rose Of Lima Park Station 429 2 Within ¼ mile 78.3 7.1 17 Swanston Station 139 8 Within ¼ mile 93.5 6.9
18 City College Station 444 12 Within ¼ mile 32.0 6.9
19 7th & Capitol Station 363 2 Within ¼ mile 78.3 6.9
20 Cathedral Square Station 363 2 Within ¼ mile 78.3 6.9 21 Mather Field/Mills Station 901 11 No Access 76.8 6.7 22 Morrison Creek Station 53 12 Within ¼ mile 61.3 6.7
23 12th & I Station 222 2 Within ¼ mile 78.3 6.5
24 23rd Street Station 271 7 Within ¼ mile 59.5 6.5
25 8th & Capitol Station 214 2 Within ¼ mile 78.3 6.5
26 Employee Platform Station 84 6 Within ¼ mile 88.9 6.4 27 Marconi/Arcade Station 453 12 Within ¾ mile 88.9 6.4 28 Archives Plaza Station 206 2 Within ¼ mile 78.3 6.2
29 7th & I/County Center Station 197 2 Within ¼ mile 78.3 6.2 30 39th Street Station 177 7 Within ¼ mile 48.1 6.2
31 59th Street Station 168 7 Within ¼ mile 41.1 6.2
32 13th Street Station 255 5 Within ¼ mile 60.6 6.2
33 48th Street Station 147 7 Within ¼ mile 41.1 6.1
34 Center Parkway Station 182 12 Within ¼ mile 25.4 6.1 35 8th & O Station 128 2 Within ¼ mile 78.3 6.0
36 8th & K Station 78 2 Within ¼ mile 78.3 5.9
37 8th & H Station 41 2 Within ¼ mile 78.3 5.8
38 Broadway Station 421 8 Within ¼ mile 28.8 5.8
39 Globe Avenue Station 145 13 Within ¾ mile 93.5 5.7
40 College Greens Station 425 10 Within ¾ mile 48.7 5.3 41 Zinfandel Station 610 6 No Access 91.8 5.1
42 Sunrise Station 525 10 No Access 49.9 5.1
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43 Franklin Station 275 11 Within ¾ mile 53.8 5.0
44 Township 9 Station 201 8 Within ¾ mile 98.8 4.7
45 Roseville Road Station 213 8 No Access 92.3 4.1
46 Hazel Station 95 10 No Access 49.9 4.0
47 Watt/Manlove Station 570 6 Within ¾ mile 35.7 3.9
48 Cordova Town Center Station 311 6 No Access 74.6 3.7 49 Watt/I-80 West Station 31 3 No Access 92.3 3.1
50 Iron Point Station 518 8 No Access 17.7 2.8
51 Glenn Station 305 6 No Access 17.7 2.0
52 Historic Folsom Station 305 2 No Access 26.2 1.9
53 Starfire Station 204 3 No Access 35.7 1.9
54 Tiber Station 185 3 No Access 21.2 1.5

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Likelihood and Risk
Map 28 shows scaled UHI intensities for light rail stations. City College Station has the highest UHI value in the network. The downtown area contains a cluster of stations with elevated UHI values, reflecting the densely built environment. The UHI data used in this analysis covered the City of Sacramento, so stations outside the city boundary are shown as nulls on the map.

Map 28: Scaled Urban Heat Island scores for light rail stations within Sacramento

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Map 29 shows heat risk scores – the product of scaled UHI intensity and consequence score – for light rail stations. The highest-scoring light rail stations by heat risk are listed in Table 19. The rest of the stations fall outside the boundaries of the UHI data and therefore do not have heat risk scores.

The stations with the highest heat risk scores include City College, Watt/I-80, University/65th St., and Royal Oaks. These stations all have relatively high UHI indexes and consequence scores.

Map 29: Heat risk score for light rail stations within Sacramento

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Table 19: Light rail stations by descending heat risk scores Number Stop Name UHI
Scaled
Consequence
Score
Heat Risk
Score
1 City College Station 8.9 6.9 61.9
2 University/65th Street Station 6.6 8.9 59.2
3 Royal Oaks Station 7.9 7.3 57.8
4 Employee Platform Station 8.7 6.4 56.0
5 Sacramento Valley Station 7.1 7.4 52.3
6 Power Inn Station 7.0 7.5 52.0
7 Arden/Del Paso Station 6.1 8.4 51.1
8 47th Avenue Station 6.9 7.3 50.4
9 Florin Station 5.8 8.0 46.0
10 29th Street Station 5.1 8.9 45.4
11 Meadowview Station 5.8 7.7 44.8
12 CRC Station 5.8 7.7 44.5
13 8th & K Station 7.5 5.9 44.2
14 Alkali Flat/La Valentina Sta 5.1 8.4 42.8
15 Swanston Station 6.1 6.9 42.0
16 Fruitridge Station 5.4 7.3 39.7
17 4th Ave/Wayne Hultgren Station 5.6 7.1 39.2
18 7th & I/County Center Station 6.3 6.2 39.2
19 Marconi/Arcade Station 6.1 6.4 39.0
20 23rd Street Station 5.9 6.5 38.6
21 Cathedral Square Station 5.6 6.9 38.3
22 59th Street Station 6.1 6.2 37.6
23 16th Street Station 4.3 8.5 36.6
24 St Rose Of Lima Park Station 4.9 7.1 34.6
25 College Greens Station 6.4 5.3 34.1
26 Globe Avenue Station 5.9 5.7 33.8
27 8th & Capitol Station 5.2 6.5 33.7
28 Morrison Creek Station 5.0 6.7 33.6
29 Center Parkway Station 5.5 6.1 33.4
30 12th & I Station 5.0 6.5 32.8
31 Franklin Station 6.1 5.0 30.9
32 Broadway Station 5.3 5.8 30.8
33 Archives Plaza Station 4.8 6.2 29.8
34 Township 9 Station 6.1 4.7 29.0
35 8th & O Station 4.5 6.0 27.0
36 7th & Capitol Station 3.7 6.9 25.5
37 13th Street Station 4.1 6.2 25.2
38 8th & H Station 4.2 5.8 24.3
39 48th Street Station 3.2 6.1 19.6
40 Roseville Road Station 4.4 4.1 18.2
41 39th Street Station 2.4 6.2 14.7
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Traffic Signals
Consequence Metrics
Table 20 shows the metrics, scales, and weights used for calculating consequence scores for light rail stations. Traffic signals inherit most of their consequence scores from the roads at their intersections, with smaller portions coming from the count of roads at the intersection, and whether they serve as light rail signals.

Table 20: Consequence score metric weights for traffic signals Metric Scale Weight
Average Consequence
Score of Nearby Major
Roads
Average consequence score from segmented
arterials and collectors within 100 ft. 50%
Count of Nearby Roads
Count of highways, arterials, collectors, and
ramps within 100 ft.
5+ nearby segments: 10
4 nearby segments: 8
3 nearby segments: 6
2 nearby segments: 4
1 nearby segment: 2
0 nearby segments: 0
25%
Rail or On/Off Ramp
Signal
“Yes”: 10
“No”: 0 25%

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Average Consequence Score from Major Roadways
The average consequence score of major roadway segments located within 100 feet of each traffic signal was assigned to the corresponding signal. If no nearby segment data were available, the signal received a score of 0 for this metric. By using the consequence scores of nearby arterial and collector segments, we can better understand the potential impact of signal disruption within the broader transportation network. Signals located along high-consequence roads, like those serving critical facilities, high traffic volumes, or vulnerable communities are more essential to maintaining network performance and access. Map 30 shows the spatial distribution of these signals.

Map 30: Traffic signals by average consequence score from major roadways within 100 ft.

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Count of arterials, collectors, ramps, and highways
The number of arterial, collector, ramp, and highway roadway segments located within 100 feet was counted for each signal (see Map 31). Signals with higher counts serve larger portions of the transportation network and may have greater impacts on system performance if disrupted. To align this metric with others in the analysis, the following scoring scale was applied to the counts:
• Traffic signals with a count of 0 received a score of 0 • Traffic signals with a count of 1 received a score of 2.5 • Traffic signals with a count of 2 received a score of 5 • Traffic signals with a count of 3 received a score of 7.5 • Traffic signals with a count of 4 or more received a score of 10

Map 31: Traffic signals by count of major roads within 100ft of each traffic signal

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Rail or Ramp Signal
Rail and ramp signals represent specialized traffic control devices that manage high‑priority or high‑risk movements, making them uniquely important within the signalized network. These devices regulate vehicle flow at railroad crossings, light‑rail interfaces, and freeway on‑ramps, where failures can create disproportionate safety and operational impacts. Map 32 shows where these key traffic signals are.

Map 32: Traffic signals that serve as rail signals or on/off ramp signals Condition Scoring
In addition to the general traffic signals asset class, the following sub-asset traffic signal components were analyzed:
• Cabinets

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• Controllers
• Detection devices
• Hardware
While each of these sub-assets inherits their consequence scores from the traffic signals asset class, a subset of traffic signal sub-assets that are considered near or at “End of Life” (EOL) were analyzed based on metrics about their condition.

Cabinet EOL Indicator
The Cabinet EOL indicator was based on one metric, shown in Table 21.

Table 21: EOL metric for traffic signal cabinets
Metric Scale Weight
Age of Cabinet Min-Max scaling from 0 to 10 100%

Age of Cabinet
Older cabinets are higher priority than newer cabinets. The age of each cabinet was calculated based on its approximate activation date. This age was then normalized from 0 to 10. Most EOL traffic signal cabinets are between 15 and 25 years old.

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Map 33 shows the oldest traffic signals along J Street and Stockton Boulevard to the east of downtown. “No Data” refers to cabinets that are not considered EOL.

Map 33: Traffic signals by age of cabinet

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Controller EOL Indicator
The Controller EOL indicator utilized the following metric, shown in Table 22 Table 22: EOL metric for traffic signal controllers
Metric Scale Weight
Age of Controller Min-Max scaling from 0 to
10 100%

Age of Controller
Similarly to the age of cabinets, the age of each traffic signal controller was based on the activation date. The values were then normalized from 0 to 10. Most controllers are under 20 years. The oldest controllers have ages of around 70 years.

82 | Page
Map 34 shows the spatial distribution of EOL traffic signal controller ages across Sacramento.

Map 34: Traffic signals by controller age

83 | Page
Detection Device EOL Indicator
The Detection Device EOL indicator utilized two metrics, shown in Table 23.

Table 23: EOL metrics for traffic signal detection devices Metric Scale Weight
Age of Controller Min-Max scaling from 0 to
10 50%
Loops in Detection 1 or More Loops: 10
0 Loops or Null: 0 50%

Age of Detection Device
The age of each EOL traffic signal detection device was calculated based on the general activation date, and then normalized from 0 to 10. The results are found in Map 35. 84 | Page

Map 35: Traffic signals by signal detection device age
Loops in Detection Type Stop Bars
All EOL traffic signals with loop detection devices (i.e., traffic sensors embedded into the pavement of intersections) received a scaled value of 10. This is because loops are more susceptible to pavement deformations in high heat. If no loop was present or data was unavailable, the traffic signal instead received a score of 0. The results of this are shown in Map 36.

85 | Page

Map 36: Traffic signals with loop detection devices

86 | Page
Hardware EOL Indicator
The Hardware EOL indicator utilized one metric shown in Table 24.

Table 24: EOL metric for traffic signal hardware devices Metric Scale Weight
Painted Steel
Devices Use Painted Steel: 10
Devices Use No Painted Steel:
0 100%

Hardware Devices with Painted Steel
Traffic signal hardware with painted steel is prone to peeling, thus exposing the hardware to potential corrosion and increasing its chances of failure. If traffic signals contained hardware devices with painted signal poles, it was given a score of 10. If no painted steel was present the signal instead received a score of 0. Only 50 EOL traffic signals have their hardware devices painted with steel found on Map 37.
87 | Page

Map 37: Traffic signals with painted steel hardware

88 | Page
Consequence Scores
Map 38 spatially displays the consequence scores for traffic signals. The signals with the highest consequence scores are along light rail lines. The nine highest consequence traffic signals are in or near Downtown, along Arden Way, and along or near Cosumnes River Boulevard.

Map 38: Consequence scores for traffic signals

89 | Page
The top 50 traffic signals can be found in descending order of consequence scores in Table 25.

Table 25: Top 50 consequence scores for traffic signals Number Asset
(WSPID) Location
Avg
Consequence
from nearby
major roads
Count of nearby
major roads
Is
Rail or On/Off
Ramp Signal
Consequence
Score
1 443 Arden Wy & Bus-80 EB 6.3 8 Yes 8.2
2 442 Arden Wy & Bus-80 WB 6.3 5 Yes 8.2
3 333 Raley Bl & I-80 E/B 5.9 5 Yes 7.9
4 822 Cosumnes River Bl & 5 NB off Ramp 5.8 6 Yes 7.9
5 821 Cosumnes River Bl & 5 SB off Ramp 5.8 6 Yes 7.9
6 642 Arden Way And Sears Driveway 6.3 4 Yes 7.7
7 745 Richard Blvd & N 12th ST / N 16th ST 4.8 7 Yes 7.4 8 290 12th Street & North 16th Street 4.8 7 Yes 7.4
9 437 El Camino Av & Bus-80 WB 6.7 3 Yes 7.4
10 436 El Camino Av & Bus-80 EB 6.7 3 Yes 7.4
11 123 Jibboom St & I St Bridge 5.7 4 Yes 7.3
12 600 Exposition & Leisure Ln 4.4 5 Yes 7.2
13 570 Norwood & I-80 Westbound 4.4 6 Yes 7.2
14 40 12th St & North B St 4.3 5 Yes 7.2
15 603 Franklin Bl & Cosumnes River Bl 5.2 4 Yes 7.1
16 838 Riverfront Reconnection - Capital &
2nd ST 4.1 11 Yes 7.1
17 270 Howe Av & College Town / US-50 4.0 5 Yes 7.0
18 595 Exposition & Tribute 4.0 5 Yes 7.0
19 800 I-5 NB & Del Paso Rd 3.9 5 Yes 6.9
20 168 3rd St & J St 3.9 10 Yes 6.9
21 272 Del Paso Bl & Arden/Grove/Cante 3.9 8 Yes 6.9
22 652 Pocket Rd & I-5 N/B 4.9 4 Yes 6.9
23 540 Pocket Rd & I-5 E. Side Beacon 4.9 4 Yes 6.9
24 334 Raley Bl & I-80 W/B 5.9 3 Yes 6.9
25 373 Florin Rd & South Land Park Dr 3.8 6 Yes 6.9
26 615 Exposition Bl & I-80 West Side 4.8 4 Yes 6.9
27 384 Sutterville Rd & I-5 East Side 3.7 8 Yes 6.9
28 N/A Power Inn Queue Cutters 6.7 2 Yes 6.8
90 | Page
Number Asset
(WSPID) Location
Avg
Consequence
from nearby
major roads
Count of nearby
major roads
Is
Rail or On/Off
Ramp Signal
Consequence
Score
29 364 Folsom Bl & Jackson/Notre Dame 4.6 4 Yes 6.8
30 606 Truxel & I-80 N Side 6.6 2 Yes 6.8
31 607 Truxel & I-80 S Side 6.6 2 Yes 6.8
32 812 4th ST & I ST 4.5 4 Yes 6.8
33 566 Cosumnes River Bl & Center Park 4.5 4 Yes 6.8
34 44 12th St & I St 3.5 5 Yes 6.7
35 455 Richards Bl & North 7th St 5.4 3 Yes 6.7
36 265 Marconi Av & Bus-80 /Connie 3.4 9 Yes 6.7
37 279 Arden Wy & Royal Oaks/Beaumont 4.4 4 Yes 6.7
38 714 N 7th Street & N B Street 6.3 2 Yes 6.7
39 806 7th ST & F ST 6.3 2 Yes 6.7
40 976 North 7th St & North C St 6.3 2 Yes 6.7
41 977 North 7th St & Bannon St 6.3 2 Yes 6.7
42 271 Del Paso Bl & Barstow/Baxter 5.3 3 Yes 6.7
43 807 Colfax St / Southgate & Del Paso Blvd 5.3 3 Yes 6.7 44 11 7th St & L St 3.3 5 Yes 6.7
45 363 Arden Wy & Harvard/Blumenfeld D 4.3 4 Yes 6.6
46 348 65th St & US-50 W/B /S St 3.2 6 Yes 6.6
47 43 12th St & H St 3.1 5 Yes 6.6
48 332 Winters St & I-80 /Grand 3.1 7 Yes 6.6
49 663 Bruceville & HWY 99 S/B Offramp 4.0 4 Yes 6.5
50 253 59th St & S St/US-50 Ramp 3.0 5 Yes 6.5
91 | Page
Likelihood and Risk
A heat risk score was created by multiplying together consequence scores by the scaled UHI score. Higher scores are associated with higher extreme heat risks. Scaled UHI can be found in Map 39, and heat risk scores can be found in Map 40. Traffic signals with the highest heat risk are concentrated just north of Downtown and in North Sacramento, with notable clusters in South Oak Park, Parkway, and Southeastern Sacramento.

Map 39: Scaled UHI for traffic signals

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Map 40: Heat risk scores for traffic signals

93 | Page
Map 41 shows traffic signals by flood likelihood tier. Most traffic signals are within a 100- year zone protected by a levee or the 500-year floodplain. Only 11 traffic signals are within the 100-year floodplain, and none are within the 100-year zone with shallow flooding.

The consequence scores of the traffic signals within the 100-year floodplain are in Map 42.

All the signals fall north of the American River, with several in the American River floodplain. Their consequence scores are moderate, falling between 3 and 5.

Map 41: Flood likelihood tiers for traffic signals

94 | Page

Map 42: Consequence scores for traffic signals within highest flood likelihood tier Traffic Signal Cabinets
Consequence and Condition
Most EOL scores for traffic signal cabinets fall within the 2 to 3 score bucket for the EOL indicator. There are several older cabinets in the 6 to 10 score range. Map 43 shows traffic signals cabinets spatially, with many older signals along key arterials east and south of the Downtown core, including roads like Broadway, Stockton, and J St.

Table 26 lists cabinets by its descending EOL indicator.

95 | Page

Map 43: EOL indicator for EOL traffic signal cabinets

Table 26: Descending EOL Indictor score for traffic signal cabinets Number Asset (WSPID) Location EOL Indicator
1 TS_327 9th St & Broadway/Muir 10.0
2 TS_290 Broadway & Stockton Bl 10.0
3 TS_581 Del Paso Bl & El Camino Bl 10.0
4 TS_294 39th St & Stockton/Miller 10.0
5 TS_303 34th St & Broadway 10.0
6 TS_486 34th St & Stockton Bl 9.6
7 TS_307 Broadway & Martin Luther King 9.6
8 TS_396 Riverside Bl & Marion 9.6
9 TS_308 8th Ave & Franklin Blvd 9.6
10 TS_291 14th Ave & Stockton Blvd 9.5
11 TS_299 39th St & T St 9.4
12 TS_473 39th St & J St 9.2

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Number Asset (WSPID) Location EOL Indicator
13 TS_347 24th St & Broadway 9.2
14 TS_488 39th St & H St 9.2
15 TS_501 53rd St & H St 9.2
16 TS_688 5th St & I St 9.1
17 TS_539 65th St & Folsom Blvd 9.1
18 TS_491 33rd St & J St 9.1
19 TS_492 36th St J St 9.1
20 TS_692 13th St & J St 9.1
21 TS_496 51st St & J St 9.1
22 TS_494 43rd St & J St 9.1
23 TS_497 Rodeo & J St 9.1
24 TS_498 55th St & J St 9.1
25 TS_304 35th St & Broadway 9.0
26 TS_400 South Land Park Dr & Vallejo Wy 9.0
27 TS_297 Stockton Bl & Colonial 9.0
28 TS_283 Stockton & Elder Creek/47th Ave 8.6
29 TS_317 Franklin Bl & Fruitridge Rd 8.6
30 TS_268 Stockton Bl & Lemon Hill Ave 8.6
31 TS_318 21st Ave & Franklin Blvd 8.6
32 TS_267 Stockton Bl & Mcmahon 8.6
33 TS_397 Riverside & 7th/8th Ave 8.5
34 TS_503 Carlson & H St/Hickok 8.5
35 TS_426 Arden Wy & Ethan/Exposition 8.5
36 TS_269 Fruitridge Rd & Lowell/Wallace 8.5
37 TS_245 59th St & Broadway 8.3
38 TS_300 34th St & T St 8.3
39 TS_271 62nd St & Fruitridge Rd 8.3
40 TS_620 El Camino Av & Northgate Bl 8.2
41 TS_315 21st Ave & Stockton/Perry 8.1
42 TS_246 65th St & 14th Ave 8.1
43 TS_309 2nd Ave & Franklin Blvd 8.1
44 TS_310 5th Ave & Franklin Blvd 8.1
45 TS_547 Marysville Bl & Grand Ave 7.9
46 TS_274 65TH ST & Mc Mahon Dr. 7.9
47 TS_562 Marysville Bl & South Ave 7.8
48 TS_561 Marysville Bl & Arcade 7.8
49 TS_398 Sutterville Rd & Land Park/Del 7.8
50 TS_565 Marconi Circle S & Auburn Bl 7.8

Likelihood and Risk
EOL traffic signal cabinets located within the 100-year floodplain are listed in Table 27.

Only 2 out of the 11 traffic signals located in the 100-year floodplain have EOL cabinets.

Table 27: EOL traffic signals in highest flood likelihood tier by descending consequence score Number Asset
(WSPID)
Location EOL Indicator Consequence
Score
1 TS_575 Norwood & Jessie 4.2 4.1
97 | Page
2 TS_8 Ethan Way & Hurley Way 2.8 3.7

Traffic Signal Controllers
Consequence and Condition
Most EOL scores for traffic signal controllers fall between 0 to 3, with about 45 ranging from 6 to 10, shown in Map 44. Table 28 shows the top 50 EOL indicator scores for EOL controllers.

Map 44: EOL scores for traffic signal controllers

98 | Page
Table 28: Descending EOL age or condition score for traffic signal controllers.

Number Asset (WSPID) Location EOL Indicator
1 TS_303 34th St & Broadway 10.0
2 TS_581 Del Paso Bl & El Camino Bl 10.0
3 TS_308 8th Ave & Franklin Blvd 9.6
4 TS_291 14th Ave & Stockton Blvd 9.5
5 TS_299 39th St & T St 9.4
6 TS_473 39th St & J St 9.2
7 TS_488 39th St & H St 9.2
8 TS_492 36th St J St 9.1
9 TS_494 43rd St & J St 9.1
10 TS_496 51st St & J St 9.1
11 TS_497 Rodeo & J St 9.1
12 TS_304 35th St & Broadway 9.0
13 TS_400 South Land Park Dr & Vallejo Wy 9.0
14 TS_267 Stockton Bl & Mcmahon 8.6
15 TS_397 Riverside & 7th/8th Ave 8.5
16 TS_426 Arden Wy & Ethan/Exposition 8.5
17 TS_300 34th St & T St 8.3
18 TS_310 5th Ave & Franklin Blvd 8.1
19 TS_315 21st Ave & Stockton/Perry 8.1
20 TS_547 Marysville Bl & Grand Ave 7.9
21 TS_248 59th St & S St/US-50 Ramp 7.8
22 TS_398 Sutterville Rd & Land Park/Del 7.8
23 TS_562 Marysville Bl & South Ave 7.8
24 TS_565 Marconi Circle S & Auburn Bl 7.8
25 TS_320 24th St & Fernandez 7.6
26 TS_323 24th St & 47th Ave 7.4
27 TS_425 Exposition Bl & Heritage 7.3
28 TS_576 Norwood Av & Las Palmas 7.3
29 TS_301 34th St & US-50 Offramp 7.2
30 TS_250 14th Ave & Power Inn Rd 7.1
31 TS_538 Howe Av & College Town / US-50 7.1
32 TS_33 Longview Dr & I-80 EB 6.9
33 TS_34 Longview Dr & I-80 WB 6.9
34 TS_322 21st Ave & Martin Luther King 6.9
35 TS_450 Howe Av & American River Dr 6.9
36 TS_550 Raley Bl & I-80 E/B 6.9
37 TS_253 Howe Av & US-50 E/B 6.8
38 TS_211 Freeport Blvd & South of Meadowview Rd 6.7
39 TS_313 24th St & 4th Ave 6.7
40 TS_399 Sutterville Rd & I-5 East Side 6.4
41 TS_411 Seamas & I-5 Sb W Side 6.4
42 TS_412 Seamas & I-5 Nb E Side 6.4
43 TS_241 La Riviera Dr & Glenbrook Park 6.2
44 TS_597 Del Paso Bl & Oxford 6.2
45 TS_242 La Riviera Dr & Occidental 6.0
46 TS_415 43rd Ave & Gloria Dr 6.0
47 TS_416 43rd Ave & Holstein 6.0
48 TS_24 24th St & 57th Ave 5.8
99 | Page
Number Asset (WSPID) Location EOL Indicator
49 TS_523 Fair Oaks Bl & E Of American Ri 5.8
50 TS_449 20th St & SP Railroad North 5.6

Likelihood and Risk
EOL controllers located within the 100-year floodplain are listed in Table 29. Of the 11 total traffic signals in this flood zone, only 4 have EOL controllers. For each of the four controllers, consequence scores and EOL indicators are relatively low or moderate.

Table 29: EOL traffic signal controllers in highest flood likelihood tier by descending consequence score Number Asset (WSPID) Location EOL Indicator Consequence Score
1 434 Fair Oaks Bl & E Of American Ri 5.8 4.2
2 920 Del Paso Blvd & American River Bike
Trail 0.6 3.7
3 576 Norwood & Jessie 4.2 3.2
4 548 Ethan Way & North of Hurley Way 5.0 2.2

Traffic Signal Detection
Consequence and Condition
Detection services EOL indicators are based on two factors: the age of the detection device and whether it utilizes loop detection technology. Most detection devices have EOL scores between 1 and 2. Nine devices fall into the 8 to 9 range.

Map 45 shows this data spatially. Table 30 lists the 50 highest EOL indicator detection devices.
100 | Page

Map 45: EOL indicator for detection devices

Table 30: Descending EOL scores for traffic signal detection devices Number Asset
(WSPID) Location EOL Condition Score
1 TS_562 Marysville Bl & South Ave 8.9
2 TS_323 24th St & 47th Ave 8.7
3 TS_576 Norwood Av & Las Palmas 8.7
4 TS_425 Exposition Bl & Heritage 8.7
5 TS_538 Howe Av & College Town / US-50 8.5
6 TS_322 21st Ave & Martin Luther King 8.5
7 TS_34 Longview Dr & I-80 WB 8.5
8 TS_450 Howe Av & American River Dr 8.5
9 TS_33 Longview Dr & I-80 EB 8.5
10 TS_452 Howe Av & Swarthmore 7.4
11 TS_263 Power Inn & Cucamonga 7.1

101 | Page
Number Asset
(WSPID) Location EOL Condition Score
12 TS_575 Norwood & Jessie 7.1
13 TS_138 Franklin Bl & Caselli Cir 6.7
14 TS_157 New Market Dr & High School Access 6.3
15 TS_827 Freeport Bl & 4th Ave 5.6
16 TS_581 Del Paso Bl & El Camino Bl 5.0
17 TS_426 Arden Wy & Ethan/Exposition 4.2
18 TS_315 21st Ave & Stockton/Perry 4.0
19 TS_565 Marconi Circle S & Auburn Bl 3.9
20 TS_248 59th St & S St/US-50 Ramp 3.9
21 TS_398 Sutterville Rd & Land Park/Del 3.9
22 TS_250 14th Ave & Power Inn Rd 3.5
23 TS_597 Del Paso Bl & Oxford 3.1
24 TS_415 43rd Ave & Gloria Dr 3.0
25 TS_629 Richards & North 3rd 2.4
26 TS_577 Norwood Av & Lindly 2.3
27 TS_571 Norwood & Grand 2.2
28 TS_636 Richard Blvd & Sequoia Pacific 1.8
29 TS_139 2nd Ave & Stockton Blvd 1.7
30 TS_152 Truxel Rd & Arena Commons Dr 1.6
31 TS_140 Exposition Blvd & Expo Pkwy 1.5
32 TS_131 Power Inn Rd & Light Rail Drwy 1.5
33 TS_183 Truxel Rd & Teralba Way/Mill Oak Way 1.5
34 TS_184 Truxel & Pebblestone 1.5
35 TS_181 Natomas Blvd & Parkway Plaza Apts 1.5
36 TS_151 Truxel Rd & Prosper Rd 1.4
37 TS_177 Del Paso Rd & Blackrock Dr 1.4
38 TS_173 Northgate Blvd & Main /Del Paso Rd 1.4
39 TS_153 Del Paso Rd & Park Place South
Entry/Centerpointe 1.4
40 TS_163 Arena Blvd/N Market Blvd & Gateway Park Blvd 1.3 41 TS_116 Bruceville & Timberlake 1.3
42 TS_190 Richards & Bercut 1.3
43 TS_168 Natomas Blvd & North Bend Dr 1.3
44 TS_166 Elkhorn Blvd & Northbourgh Dr 1.3
45 TS_112 Bruceville & Wyndham 1.3
46 TS_85 Arena & El Central Rd 1.2
47 TS_6 N Freeway Blvd. & Promenade Circle West 1.2
48 TS_87 Gateway Park & N Freeway 1.2
49 TS_90 Bruceville Rd & Calvine Rd 1.2
50 TS_86 N Freeway & Promenade Circle East 1.2

Likelihood and Risk
Table 31 shows EOL detection devices sorted by heat risk. Most of the higher heat risk EOL detection devices have relatively low EOL indicator scores. A few exceptions where both heat risk and EOL scores are relatively high are Howe Av & College Town / US-50, 21st Ave & Martin Luther King, and Power Inn & Cucamonga.
102 | Page
Table 31: EOL indicator, heat risk, and scaled UHI for traffic signals with signal detection Number Asset
(WSPID)
Location Heat
Risk
UHI
Scaled
Consequence
Score
EOL
Indicator
Score
1 270 Howe Av & College Town /
US-50 48.2 6.9 7.0 8.5
2 633 Richards & Bercut 36.7 5.9 6.2 1.3
3 198 Arden Wy &
Ethan/Exposition 32.3 8.0 4.1 4.2
4 614 Richard Blvd & Sequoia
Pacific 31.3 8.4 3.7 1.8
5 276 Del Paso Bl & El Camino Bl 31.2 7.5 4.2 5.0
6 522 Richards & North 3rd 29.5 7.9 3.7 2.4
7 752 23rd Street & Sutterville Rd 29.5 7.5 4.0 1.2
8 827 24th Street & Cosumnes
River Blvd 29.1 7.4 3.9 0.6
9 219 21st Ave & Stockton/Perry 28.3 7.3 3.9 4.0
10 741 Arena & El Central Rd 28.3 8.0 3.5 1.2
11 679 Northgate Blvd & Main /Del
Paso Rd 26.3 5.6 4.7 1.4
12 325 14th Ave & Power Inn Rd 25.6 6.6 3.9 3.5
13 562 Power Inn & Cucamonga 25.2 5.9 4.3 7.1
14 702 Arena Blvd/N Market Blvd &
Gateway Park Blvd 25.1 6.5 3.9 1.3
15 264 Marconi Circle S & Auburn
Bl 25.0 7.0 3.6 3.9
16 680 Truxel Rd & Prosper Rd 24.6 7.5 3.3 1.4
17 610 Exposition Blvd & Expo Pkwy 24.5 7.2 3.4 1.5
18 693 Bruceville & Timberlake 24.1 5.9 4.1 1.3
19 253 59th St & S St/US-50 Ramp 23.3 3.6 6.5 3.9
20 335 21st Ave & Martin Luther
King 23.2 6.4 3.6 8.5
21 648 Power Inn Rd & Light Rail
Drwy 23.2 6.1 3.8 1.5
22 402 Del Paso Bl & Oxford 21.9 7.5 2.9 3.1
23 544 Norwood & Grand 21.8 6.2 3.5 2.2
24 782 Stockton Blvd & Dias 21.5 6.2 3.5 1.1
25 330 Longview Dr & I-80 WB 21.4 6.1 3.5 8.5
26 753 Truxel Rd & N Market Place
N Entrance 21.1 5.6 3.8 1.2
27 777 24th Street & Hogan
Drive/48th Ave. 21.0 5.9 3.6 1.1
28 831 Sutterville Rd & Crocker Dr 20.6 5.0 4.1 0.7
29 706 Bruceville & Wyndham 20.4 5.4 3.8 1.3
30 783 East Commerce & North
Park 19.7 7.3 2.7 1.1
31 278 Norwood Av & Las Palmas 19.5 6.2 3.1 8.7
32 815 El Camino Ave & Boxwood
ST 19.4 7.0 2.8 0.6
33 188 Exposition Bl & Heritage 19.2 5.5 3.5 8.7
103 | Page
34 673 Del Paso Rd & Blackrock Dr 18.6 6.4 2.9 1.4
35 262 Marysville Bl & South Ave 18.6 5.0 3.7 8.9
36 294 24th St & 47th Ave 18.5 5.2 3.6 8.7
37 735 Bruceville Rd & Calvine Rd 18.2 5.3 3.4 1.2
38 576 Norwood & Jessie 18.2 5.7 3.2 7.1
39 653 Truxel Rd & Teralba Way/Mill
Oak Way 17.5 5.2 3.3 1.5
40 632 Franklin Bl & Caselli Cir 17.5 5.2 3.4 6.7
41 629 2nd Ave & Stockton Blvd 17.2 4.8 3.6 1.7
42 738 Gateway Park & N Freeway 16.9 6.3 2.7 1.2
43 537 Norwood Av & Lindly 16.7 5.3 3.1 2.3
44 754 San Juan Rd & Duckhorn Dr/
Tolliver 16.7 5.5 3.0 1.2
45 630 Truxel Rd & Arena
Commons Dr 16.2 5.6 2.9 1.6
46 809 Florin Perkins Rd & Morrison
Creek Dr 16.2 5.0 3.3 0.9
47 756 San Juan Rd & Buchman
Cr./ Myna 15.9 5.5 2.9 1.2
48 651 Truxel & Pebblestone 15.0 4.5 3.3 1.5
49 677 Del Paso Rd & Park Place
South Entry/Centerpointe 14.7 5.3 2.8 1.4
50 768 Gateway Park Blvd..&
Terracina Dr. 14.4 5.5 2.6 1.2

Traffic Signal Hardware
Consequence and Condition
There are 52 signals that are painted steel and therefore receive an EOL indicator score of 10 (see Map 46, and Table 32). Most are in or near the Downtown area. 104 | Page

Map 46: EOL indicator for traffic signals with painted steel hardware

Table 32: Descending EOL for traffic signals with painted steel hardware Number Asset (WSPID) Location EOL Condition Score
1 TS_643 7th St & H St 10
2 TS_426 Arden Wy & Ethan/Exposition 10
3 TS_491 33rd St & J St 10
4 TS_498 55th St & J St 10
5 TS_398 Sutterville Rd & Land Park/Del 10
6 TS_105 Elvas Ave & ST Francis HS DRWY SO.(320' N 62 ST) 10 7 TS_645 7th St & J St 10
8 TS_540 60th St & Folsom Bl 10
9 TS_656 9th St & K St 10
10 TS_651 8th St & K St 10
11 TS_652 8th St & L St 10
12 TS_647 7th St & L St 10

105 | Page
Number Asset (WSPID) Location EOL Condition Score
13 TS_649 8th St & I St 10
14 TS_474 39th St & Folsom Blvd 10
15 TS_486 34th St & Stockton Bl 10
16 TS_700 Jibboom St & I St Bridge 10
17 TS_644 7th St & I St 10
18 TS_695 5th St & L St 10
19 TS_511 Alhambra Bl & N St 10
20 TS_721 4th St & L St 10
21 TS_481 21st St & Q St 10
22 TS_453 19th St & Q St 10
23 TS_622 Northgate Bl & Garden/Jefferson 10
24 TS_467 30th St & N St 10
25 TS_655 9th St & J St 10
26 TS_326 9th St & P St 10
27 TS_410 43rd Ave & South Land Park Dr 10
28 TS_715 3rd St & L St 10
29 TS_297 Stockton Bl & Colonial 10
30 TS_558 Rio Linda Bl & Eleanor 10
31 TS_650 8th St & J St 10
32 TS_397 Riverside & 7th/8th Ave 10
33 TS_477 Alhambra Bl & J St 10
34 TS_657 9th St & L St 10
35 TS_638 3rd St & Capitol Mall 10
36 TS_648 7th St & Capitol Mall 10
37 TS_359 5th St & W St 10
38 TS_653 9th St & H St 10
39 TS_661 10th St & J St 10
40 TS_328 9th St & T St 10
41 TS_739 7th St & Q St 10
42 TS_459 29th St & H St 10
43 TS_722 3rd St & K St 10
44 TS_444 30th St & F St 10
45 TS_475 Alhambra Bl & H St 10
46 TS_443 30th St & E St 10
47 TS_659 9th St & N St 10
48 TS_716 3rd St & N St 10
49 TS_440 29th St & G St 10
50 TS_660 10th St & I St 10
51 TS_722 3rd St & K St 10
52 TS_739 7th St & Q St 10

Likelihood and Risk
None of the EOL hardware traffic signals are located within the 100-year floodplain.

Sacramento Transportation Infrastructure
Implementation Guidance

January 2026

2 | Page

Contents
1| Pavement ............................................................................................................................. 3 2| Scour Mitigation .................................................................................................................. 33 3| Stormwater Modeling .......................................................................................................... 47 4| Shading .............................................................................................................................. 51 5| Bike/Pedestrian Bridge Inspections ..................................................................................... 78 6| CNG Infrastructure ............................................................................................................. 83

3 | Page

1| PAVEMENT

1.1 COOL PAVEMENT
Purpose and Background
This document presents guidelines and considerations concerning cool pavement technologies, emphasizing the installation of high solar reflectance (high albedo) materials and reflective coatings for pavements. These guidelines offer recommendations for new pavement construction using cool pavement materials as well as for maintaining existing pavement.

Typical asphalt concrete pavements have low reflectance and absorb a high percentage of heat energy from the sun resulting in an urban heat island. Cool pavement initiatives, e.g., use of high albedo materials and reflective coatings, increase the reflectance of solar energy resulting in lower heat absorption by the pavement.

Cool Pavement Types and Uses
This section summarizes several types of cool pavement techniques, their uses and construction considerations:

1. Treatment with reflective coating to improve solar reflectance: Conventional asphalt pavement can be treated with thin, light-colored material after construction to improve solar reflectance. Cities in California have used various types of reflective coatings for this purpose. Some patented products for reflective coatings include ePAVE, SunShield, Endurablend, GAF- DuraShield- SR, GuardTop CoolSeal, StreetBond, etc. These treatments do not increase structural capacity of the pavement.

2. Cool Aggregate Asphalt: For new construction, the aggregate used in conventional asphalt concrete can be modified with high albedo aggregates to increase solar reflectance. This option can be used for new construction in low to high traffic areas.

3. Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) Pavement: PCC pavement generally has high solar reflectance. Moreover, the solar reflectance can be further increased using white cement. Concrete pavements are suitable for the construction of trails, parking lots, roadways, and highways. Various types of concrete pavement like Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement (JPCP), Jointed Reinforced Concrete Pavement (JRCP), Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP), Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) and Precast Concrete Pavement (PCP) can be used for new construction.

4. Whitetopping: Whitetopping is generally used for pavement rehabilitation/ resurfacing through application of a PCC overlay on existing or new asphalt 4 | Page

pavement. Whitetopping has high solar reflectance. Thicker whitetopping (4 to 12 inches) can be used for high volume applications like major highways and urban streets. However, ultra-thin whitetopping, 2 to 4 inches thick, is typically used for parking lots and low volume roads.

5. Microsurfacing with light color or reflective pigment: Microsurfacing is a thin sealing layer generally used for preventive maintenance on asphalt pavement to restore pavement surface conditions and extend life. Using light colored aggregate or incorporating reflective pigments into the polymer- modified asphalt emulsion can increase solar reflectance of microsurfacing. This layer is not considered a structural layer.

6. Chip seals with light-colored aggregate: Chip seals are generally used to resurface low-volume asphalt roadways. Similar to microsurfacing, the use of light- colored aggregates can be used for chip seals to increase the solar reflectance of the pavement surface. Chip seals are not considered a structural layer.

Summary of current findings for Los Angeles Cool Streets program Several studies have focused on the cool pavements installed throughout Los Angeles Metropolitan area in California. Some major findings from these studies are as follows:
• In a study in Covina, California, Ko et al (2022) found 30 percent reduction in albedo of the cool pavement in a year of real-world exposure. The study found that albedo degradation was dependent on the type of cool pavement product used, as well as tire wear, which led to more rapid degradation at curved road sections, cul-de-sacs, and intersections.
• In a study in Pacoima and Sun Valley neighborhoods north of Los Angeles, Middel et al. (2020) field observations show that high albedo solar reflective coatings on asphalt concrete reduce surface temperatures of Portland cement concrete sidewalk levels, especially in the mid-to-late afternoon hours. The study also reveals that pedestrian heat load in the early evening may be slightly higher on sidewalks if the road is not separated by a vegetated setback. • In a study in El Monte, California, located in Los Angeles County, Taleghani et al. (2016) found that cool pavements reduced surface air temperatures in the unshaded receptors, but they also increased mean radiant temperature at the mean height of pedestrians during the day reducing the thermal comfort of pedestrians. The study concluded that cool pavements also absorbed less heat during the day and therefore released less at night, leading to reductions in nighttime surface air temperatures.
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• These studies found that combining cool pavement with shade trees, bus shelters and vegetated parkways yield better results than cool pavements alone.

Construction Costs
Construction costs are influenced by numerous factors, including geographic location, prevailing climate conditions, subsurface soil characteristics, anticipated traffic volumes, and the intended lifespan of the pavement. See the table below for details on cool pavement types:

Table 1. Service life and construction costs of various pavement types Type Service
Life
(years)
Approx.

Cost (per ft2)
with
Reference
Date
Initial
SRI
(%)
Color Application
Rate
(Gallons/
ft2)
Product
Link
Application /
Target Use
ePAVE* 5-10 $0.70 -
$1.40 (2023)
35-45 Light Gray 0.01 to

0.02 ePAVE
Product
Page

Applicable as a
coating on new or
existing roadways.

Generally used
on low-volume
roads, parking
lots, playgrounds
and sidewalks.

SunShield* 7-10 $1.40 -
$ 1.90 (2024)
38-50 Light Gray/
Gray/
Khaki

0.01 SunShield
Product
Page
Endurablend* 7-10 $3.50 -
$4.50 (2023)
30-
50 Concrete
Gray

0.01 to

0.02 Endurablen
d Product
Page
DuraShield-
SR*
5-7 $0.85 -
$1.25 (2022)
34 Gray
Acrylic

0.01 DuraShield
SR Product
Page
GuardTop
Coolseal*
6-7 $0.60 -
$1.10 (2021)
35 -
45 Phoenix
Gray/
Classic
Gray

0.02 to

0.035
Coolseal
Product
Page
StreetBond SB
150 with
Invisible
Shade*
5-7 $1.00-
$1.20 (2024)
30 – 45
Irish
Cream/
Khaki/
Fawn

0.02 StreetBond
Product
Page
Asphalt
pavement
modified with
high albedo
materials
(New
Construction)
>20 **
25 -
35 Light Gray
(depends
on
aggregate)
Varies N/A
Suitable
for all types of
roadways, parking
lots, bike lanes,
sidewalks
Portland
Cement
Concrete
Pavement
>30 ** 40 -
50 Light Gray Varies N/A
6 | Page

(New
construction)
Whitetopping >20 ** 40 - 5
0 Light Gray Varies N/A Used as overlay
on asphalt
pavement.

Microsurface
with high
albedo
aggregates or
reflective
pigment
5-7 $2.50 - $4.50
(2024)
35 Light Gray
(depends
on
aggregate)
Varies N/A Used for extending
pavement life for
low to medium
volume roads, and
parking lots.

Chip seals
with high
albedo
aggregates
5-7 $0.85 - $1.25
(2025)
25 -
35 Light Gray
(depends
on
aggregate)
Varies N/A Used for roadway
maintenance
generally for low
volume roads and
parking lots.

Traditional
asphalt pave
ment
>20 ** 5-10 Dark Varies N/A All types of
roadways, parking
lots, bike lanes,
sidewalks
* These treatments with reflective coatings. The costs mentioned for treatment with reflective coatings are in addition to the cost of the traditional/existing pavement that is structurally supporting the reflective coating. ** The cost for these depends on the pavement thicknesses and requirements for base layer types and thickness. The thickness also depends upon the traffic conditions, subgrade conditions, climatic conditions, and proposed pavement properties.

Benefits
Use of cool pavements have both direct benefits and indirect benefits, including:
• Cool pavement techniques using high albedo material and reflective coating may help with reduction in the urban heat island effect. Reducing pavement surface temperatures can reduce the heat stress on the pavement resulting in decreasing the risk of premature failure of asphalt by rutting. This may extend the pavement life and delay maintenance cycle.
• Case studies from Los Angeles, California and Phoenix, Arizona show the reduction in the overall temperature at night after implementation of the cool pavement techniques. At a large scale, this may reduce air conditioning demand and save money.
• Improved visibility at night due to the use of reflective coatings may reduce lighting requirements and save energy.
• Cool pavements may improve air quality by lowering surface temperatures that contribute to the formation of certain air pollutants, and may promote outdoor activities providing cooling when paired with other shade treatments. Similarly, 7 | Page

cooler pavement surfaces improve water quality by decreasing the warming of water runoff from these surfaces.

Costs of cool pavements depend upon the method and technology used. Most of the cool pavement technologies can be used in place of traditional pavements at a comparable or slightly higher cost. However, due to the numerous benefits noted above, there may be sufficient benefit to justify the higher installation costs, although these listed benefits may not directly support the financial investment of pavement installation and maintenance.

Lifecycle cost assessments can help evaluate the cost savings potential from cool pavement techniques.

Other Considerations
Some additional considerations for installation of cool pavement techniques are discussed below:
• Striping and safety considerations: Reflective coating can affect adhesion of striping materials and cause them to wear off more quickly. Therefore, they require more frequent restriping cycles.

Many coatings have their own compatible striping methods. Where necessary, pavement markings can be grooved into the base material after treatment. In addition, cool pavements are typically light in color and might reduce contrast with standard white and yellow markings. Some projects in Los Angeles have used heated thermoplastic striping and/or black borders around white or yellow markings to improve longevity of the bond with asphalt and visibility.

The striping used should follow the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and Caltrans specifications for line width, color, and placement. Skid resistance testing should be conducted after the application of reflective coating.

To address the safety concern due to glare issue for the vehicle traffic, the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) recommends that the solar reflectance for roadways and adjacent walls not exceed the value of

0.35. • Care should be taken when selecting a treatment to ensure that the local market, or national providers, will be able to procure and properly apply the materials within the desired construction window.
• Build America Buy America (BABA) constraints may exist for some potential treatments. These may be addressed through product selection, waiver request, or alternative funding mechanisms, depending on the project and the selected treatment.
• Performance monitoring and measurement: As evident from different studies, the performance of cool pavement depends on the cool pavement methods used, 8 | Page

climate, traffic conditions, and presence of other cooling measures. Hence, it is recommended to monitor the performance of installed cool pavement types and measure the direct benefits. Performance monitoring at some pilot projects might be beneficial.
• Environmental Impacts: Cool pavements can have both positive and negative impacts on the environment.

Positive impacts include potential reduction in cooling demand in nearby buildings resulting in lowering greenhouse gas emissions from power generation and improvement of water and air quality as an indirect benefit of lower pavement surface temperature.

Negative impacts include potential higher initial energy and resource use for the manufacturing of light-colored coatings or additives.

Limitations
• In their cool pavement overview, SMAQMD recommends solar reflectance for roadways and adjacent walls to not exceed the value of 0.35 to avoid glare issues for the vehicle traffic. Hence, highly reflective material should not be used as the reflective coating on roadways.
• Cool pavements may not be appropriate in high pedestrian-use areas, as it may increase thermal load on pedestrians during the day.
• Numerous studies have shown that combining cool pavement techniques with urban green infrastructure, like shade trees and vegetated parkways, provides better results for reduction of heat island effects compared to cool pavement alone. Therefore, when estimating the effect of cool pavement on heat island and performing life cycle assessment, the presence of vegetation should be considered. • The solar reflectance of cool pavement materials decreases with time. • Some coatings may alter skid resistance of the pavement, impacting traction during wet conditions. Skid resistance tests should be conducted.

Benefit-Cost Analysis
This section provides a hypothetical example to illustrate a benefit-cost analysis (BCA) comparing the cost-effectiveness of various cool pavement options against traditional asphalt pavement. The analysis assumed a roadway segment 2,600 ft long and 24 ft wide located in Sacramento, CA. The baseline scenario used traditional asphalt pavement, while the cool pavement (referred to as “enhanced”) scenarios evaluated eight alternatives involving cool pavement applications over regular asphalt. 9 | Page

The primary benefit of cool pavement is its ability to reduce surface temperatures, which may extend pavement service life and lower energy demand for cooling nearby buildings.

Accordingly, the benefits considered in this analysis include delayed maintenance cycles, reduced building energy consumption, and associated emission reductions.

To monetize energy and emission benefits, the roadway is assumed to be in a dense residential area with single-family homes on both sides. Based on a 50-ft lot width, 100 buildings were included in the energy benefit analysis. Each home is assumed to have an annual cooling demand of 1,600 kWh, with an average electricity price of $0.21/kWh (SMUD (2010, 2023)). The analysis assumes 532 affected hot hours per year, based on 76 days exceeding 90°F, and a cooling degree day (CDD) value of 1,700 for the Sacramento area from NHCI (2023). The average temperature reduction from cool pavement is assumed to be 1.8°F (1°C) based on literature findings (Santamouris, 2017). Emission reductions were monetized using a fixed emission factor of 0.000207 tCO₂e/kWh from Climatiq (2023) and a social cost of carbon of $265/tCO₂e from UCSC (2023).

Lifecycle costs for cool pavement applications and their reapplication cycles were based on the average of the values provided in Table 1. For the enhanced scenarios, it was assumed that the annual maintenance activity was similar to that of traditional asphalt pavement while the reapplication of the cool pavement happened at the end of the service life, taking the average of values provided in Table 1. For the baseline scenario, annual maintenance costs of $0.08/ft² and capital preventive maintenance of $4.25/ft² after 20 years were applied, following recommendations from Caltrans (2025). The lifecycle BCA covered the period 2025–2050 using a 7% discount rate, as recommended by USDOT (2025). In this analysis, Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) represents the ratio of total monetized benefits to the additional costs of the enhanced scenario beyond the baseline. A BCR greater than 1 indicates benefits exceed incremental costs.

A summary of the results is presented in Table 2.

Table 2. Summary of lifecycle costs and benefits for different enhanced scenarios Type Construction
Costs ($)
Maintenance Cost
Difference ($)
Energy
Saving ($)
Benefit-
Cost Ratio
Treatment with ePAVE  71,760 21,317 12,585  0.14
Treatment with SunShield  109,200 53,541 12,585  0.08 Treatment with Endurablend  268,320 231,420 12,585  0.03 Treatement with GAF DuraShield-SR  76,128 53,528 12,585  0.10 Treatment with GuardTop Coolseal  57,408 92,046 12,585  0.08 Treatement with
StreetBond  70,512 44,524 12,585  0.11
Microsurface with high albedo
aggregates  227,760 296,650 12,585  0.02
Chip seals with high albedo
aggregates  65,520 36,520 12,585  0.12
10 | Page

The main takeaways of the assessment include:
• Cost-effectiveness was relatively low. The Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) ranges from

0.02 to 0.14 across options. This suggests that none of the evaluated cool pavement options are cost-effective for this hypothetical scenario. • Overall, energy savings and emission reductions are relatively small benefits compared to the net increases in costs. It should be noted that delay in maintenance for cool pavements is still under research, so actual maintenance costs may differ from assumptions.
• Additional potential benefits such as improved nighttime visibility, enhanced safety, and potential urban heat island mitigation are not captured in this analysis, meaning the true value of some treatments may be understated.

Conclusion
Cool pavement technologies offer potential for mitigating urban heat island effects and improving sustainability, but cost-effectiveness may be somewhat limited and should be evaluated case-by-case using lifecycle analysis and performance monitoring. Decision- making should also consider factors like economies of scale, maintenance uncertainty, and unmonetized benefits such as improved visibility and safety.

As a potential next step, the City could implement one of the lower-cost cool pavement treatments in a pilot location to evaluate cool pavement maintenance and everyday performance. A good pilot location would be a low- to moderate-loading area, where slower traffic reduces risk and limits impacts if failure occurs. This controlled application would generate critical performance data before broader deployment.

References
City of San Antonio, 2023: Cool pavement program
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 2012: Cool pavements. Reducing urban heat islands: Compendium of strategies.

Hashem Akbari, L. Shea Rose, and Haider Taha, 2000: Characterizing the Fabric pf the Urban Environment: A Case Study of Sacramento, California.

Ko, J., H. Schlaerth, A. Bruce, K. Sanders, and G. Ban-Weiss, 2022: Measuring the impacts of a real-world neighborhood-scale cool pavement deployment on albedo and temperatures in Los Angeles. Environ. Res. Lett., 17, 044027.

Middel, A., V. K. Turner, F. A. Schneider, Y. Zhang, and M. Stiller, 2020:

Solar reflective pavements- A policy panacea to heat mitigation? Environ. Res. Lett., 15, 064016.
11 | Page

Peluso, P., Persichetti, G., Moretti, L., 2022: Effectiveness of Road Cool Pavements, Greenery, and Canopies to Reduce the Urban Heat Island. Sustainability 2022, 14, 16027.

Taleghani, M., D. Sailor, and G. A. Ban-Weiss, 2016: Micrometeorological simulations to predict the impacts of heat mitigation strategies on pedestrian thermal comfort in a Los Angeles neighborhood. Environ. Res. Lett., 11, 024003.

Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, 2023: Cool Pavement Overview for Developers.

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), 2010: AquaChill – Evaporative Cooling System.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), 2023: Not all cool pavements are created equal.

National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), 2023: Local climatological data publication.

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), 2023: Residential rate guide.

Climatiq, 2023: Emission factor for electricity consumption.

University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), 2023: Social cost of carbon.

California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), 2025: Updates and improvements to web-based RealCost-CA and Life Cycle Cost Analysis procedure manual.

1.2 PERVIOUS PAVEMENT
Purpose and Background
This document outlines general guidelines and key considerations for pervious pavement systems in the Sacramento area, including advantages and limitations; design, construction, and maintenance considerations; and the general cost of different methods.

Prior to implementing pervious pavement, it is important to assess both the project's functional feasibility and cost (e.g., construction and long-term maintenance and overall cost effectiveness of the pervious pavement). Currently, pervious pavements are not recommended for use on highways, high volume roads, and in close proximity to structural foundations. They can be used in areas with no-to-limited vehicular access, parking lots, sidewalks, bike lanes, rest areas, fire lanes (if Sacramento’s Fire Department allows), maintenance stations, and maintenance access roads.
12 | Page

Pervious Pavement Section and Types
A pervious pavement can have the following layers and elements: (1) pervious pavement including (asphalt, concrete, grass paver, or blocks), (2) Optional open graded bedding course, (3) stone reservoir, (4) subgrade enhancement geotextile, and (5) optional curb. The figure below shows a schematic of a pervious pavement.

The surface layer allows the water to flow freely into the reservoir, where the water is stored before it leaves the pavement structure.

The pervious pavements can be generally divided into the following groups:

1. Non-modular permeable pavement including Permeable Asphalt Pavement (PAP) and Pervious Concrete Pavement (PCP)

2. Modular permeable pavement: Permeable concrete pavers (Concrete Pavers, Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavement (PICP)), Paving Blocks such as ECORASTER BLOXX and Powerblock permeable pavers,
Schematic sections of these pavement types are presented in Exhibit A.

Advantages of Pervious Pavement
Pervious pavements offer a wide range of environmental and functional benefits that make them a strong choice for sustainable infrastructure. They improve stormwater control by reducing runoff rate, infiltrating runoff into the ground, providing temporary storage of runoff, and reducing flood risk. They also improve the quality of stormwater runoff by filtering contaminants and pollutants, which reduces the water treatment burden for stormwater systems, with pervious pavement capable of removing between 13 and 99% of contaminants and suspended solids, and pervious asphalt generally having the best performance. Storing water in a pavement reservoir prior to discharge can reduce the

13 | Page

temperature of runoff from hot rooftops and pavement surfaces, thus reducing thermal pollution.

In addition, open graded pavements—like those used in pervious pavements—may reduce tire pavement noise and enhance vehicle safety by reducing water spray and splash from moving vehicles and increasing traction through better water drainage. These combined benefits make pervious pavements a useful and effective option for a wide range of applications.

Design Guidance
Feasibility
Prior to designing the pervious pavement, a site investigation is necessary for evaluation of the functional feasibility of pervious pavements for a project site based on hydrology and hydraulic design, soil permeability, pavement thickness design, and environmental regulations. A site can be acceptable for construction of pervious pavement only if the reservoir layer can be designed to infiltrate the runoff in the appropriate drawdown time.

The factors influencing the feasibility of the projects are:
• Hydrology and hydraulic design: Hydrology and hydraulic design are used to estimate the hydraulic storage requirements of the pavement and the amount of runoff in the project site. For using pervious pavement, the groundwater should be 2 to 3 feet below the seasonal high-water level.
• Soil permeability: Geology and subsurface material can play a significant role in determining the soil permeability and drainage requirements of pervious pavements. The best areas for construction of pervious pavements are within hydrological soil groups A and B (on NRCS soil survey) which have low and moderately low runoff potential.

Soil group A includes soils such as well-drained sands or gravels with low clay content with high infiltration rates and very low runoff potential. Soil group B includes soils such as moderately well-drained soils with a mix of sand, silt, and only modest clay content, with moderate infiltration rates and moderate runoff potential. Soil groups C and D consist of soils with higher clay content, with low to very low infiltration rates and high and very high runoff potential respectively.

The City of Sacramento lies within the Great Valley geomorphic province, a broad and relatively flat alluvial plain characterized by a thick accumulation of sediments deposited in a bedrock trough. The subsurface material includes a combination of different contents of fat or lean clay, silt, and sand. A geological map of the city is shown in Exhibit B, along with the dominant soil type encountered in the top 5 feet 14 | Page

for a few selected projects throughout the city. Based on the available information, and due to the variability of the Alluvium Formation, site-specific subsurface investigation should be performed for each project to identify the soil permeability and drainage requirements. This subsurface investigation should include soil borings, soil classification tests, soil permeability test, and compaction test to identify the site suitability. One infiltration test (in accordance with CT 220) every

0.25 acres is recommended and any reduction in test requirements should be done with the City’s approval. The test should be performed in the field on the in-situ samples, and then repeated on remolded samples compacted at multiple relative compaction levels, with the compaction range not exceeding 4 percent with acceptable infiltration rates.
• Pavement thickness should satisfy the pavement structural design requirements and reservoir layer design requirements as detailed in the following section. • Environmental regulations, including preventing soil and groundwater contamination. Pervious pavements can be designed to reduce the concentration of contaminants such as phosphorus and nitrogen, metals, and suspended solids from the stormwater. This can be achieved by different methods such as partial infiltration design that can store water for over 24 hours, using specially coated aggregates in the joints and beddings, adding a filter layer of sand or fine aggregates under the permeable pavement, and sloping the site by intermittent berms to allow the suspended material settle.

Design Guidelines
The design of the pervious pavement includes empirical structural design of the pervious pavement and the reservoir, and estimation of the thickness of the reservoir to store the runoff (Water Quality Volume (WQV)). The following recommendations are provided:

1. Structural design: the pervious pavement and reservoir should be able to support the applied load and traffic. The structural design depends on the type of pavement, total traffic, soil strength, and environmental elements. • If traffic information is not available, Table 613.4A of Caltrans Highway Design Manual (HDM) can be used.
• For Pervious Asphalt (including open graded friction course (OGFC) over asphalt treated permeable base (ATPB)), a typical thickness of 0.1 ft can be used for OGFC. The ATPB can be designed based on the empirical or Mechanistic- empirical methods provided in HDM topic 633.
15 | Page

• For Pervious Concrete the following minimum thicknesses are recommended based on the application of the pavement: for locations with non-vehicular loads: 4.2 inches; for parking, maintenance roads, sidewalks and bike paths where a few heavy loads are anticipated: 5.4 to 6 inches; for rest areas and maintenance roads (where Traffic Index (TI)<9): 8.4 inches; and for bus stop pads and areas where TI is 9 to 10: 9.6 inches. Dowel bars or Tie bar are not used in pervious concrete design.
• For Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavement (PICP) thicknesses of 2-3/8 inches for pedestrian areas and 3-1/8 inches for areas with vehicular traffic are recommended. Concrete pavers must conform to ASTM C936. A two-inch layer of bedding is required between 0.35 feet Class 3 AB course and pavers. • For the reservoir layer, Class 4 AB material should be used. A minimum thickness 0.5 ft is considered for all types of pervious pavement for constructability. The bottom of this layer should be 1 inch lower than any adjacent non-permeable pavement structure.

Caltrans pervious pavement design guidance (July 2023) section 4.3.5 provides minimum required layer thicknesses based on the application of the project.

2. Reservoir layer design: The thickness of the reservoir layer should be the maximum of (1) the thickness required for structural design of the pavement (mentioned in the previous section) (2) the thickness required to store the runoff, so that the stored water can infiltrate into the subgrade soil within a given drawdown time. For determination of this thickness the guidelines provided in Section 3.2 of Caltrans Stormwater Quality Handbooks - Pervious Pavement Design Guide, July 2023, should be followed.

Standard approaches to stormwater control should be put in place as the permeability of the pavement system will deteriorate over time. This guidance is covered in more detail in the following section.

There may be additional design requirements included in the Pervious Pavement Design Guidance by Caltrans that should be followed.

Installation/Construction Considerations
The following should be considered during construction and installation of pervious pavement:
• The materials used in the pervious pavement typically includes open graded aggregates that are hard, durable, and have low percentage of fine material. These 16 | Page

materials should be in accordance with the non-standard specifications for pervious pavement bases, PCP, PAP and PICP provided by Caltrans. Care must be taken to avoid fouling of the base during construction and staging should avoid haul or traffic atop the drain bed, as it may rut easily.
• Subgrade preparation: The pervious pavement section cannot be placed on embankment material. Elevating the existing ground should be minimal and the reservoir layer material is recommended as the fill material. Barriers should be used when embankment materials are present on the sides of the pervious pavement installation.

Subgrade preparation should be completed during dry weather conditions.

The subgrade should be compacted to maintain a balance between infiltration rate and structural integrity. For this purpose, a range of compaction should be defined for the subgrade material with acceptable infiltration for the contractor to follow.

Resilient Modulus (Mr) of the soil should be determined in accordance with HDM Topic 614. MR is required for Caltrans CalME flexible pavement design method to determine thickness of the reservoir layer and surface layers for PAP and PICP.

A subgrade enhancement geotextile fabric should be placed on top of the subgrade soil and below the reservoir layer, if recommended by Caltrans Geotechnical Services. The geotextile can also be used between the pervious pavement and adjacent soil. The fabric can be used to reduce migration of fine materials into the reservoir.

The slope of the subgrade should be as flat as possible. A slope reduces the storage capacity of the pervious pavement.
• Drainage: Pervious pavements are not designed to handle all stormwater from all storms. Further, as noted above, the permeability typically deteriorates over time.

Therefore, typical drainage design required for stormwater control should be performed for any project with pervious pavement, which can include perforated drainage pipes, drain inlets, curb cut-outs, and possible additional subsurface piping.

For sites with slopes higher than 2% and/or low-infiltration soil, such as clay, additional measures may be required such as terraced subgrade and underdrain installation to intercept the water flow through the pavement. For clay material and soil groups C or D (on NRCS soil survey), it is also recommended to use a larger subbase layer and an 17 | Page

impermeable layer (a geomembrane) between the subbase and the clay material to reduce soil expansion.

Based on the infiltration rate and subgrade condition, the pervious pavements can be divided into full, partial, and low infiltration. According to Caltrans permeable pavement design, the required infiltration is based on the thickness of reservoir layer and a drawdown time of 72 hrs. Full infiltration occurs when the stored water can flow fully through the subgrade. In this case no underdrain is required. For partial infiltration, an outlet pipe is required at the bottom of the reservoir layer. If the pavement is supported by expansive soil, fill, or is placed close to a building structure, an impermeable layer (e.g. geomembrane) should be used along with underdrain pipes to outflow the water from the reservoir layer (low infiltration).

Exhibit C shows schematic cross sections for full, partial, and low infiltration pervious pavements. The pervious area should be protected from the adjacent stormwater runoff areas (especially if unpaved and not constructed yet). The sediments from these areas can affect the performance of the pervious pavement. • Traffic over the pervious pavement during construction should be limited as much as possible.
• For pervious asphalt, prime coat and tack coat cannot be applied prior to placement of ATPB and OGFC. However, the OGFC can be replaced if worn out. • For pervious concrete, all the standard requirements for concrete placement applies, such as, control of water content, unconfined compressive strength testing, timing of concrete curing, extending curing membrane beyond the paved area to adequately secure the edges, and covering the pavement for full 7 calendar days to maintain structural capacity. Inspection should be performed by a National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) certified personnel. • Any additional requirements or considerations mentioned in the Pervious Pavement Design Guidance of Caltrans should be followed.
• Prior to embarking on pervious pavement, it is critical to make sure that sufficient contractor and consultant knowledge and skill is present. If necessary, outreach and training can provide local confidence to foster a productive bid and construction environment.
• Build America Buy America (BABA) constraints may exist for some potential treatments. These may be addressed through product selection, waiver request, or 18 | Page

alternative funding mechanisms, depending on the project and the selected treatment.

Unit Costs
Permeable pavements may be able to reduce long-term expenses by minimizing stormwater infrastructures and provide environmental benefits. However, their initial cost is higher due to more complex design and requirements, special materials, and labor- intensive installation. Their initial cost depends on various factors like region, local climate, underlying soil conditions, drainage requirement, expected traffic, pavement design life, etc. Table 3 estimates the service/design life, cost, and application of different pervious pavement types.

Pervious pavements will also require regular maintenance to maintain permeability.

Maintenance needs are discussed in the following section.

Table 3. Service life and construction costs of various pavement types Type Service/Design
Life (years)
Approx. construction
Cost ($ per ft2)1
Application / Target Use
Pervious
Asphalt
15-25 11 to 38 Parking lots, bike paths,
maintenance access roads, sloped
areas (<5%)
Pervious
concrete
20-40 15 to 40 Sidewalks, parking lots,
maintenance access roads,
pedestrian zones, sloped areas
(<5%)
Permeable
Interlocking
Concrete
Pavement
25-40 36 to 53 Driveways, plazas, fire lanes (if
Sacramento’s Fire Department
allows), urban streetscapes, areas
where vehicles turn
Notes:
1 The cost estimates here are based on Caltrans Cost Data Base, July 2023. These values include reservoir cost.

The cost of maintenance is not included in this table. Maintenance is discussed in the following section.

The cost values mentioned in this table are subject to change based on project size, location, and any other project specific requirements.

It is possible to reduce the cost of the project by limiting the pervious pavement area to the area necessary to control the runoff and using conventional pavements in other areas. In some areas, 19 | Page

depending on the native soil, it might be possible to place the pervious pavement on the soil without a need for the reservoir layer.

Based on a nearby project experience, the cost of traditional asphalt and concrete pavement can be estimated to be in ranges between $5 to $20 for asphalt, and $8 to $25 for concrete pavements.

The cost values mentioned in this table are subject to change based on project size, location, and any other project specific requirements.

Maintenance
The most important maintenance concern for any pervious pavements is clogging of pavement surface, reservoir, and underlying soil with sediments. Clogging can reduce infiltration rates and long-term performance of the pavement. The sediments and fine particles can come from the adjacent sites, the traffic on site, and the atmosphere.

Clogging increases with age and use of the pavement; however, it generally does not lead to complete impermeability, but can reduce the infiltration rate to 1 inch per hour.

High performance vacuum sweeping, infiltration testing, and regular maintenance are required to maintain high permeability and mitigate clogging. An infiltration rate of 10 in/hr is a sign of near-clogged condition, and surface ponding after a storm is a sign of clogging.

If jointing aggregates are removed during sweeping process, the openings should be re- filled with clean aggregates. Regular, documented observation, coupled with flow testing at intervals can be used to determine best practices for cleaning and maintenance based on local conditions.

Other maintenance requirements for pervious pavements are as follows:
• Time-appropriate removal of any debris, contaminated spills, or material and required pavement repair.
• Any damage to the drainage system should be promptly repaired. Sediment control measures should be maintained.
• For repair of PAP and PCP, similar material can be used. OGFC can be replaced if worn out; however, seal coat cannot be used for maintenance. The damaged PCIP blocks can be replaced.
• Structural integrity of the pavement should also be inspected regularly to find and repair the deteriorated areas.
• Pavement maintenance and/or repairs must maintain the permeability of the asphalt, concrete, and/or pavers for long-term functioning of these systems. This may require additional in-house trainings and monitoring, and/or additional contractor requirements.
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Limitations
Although pervious pavements can be very useful when used in an appropriate site, there are limitations in conditions that they can be used.
• Pervious pavements may not be appropriate for locations with cohesive and expansive subgrade (low infiltration rate). It is recommended to remove and/or replace expansive soil, stabilize these soils using lime or cement, or install underdrains to reduce or eliminate expansion. Geomembranes can also be used under the pavement to prevent water from leaving the pavement from areas other than the designed outlets. These items can increase the cost of pervious pavement installation.
• Since pervious pavements are not as strong as conventional impervious pavements, they are not appropriate for applications in high traffic areas. Use of PICP in areas where TI > 9 is not recommended.
• Due to their permeability, pervious pavements are not appropriate for areas where hazardous materials are present, and spills and fuel leakage are possible. Similarly, loading areas with high sediment or areas with high vegetation debris should be avoided.
• Pavers and blocks should comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Application of large openings in PICP pavers containing aggregate should be limited for areas such as bike paths, sidewalks, or parking areas where disabled persons, bicycles, and the elderly are present.

Benefit-Cost Analysis
This section presents a hypothetical benefit-cost analysis (BCA) comparing the cost- effectiveness of pervious pavement and traditional concrete pavement. The analysis assumes a 180 × 240-foot (approximately 1 acre) parking lot located in Sacramento, CA.

The baseline scenario uses traditional concrete pavement, while the pervious pavement (referred to as “enhanced”) scenario incorporates pervious concrete pavement.

To quantify costs, construction costs for the baseline scenario were taken as $15.46/ft² based on Caltrans’ cost estimation guidance for 7-inch traditional concrete pavement with

0.25 ft of HMA-Type A base and 0.5 ft of Class 2 aggregate subbase. Construction costs for the enhanced scenario were averaged from Table 3. Annual maintenance for both scenarios included $0.025/ft² for minor patching and sealing (if applicable) as per Caltrans’ recommendations. For pervious pavement, an additional annual maintenance cost of $0.014/ft² was assumed for vacuuming and cleaning clogged particles based on the stormwater best management practices (EPA, 2021).
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The major advantage of pervious pavement is its ability to reduce runoff compared to impervious pavement, which has a runoff coefficient of approximately 0.95. Stormwater runoff reduction for pervious pavement typically ranges from 25% to 100%, based on findings compiled by the EPA (2021). To account for this variability, three cases were considered: low (25%), medium (60%), and high (100%) reduction. The economic value of runoff reduction is defined as the avoided cost of providing stormwater capture systems otherwise required for urban runoff from impervious pavement. To quantify stormwater volume at the site, the precipitation depth associated with 10-year storm event for the Sacramento area from SacAdapt vulnerability assessment was used and multiplied by the parking lot area. The unit cost of stormwater capture was assumed to be $2,000 per acre- foot, based on the median value (adjusted to 2025) of proposed stormwater capture projects in California (Xie et al, 2020). It should be noted that the unit cost estimate here was based on state-wide stormwater capture projects varied in process characteristics (e.g., with or without treatment).

Using the different levels of runoff reduction, monetary benefits were calculated for each case and compared with the additional cost of the enhanced scenario beyond the baseline to estimate the benefit-cost ratio. The lifecycle BCA spans 2025–2050 and applies a 7% discount rate, as recommended by the U.S. DOT (2025). In this analysis, Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) represents the ratio of total monetized benefits to the additional costs of the enhanced scenario beyond the baseline.

A BCR greater than 1 indicates benefits exceed incremental costs.

Results are provided in Table 4.

Table 4. Summary of lifecycle costs and benefits for different scenarios Type Construction
Costs ($)
Maintenance
Costs ($)
Runoff
Benefits ($)
Benefit-Cost
Ratio
Traditional Concrete
Pavement
667,872 13,666 -- --
Pervious Concrete
Pavement - Low
Runoff Reduction
1,188,000 21,319 1,540 0.003
Pervious Concrete
Pavement - Medium
Runoff Reduction
1,188,000 21,319 3,696 0.007 Pervious Concrete
Pavement - High
Runoff Reduction
1,188,000 21,319 6,159 0.012

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The key takeaways of the assessment include:
• The construction cost for pervious concrete pavement ($1.188 million) is nearly 78% higher than traditional concrete pavement ($667,872). This large upfront cost is the primary driver of the low benefit-cost ratios across all scenarios. • While pervious pavement requires additional maintenance for vacuuming and cleaning, the difference in lifecycle maintenance costs ($21,319 vs. $13,666), if following best management practices, is relatively small compared to the construction cost gap. This suggests that maintenance is not a major factor in overall cost-effectiveness. However, required maintenance costs may prove higher than this estimate annual maintenance cost from EPA.
• Even under the high runoff reduction scenario (100%), the monetary benefit ($6,159) is small compared to the incremental cost of adopting pervious pavement, indicating that stormwater benefits alone cannot justify the additional investment under current assumptions.
• The analysis assumes a unit stormwater capture cost of $2,000 per acre-foot and a 7% discount rate. If these values change (e.g., higher stormwater capture costs or lower discount rates), the BCR could improve, but likely not enough to exceed 1 without substantial policy or market shifts.

Beyond stormwater runoff reduction, pervious pavement may provide additional benefits that were not monetized in this analysis but can influence decision-making. These include improved water quality by filtering pollutants during infiltration and enhanced groundwater recharge, which is critical in water-scarce regions. Pervious surfaces may also support regulatory compliance and reduce flood risk by lowering peak runoff volumes during heavy rainfall events.

Conclusion
The benefit-cost analysis shows that pervious pavement is generally not cost-effective when based solely on stormwater runoff reduction. However, decisions should also consider broader benefits such as improved water quality, groundwater recharge, and reduced flood risk. Pervious pavement applications that are strategically located to mitigate localized flooding—particularly for bicycle, pedestrian or transit facilities—may provide a sufficient benefit to justify the cost. Additionally, pervious pavements can be especially suitable in areas with sandy subgrade conditions that support infiltration.

Costs vary by design and maintenance, influencing feasibility. Interlocking pervious pavers may have a different BCR than pervious pavement and have been successfully used in private developments in Sacramento (e.g., The Mill).
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Grant funding (e.g., from water quality and flood mitigation programs, in addition to climate and transportation programs) may be able to fund higher construction costs associated with pervious pavement. Additionally, pervious pavements and pavers may be an appropriate tool for private development as needed to meet requirements for on-site stormwater management.

References
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 2025: Design criteria for permeable pavement.

FHWA-HIF-16-004, 2016: Permeable Concrete Pavements.

Hein, D. K., & ENG, P., 2014: Permeable pavement design and construction case studies in North America. In Conference and Exhibition of the Transportation Association of Canada, pp. 1–12.

Caltrans, July 2023: Pervious Pavement Design Guidance.

Rehan, T., Qi, Y., & Werner, A., 2018: Life-cycle cost analysis for traditional and permeable pavements. In Construction Research Congress 2018, pp. 422–431.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), December 2021: Stormwater best management practices—Permeable Pavements.

Terhell, S. L., Cai, K., Chiu, D., & Murphy, J., 2015: Cost and benefit analysis of permeable pavements in water sustainability. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources:

Davis, CA, USA.

U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), 2024: Benefit-Cost Analysis Guidance for Discretionary Grant Programs.

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), 2023: Roadway replacement cost guidance and unit price estimating tools.

European Commission, 2017: Guide to Cost-Benefit Analysis of Investment Projects.

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, 2015: Pervious Pavement Technology Brief.

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Exhibits
Exhibit A
Selected Pervious Pavement Cross Sections

Pervious Concrete Pavement (PCP) Typical Section

Pervious Asphalt Pavement (PAP) Typical Section

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Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavement (PICP) Typical Section

PowerBLOCK Permeable Paver Typical Section

ECORASTER® and Bloxx Typical Section

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Grassstone Pavers Typical Section

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Exhibit B
Geology map of Sacramento

Predominant soil type for selected projects

Predominant soil types for selected projects: Red: Clay (Class C or D), Pink: Silt (Class B or C), Yellow: Sand (Class A or B). (https://geodog.dot.ca.gov/)

Exhibit C
Subgrade Permeability

(a) Full infiltration (Group A and some group B soils)

(a) Partial infiltration (Some groups B and C soils)

(b) Low infiltration (Some group C and group D soils)

Pervious Pavement
Stone Reservoir
Subgrade
Supportive Bedding Layer

Pervious Pavement
Stone Reservoir
Subgrade
Supportive Bedding Layer
Outlet Pipe

Pervious Pavement
Stone Reservoir
Subgrade
Supportive Bedding Layer
Outlet Pipe
Impermeable layer
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1.3 PAVEMENT BINDER GRADES
Purpose and Background
Sacramento’s pavement performance was evaluated using two approaches: the original SHRP (Strategic Highway Research Program) Superpave method, which the city currently uses, and the updated FHWA (Federal Highway Administration) Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) method. Both methods estimate the temperature extremes that pavement binders must withstand to prevent cracking in winter and rutting in summer.

These temperatures are then translated into binder grades, expressed as two numbers (e.g., PG 64-10), where the first represents high-temperature resistance (64°C in this case) and the second represents low-temperature resistance (-10°C in this case) in degrees Celsius.

Historically, Sacramento’s high-temperature pavement grade values are around 70-71°C, and low-temperature values range from about -9°C to -11°C, depending on the method.

The City’s current Standard Specifications for Public Construction (Section 22-2) require:

Unless otherwise indicated on the Plans or in the Special Provisions, asphalt binder to be mixed with aggregate shall be steam-refined paving asphalt: PG 64-10 or PG 64-16 for residential and collector streets and PG 70-10 for on/off ramps, Intersections, arterials, and thoroughfares. Use ARHM-GG (Asphalt Rubber hot Mix – Gap Graded) with PG 64-16 for overlays, unless otherwise indicated.

Looking ahead, climate projections for the 2050s and 2080s show a gradual increase in high temperatures and a slight warming of low temperatures (meaning less severe cold).

By the 2080s, high pavement temperatures could reach 74-76°C under the most extreme emissions scenario (SSP 5-8.5), while low temperatures may rise to -6°C to -8°C. This suggests future binder grades may need to shift toward PG 76-10.

SHRP & FHWA Methods

The SHRP method uses air temperature alone, while FHWA incorporates pavement surface temperature, rut depth, usage, and reliability factors. As a result, FHWA generally produces slightly warmer high-temperature values and slightly warmer low-temperature values compared to SHRP. For Sacramento, this difference is modest but important for long-term planning given that FHWA’s approach anticipates more extreme heat impacts.

These results highlight the need to prepare for hotter pavement conditions in the coming decades. While current binder grades like PG 70-10 may suffice today, future projects – especially those with long design lives – should consider higher grades such as PG 76-10 to maintain performance under projected heat stress. The FHWA method provides a more robust framework for accounting for uncertainty and reliability, which may be valuable for critical infrastructure.
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Table 5. Results for City of Sacramento
Method (°C) Historical 2050s
SSP 2-4.5
2050s
SSP 5-8.5
2080s
SSP 2-4.5
2080s
SSP 5-8.5
FHWA High 71°C 74°C 74°C 74°C 76°C
SHRP High 70°C 73°C 73°C 73°C 75°C
FHWA Low -9°C -9°C -7°C -8°C -6°C
SHRP Low -11°C -10°C -9°C -9°C -7°C

Given that Sacramento is located in the Inland Valley pavement climate region, as designated by Caltrans (Figure 1), the current binder grades used in the city (PG 64-10) for residential and collector streets are too low even for historical conditions, with a maximum of 64°C or 70°C. Binder grades are provided in increments of six – so for example, the next highest option for a PG with a high of 64°C would be a PG with a high of 70°C, then 76°C.

Based off this analysis, both historical and future conditions should be upgraded to a maximum of 76°C given that all results are above 70°C. Given that the climate is estimated to continue warming, the lows of -10°C or colder in all of the current binder grade recommendations for Sacramento’s climate region will remain adequate with no changes necessary. Instead, the focus should remain on increasing the high-temperature grade.

Table 6. Asphalt binder performance grade selection for Caltrans (source: table 632.1)

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Figure 1. Caltrans pavement climate regions (source)
Conclusion
Analyses of both historical and projected pavement temperature conditions indicate that the City should transition from its current binder grades—PG 64-10 for residential and collector streets and PG 70-10 for higher-volume roadways—to a PG 76-10 binder.

Historical high-temperature values already exceed 70 °C, and future climate projections estimate pavement temperatures reaching 74–76 °C by the 2050s and 2080s. The low- temperature grade of –10 °C remains sufficient, so adjustments should focus solely on raising the high-temperature rating.

Switching to a higher-temperature binder grade has implications for both cost and maintenance. PG 76-10 binders typically require polymer modification and therefore come at a higher initial cost. However, these binders offer superior resistance to rutting and thermal degradation, which can extend pavement life. In turn, agencies may experience

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reduced maintenance needs and potentially lower lifecycle costs despite higher upfront expenditures. Over time, the improved performance may offset early investment, particularly on heavily trafficked or heat-vulnerable corridors. Market availability and pricing are influenced by Caltrans’ statewide specifications.

Because current Caltrans recommendations rely heavily on lower binder grades, suppliers have limited incentive to produce and distribute higher-grade materials at scale. To enhance availability and reduce long-term costs, Caltrans will need to reevaluate and update its statewide binder grade recommendations, which would help create market demand for higher-temperature binders such as PG 76-10. Doing so would help shift production practices, reduce price premiums, and support more resilient pavement infrastructure statewide.

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2| SCOUR MITIGATION

2.1 SCOUR DEFINITION
Scour is the erosion or removal of sediment (such as sand, gravel, or silt) from bridge foundations—including piers, abutments, and embankments—due to the action of flowing water.

Scour occurs when the hydraulic forces of water (velocity, turbulence, vortices) are strong enough to dislodge and transport particles from the riverbed or banks, leading to localized deepening of the riverbed. If not properly accounted for, it can expose or undermine structural foundations and cause bridge instability or failure.

Scour is the leading cause of bridge failure worldwide. When sediment supporting the foundation is eroded, it can lead to settlement or tilting of piers, collapse of abutments or retaining walls, and complete structural failure during floods or high-flow events.

When scour is neglected, there may be sudden bridge failure (especially during floods), loss of human life, high economic costs for repair or replacement and traffic disruption.

2.2 SCOUR TYPES
Scour is generally classified into three main types:

1. Local Scour occurs around piers or abutments due to the turbulence and vortices created by flow obstruction. It creates scour holes at the base. Local scour is caused by mechanisms like downflow and horseshoe vortices in front of piers and wake vortices behind piers.

2. Contraction Scour happens when the flow is constricted (e.g., at bridge openings or narrowed river sections) and increased flow velocity leads to uniform erosion across the bed in the contracted section.

3. General Scour (Degradation) is long-term, large-scale lowering of the riverbed over time due to natural river evolution, changes in upstream/downstream sediment supply, and channel straightening, dam construction, or gravel mining.

2.3 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE SCOUR
Several hydraulic, geotechnical, and structural factors affect how scour develops:

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Category Factors
Hydraulic Flow velocity, depth, turbulence, flood frequency Geomorphic Sediment size and type, riverbed material, stratification Structural Pier shape, size, alignment to flow, foundation depth Environmental Vegetation, ice, debris, tides (in coastal areas) Hydrologic Events High flows, flash floods, rapid flow changes

2.4 COMMON SCOUR MITIGATION MEASURES FOR

BRIDGES
The most common scour mitigation measures used in bridge design, construction, and maintenance are:

Structural Measures (Physical Protection):

1. Riprap (Rock Armoring). Large stones or broken concrete placed around piers or abutments to absorb water energy. Most widely used and cost-effective.

2. Gabions. Wire mesh baskets filled with stones. Used to stabilize slopes or riverbanks near bridge foundations.

3. Scour Countermeasures using Concrete (e.g., aprons, mats). Concrete aprons or collars around pier bases. Articulated concrete blocks or mats to armor the bed.

4. Grouted Riprap. Riprap bonded with concrete to prevent displacement during high flows.

5. Sheet Piles or Cut-off Walls. Driven deep into the bed around piers/abutments to block undermining.

6. Scour-Resistant Foundations. Spread footings placed at or below the anticipated total scour depths or founded on competent, scour-resistant bedrock. Deeper foundations (e.g., drilled shafts or piles) placed and extending below the anticipated total scour depth.

7. Cable-Tied Blocks / Mattresses. Precast blocks tied together with cables, flexible and conform to the bed.

8. Catcher Bents. Provide alternate support of the superstructure in case of total failure of an existing support or un-seating of the superstructure from the existing supports.
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Hydraulic Measures (Flow Alteration):

8. Guide Banks / Spur Dikes / Vanes. Structures built upstream to redirect flow and reduce velocity near piers.

9. River Training Works. Adjusting the river course to minimize flow concentration near the bridge.

10. Channel Linings. Stabilize the riverbed using concrete, riprap, or other materials to reduce erosion.

Monitoring and Maintenance Measures:

11. Scour Monitoring Devices. Sensors or sonar to monitor scour depth in real-time.

12. Regular Inspections. Especially after floods or high flow events.

13. Scour Risk Assessments. Predictive modeling and evaluation to proactively mitigate risks.

Design Measures (Preventive Planning)

14. Designing for Scour Depth. Foundations placed below calculated maximum total scour depths (including safety margins) based on project specific Hydrology/ Hydraulics & Geotechnical Reports.

15. Use of Scour-Resistant Materials. Avoiding easily erodible soils near bridge foundations.

16. Bridge Span Design. Longer spans to minimize number of piers in water, reducing scour risk.

2.5 DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF SELECTED

MITIGATION MEASURES
Cable-Tied Blocks
• These measures are typically used as armoring countermeasures (i.e., adding a protective armor layer on the bed or around foundations) rather than flow-altering devices.
• “Cable-tied blocks” are concrete blocks or slabs (often truncated-pyramidal or other shapes) that are interconnected by cables (steel, stainless steel, alloy, or synthetic) to form a mat or armor layer.
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• The blocks individually might be unstable in high-velocity flows, but when tied together they act as a system or mat, resisting higher flows more effectively than loose blocks alone.
• The system is often placed on top of a geotextile or filter layer to prevent sediment migration under the mat and then placed around the foundation (pier or abutment) to reduce scour.
• Common applications: bridge piers in stream beds, abutments, spill-through abutment slopes.

Figure 2. Example of cable-tie blocks
Advantages:
• More predictable than loose riprap in some cases, because the interconnection helps create a stronger armor.
• Flexibility: The mat can conform to bed contours and still provide protection. • Suitable in locations where placement of large rock may be difficult (e.g., shallow approaches, tight geometry).

Limitations / Considerations:
• Less field experience compared to classic riprap for bridge scour around piers/ abutments.

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• Requires careful detailing at the structure interface (seal to pier/abutment) and at edges. If the seal fails or mat edges are not secure, sediment can scour beneath, leading to undermining.
• Durability of cables: particularly in harsh or corrosive environments, cable corrosion or fatigue may be a concern.
• Cost and constructability: The mats may require prefabrication, specialized anchor systems, and precise installation compared to simple rock riprap. • Not always suitable for very large scours, or where extreme velocities or very large bed-material movement occur (e.g., rock bed with huge bedforms). Guidelines caution about use in large cobble/rock bed streams.

Mattresses (Articulated Concrete Block Mats / Cable-Tied Block Mats) • “Mattress” here refers to an articulated mat or blanket of interconnected concrete blocks (or pillows) that lie over the bed or channel surface, often used for bank protection, riverbed lining, scour mitigation under bridge structures. • The blocks are interconnected (by cables or synthetic links) so that the mattress acts like a continuous protective layer rather than individual pieces. The concept overlaps with cable-tied block systems.
• They can be installed in front of abutments (particularly spill-through abutments) or around piers to suppress local scour by protecting the bed material and preventing scour hole formation.

Figure 3. Example of mattresses
Advantages:
• Uniform protective blanket that reduces the need for placing large rock pieces. • Ability to conform to bed contours and provide a continuous cover, reducing gaps or voids through which scour could initiate.

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• Effective for moderate velocities and bed movement, especially when combined with a good filter/seal. The 1998 NCHRP study stated “a mattress of cable-tied blocks underlain by a geotextile tied to the pier provides excellent protection.” Limitations / considerations:
• Similar to cable-tied blocks, performance depends heavily on proper installation:
filter, sealing to structure, edge anchoring. If these are compromised, uplift or undermining can occur.
• Not always suitable for very large bed material movement or extremely high velocities; again, larger rock riprap or other heavy armoring may be needed.

Sonar / Acoustic Depth Sensor
• A sonar (acoustic pulse) transducer is mounted underwater (often on or near the pier or scour-critical element). It emits acoustic pulses toward the streambed and measures the time-of-flight to the sediment/bottom to determine bed elevation. • Over time, as scour occurs and the bed drops, the measured depth increases (or the distance to the bottom grows) indicating the measured reduction of supporting material.
• Often combined with a data logger and telemetry system so that changes in bed elevation can be monitored remotely (even during high-flow events) (see for example the system described by NexSens).

Figure 4. Example of sonar/acoustic depth sensor
Sliding Collar / Probe Rod Device
• A rigid probe/rod is driven or embedded vertically into the bed (or fixed near the bed) at or adjacent to the pier/abutment. A “sliding collar” rests on the bed surface at installation.

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• As the bed erodes (scours) and drops, the sliding collar will drop with the surface (or the collar is free to drop), triggering switches or sensors at known intervals on the rod to log the drop.
• This gives a discrete (often stepwise) measure of bed elevation change relative to the fixed reference rod.

Figure 5. Schematic of sliding collar
Threshold / Float-out or Buried-Sensor Devices
• Lower cost or simpler option: sensors are installed/embedded at predetermined depths below the streambed or near the bed surface adjacent to pier. When scour reduces the bed to expose or affect the sensor, it triggers an alert (float-out, exposure, electrical contact change).
• These are often used as warning devices rather than continuous measurement.

When bed drops to critical depth, sensor activates, alerting the inspector/owner that a threshold has been exceeded and remedial action may be required.

Figure 6. Schematic of float-out or buried-sensor devices Additional considerations:
• Baseline survey: Document initial streambed elevation around each pier/abutment at installation time so future scour progression can be referenced to this datum.

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• Access and safety: Provide safe access for both installation and periodic inspection/maintenance (e.g., diving, float platform, boat, pier access). • Redundancy: Consider dual-sensor systems (e.g., one sonar + one threshold device) especially for critical bridges.
• Integration: Ensure data flows into your bridge management system: include dashboard/reporting requirements, alert protocols, inspection trigger conditions. • Maintenance schedule: Specify periodic verification of sensor operation, cleaning of transducers/collars, calibration check.
• Environmental design: Account for high-flow debris, sediment deposition, marine/ freshwater corrosion, bio-fouling.
• In drawings: Provide elevation and plan views of sensor mounting, datum referencing, cable route, enclosure location (logger/telemetry), conduit details.

2.6 REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS FOR LARGER

MEASURES
Besides more typical scour-mitigation measures around the piers and abutments, highlighted in separate reports, this section explores reducing scour effects on the structure by modifying the creek bed and channel alignment to redirect the primary flow path away from the bridge foundations. These activities would include in-channel excavation and fill, potential bank stabilization, and channel re-grading. Realignment of the creeks reduces debris collected at piers/abutments and reduces scour impacts to structural members.

This section provides feasibility and identifies the regulatory permits and approvals potentially required for modifying the creek bed and flow regime associated with the bridge crossing. Modifications to creek beds and flow paths in California are regulated under a combination of federal, state, and local statutes. The following sections summarize the likely permits and authorizations applicable to the proposed work.

Federal Permits
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
Authority: Clean Water Act § 404 and Rivers and Harbors Act § 10 Administered by: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District • Applicability: A § 404 permit is required for discharge of dredged or fill material into “waters of the United States,” including streams, creeks, and wetlands. 41 | Page

• Project Relevance: The proposed modification of the creek bed to redirect flow will likely involve placement of fill or alteration of channel morphology, triggering § 404 permitting requirements.
• Permit Type: Depending on scope and impacts, the project may qualify for a Nationwide Permit (NWP 14 – Linear Transportation Projects) or require an Individual Permit.
• Coordination: Contact USACE Sacramento District Regulatory Branch to request a Pre-Application Meeting and confirm jurisdictional status.

State Permits
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)
Authority: California Fish and Game Code § 1602
Permit: Lake or Streambed Alteration Agreement (LSAA)
• Applicability: Required for any project that will divert or obstruct natural flow, or substantially change the bed, bank, or channel of any river, stream, or lake. • Project Relevance: Creek bed modification involves modifying the channel and redirecting flow; therefore, an LSAA will almost certainly be required. • Coordination: Early consultation with CDFW Region 2 (North Central Region) is recommended.

State Water Resources Control Board / Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (CVRWQCB)
Authority: Clean Water Act § 401 – Water Quality Certification; Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act – Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) • Applicability: A § 401 Water Quality Certification is required for projects needing a federal § 404 permit. If federal jurisdiction is not established, a WDR under state authority may still apply for discharges to “waters of the State.” • Project Relevance: Likely required due to in-channel work, grading, and fill. • Coordination: Consultation with CVRWQCB (Sacramento Office) should occur concurrently with USACE coordination.

Central Valley Flood Protection Board (CVFPB)
Authority: California Water Code § 8700 et seq. and Title 23, California Code of Regulations
Permit: Encroachment Permit
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• Applicability: Required for any work within a Designated Floodway or within 100 feet of a Regulated Stream or levee maintained under the State Plan of Flood Control. • Project Relevance: Many Sacramento-area creeks fall within CVFPB jurisdiction.

Mapping verification via the Best Available Map (BAM) Viewer is necessary. • Coordination: Contact CVFPB for jurisdictional determination and encroachment permit requirements.

Local Permits
Sacramento County / City of Sacramento
Depending on the project location and jurisdictional boundaries:
• Grading Permit – Required for earthwork exceeding 350 cubic yards or work near watercourses.
o Administered by: Sacramento County Department of Community Development, Site Improvement and Permits Section.
• Floodplain Management Permit – Required if project work occurs within FEMA- mapped or locally designated floodplains.
o Administered by: Sacramento County Department of Water Resources. • Environmental Compliance and Supporting Studies. Several technical studies and documents may be required to support permit applications, including:
o Hydraulic and hydrologic modeling (to demonstrate no adverse impacts) o Preliminary Foundation Report
o Biological resources assessment and habitat evaluation o Jurisdictional delineation (waters of the U.S./State) o Erosion and sediment control plan (SWPPP under the Construction General Permit)
o Mitigation and monitoring plan (if stream impacts cannot be avoided) Recommended Coordination Steps

1. Pre-consultation with agencies – Initiate early discussions with CDFW, USACE, CVFPB, and CVRWQCB to define jurisdiction and data needs.

2. Prepare and submit a Notification of Lake or Streambed Alteration to CDFW. 43 | Page

3. Request a Jurisdictional Determination from USACE to confirm federal waters.

4. Coordinate § 401 certification with CVRWQCB concurrent with USACE permit application.

5. Verify floodway jurisdiction and apply for a CVFPB encroachment permit if necessary.

6. Apply for local grading and floodplain permits through Sacramento County/City.

Summary Table of Anticipated Permits for a Creek Bed Modification Project Agency Permit/Approval Legal Authority Trigger / Applicability U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers § 404/§ 10 Permit
Clean Water Act /
Rivers & Harbors
Act
Placement of fill or work in
“waters of the U.S.”
CDFW Lake or Streambed
Alteration Agreement
Fish & Game Code
§ 1602
Modification to streambed,
bank, or flow diversion
CVRWQCB § 401 Water Quality
Certification / WDR
Clean Water Act §
401 / Porter-
Cologne Act
Discharge to waters of the
U.S. or State
CVFPB Encroachment Permit Water Code § 8700
et seq.

Work in Designated
Floodway or within 100 ft of
Regulated Stream
Sacramento
County / City
Grading, Floodplain, and
Encroachment Permits County/City Codes
Earthwork, floodplain
activity, right-of-way
encroachments

2.7 PROJECT CASE STUDY –
ROSEVILLE ROAD BRIDGE (BR. NO. 24C0554)
The existing Roseville Road Bridge (Br. No. 24C0554) was built in 2015, is located 0.8 miles north of Marconi Avenue crossing Arcade Creek in Sacramento, California. The bridge is composed of four (62.5’, 62.5’ 62.5’ & 62.5’) precast-prestressed (PC/PS) concrete voided slab units (12 per span) in simple spans with a continuous cast-in-place reinforced concrete (CIP/RC) topping on reinforced concrete pier caps on reinforced concrete columns with pile extensions (6 per bent) and reinforced concrete seat-type abutments with integral wingwalls (See Figure 7). The existing piers have a skew of 30 degrees that does not align with the flow of the Arcade Creek.

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Figure 7. Roseville Road Bridge General Plan
There are ongoing scour issues with this bridge because the flow of the creek hits the bridge piers at an angle, thereby collecting debris at the bridge piers and creating significant scour issues to the concrete lined channel and scouring around the abutments (see Figures 8 and 9).

In the past, there have been repairs to concrete lining of the channel, but scour issues are still prevalent. There have been considerations in the past to realign the creek, so it flows more favorably relative to the bridge's piers, rather than its current angle. However, the recommendations were not advanced due to limited funding and permitting requirements.

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Figure 8. Roseville Road Bridge – Pier 3 with accumulated debris

Figure 9. Roseville Road Bridge – Scour issues around Abutment 1 Project Case Study – Proposed Realignment Mitigation:

At Roseville Road Bridge, the creek mitigation involves modifying the creek bed and channel alignment to redirect the primary flow path away from the bridge's foundations.

These activities include in-channel excavation and fill, potential bank stabilization, and

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channel re-grading. This type of mitigation opens up a series of environmental requirements enumerated in Section 2.6.

Project Case Study conclusions:

Because the project involves altering a creek bed and flow regime to protect bridge piers, multiple federal, state, and local permits will be required. The primary regulatory triggers include streambed alteration, discharge of fill to waters, and work within floodways or floodplains.

Early coordination with CDFW, USACE, CVRWQCB, CVFPB, and local permitting authorities will streamline environmental compliance and avoid project delays. A consolidated permitting schedule should be developed as part of project planning.

In conclusion, even though creek realignment is a viable option for scour mitigation of the existing bridge, the extent of permitting regulations and coordination makes this option prohibitive versus other localized scour mitigation options at the bridge crossing. At this location, it is recommended to implement regular debris removal (preferably during the summer months when the flows are low, and debris removal is more accessible).

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3| STORMWATER MODELING

3.1 OVERVIEW
A comprehensive model of the stormwater drainage system is critical for effective stormwater management, a core responsibility of the City of Sacramento Department of Utilities (DOU). Such model would include a representation of major storm drain system components—such as pipes, channels, manholes, inlets, and outfalls, with the objective of assessing the system response during a given rainfall or storm scenario across the City.

The DOU relies on model outputs to design new drainage elements and evaluate the adequacy of existing infrastructure. Maintaining accurate and up-to-date models supports efficient and reliable operations of the stormwater management system.

However, climate change, outdated data and lack of coverage present significant challenges to the reliability of current stormwater models. Existing models at DOU cover only about 40 of the city’s 160 drainage basins and do not account for future conditions.

Incorporating future scenarios is vital, as changes in precipitation patterns and land use— driven by climate change and socio-economic factors such as population growth—will directly impact model accuracy. Another challenge faced by DOU current models is that culverts and ditches are not in the model, so further data collection and incorporation is needed.

Therefore, model updates are a key adaptation strategy for the DOU. This includes simulations of hydrology models for drainage basins using new climate data and rainfall projections, as well as incorporating remaining drainage basins that have not been modeled yet. These tasks will also include updates to the current inventory of drainage system components. This document outlines potential benefits of the model update effort and provides general guidelines for implementation.

3.2 BENEFITS OF MODEL UPDATES
Updating the stormwater hydraulic models will result in the following benefits for the DOU.

Enhanced Flood Risk Management
An improved stormwater hydraulic model enables more accurate simulation of stormwater flows and flood extents under current and future climate conditions. This will help DOU to better identify vulnerable areas, prioritize upgrades, and reduce the likelihood of catastrophic failures in the system.
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Flood risk management is one of DOU’s most critical responsibilities. Managing this risk begins with understanding the likelihood of flooding caused by system malfunctions or stormwater overflow. Reliable stormwater models are essential for generating accurate risk metrics, which are developed by hydraulic and risk specialists to inform planning and decision-making.

Optimized Infrastructure Design and Investment
By refining models with updated rainfall projections and basin characteristics, DOU can design drainage systems and pump stations more efficiently and sustainably. Accurate estimates of demand on drainage components help prevent overdesign, leading to more effective resource allocation. Incorporating forward-looking design reduces the likelihood of costly retrofits or replacements as future conditions evolve.

The ability to identify vulnerable areas under both current and projected precipitation scenarios further supports cost-effective investment decisions. Enhanced models ensure that resources are directed toward the most critical basins and infrastructure components, maximizing the impact of each dollar spent. From an investment planning perspective, improved modeling helps guarantee that stormwater infrastructure projects deliver long-term benefits by better forecasting drainage performance throughout their service life.

Improved Operational Efficiency and Resilience
Advanced stormwater hydraulic models enable DOU to plan for redundancy and backup power at pump stations, schedule maintenance proactively, and optimize overall system performance.

These models provide critical insights into which components are most essential to system reliability and may require additional redundancy to prevent cascading failures during extreme events, helping eliminate single points of failure. They also identify elements operating near capacity, allowing maintenance efforts to be prioritized where demand is highest. Components under greater stress typically require more frequent monitoring and servicing.

Ultimately, these improvements help reduce downtime, enhance resilience during severe weather events, and minimize emergency repair costs, ensuring a more reliable and cost- effective stormwater management system.

Support for Climate Adaptation and Regulatory Compliance Updated models that incorporate climate change scenarios will enable DOU to meet evolving regulatory requirements and advance sustainability objectives. These models 49 | Page

provide a strong foundation for benefit-cost analyses, which are often required when seeking funding for infrastructure projects.

Current regulatory frameworks emphasize forward-looking planning, and this modeling effort supports compliance by integrating future climate and socio-economic conditions into design and decision-making. Overall, adopting a proactive approach to model updates will not only facilitate regulatory compliance but also position DOU to consistently meet future standards and sustainability goals.

3.3 BEST PRACTICES
This section provides a general three-step approach to updating the stormwater hydraulic models for DOU.

Data Gathering
The first step involves compiling and validating essential data to ensure accurate model development. This includes collecting the latest publicly available topographic information and existing storm drain network details, supplemented by as-built drawings or survey data to confirm attributes such as invert elevations, pipe lengths, and material types.

Agency standards and design rainfall data are identified to align with regulatory requirements, while soil and hydrologic parameters are sourced from published resources to support reliable hydrologic analysis.

Hydrologic Modeling
Using the gathered data, drainage subcatchments are delineated based on the storm drain network and topography. Key parameters—such as soil type, land cover, impervious surface extent, storage depressions, and time of concentration—are assigned to each subcatchment. Design storm events are then applied to generate hydrographs for both existing and future conditions, enabling the assessment of runoff characteristics under varying scenarios, including anticipated changes in precipitation and land use.

Hydraulic Modeling
The hydraulic modeling phase integrates both 1D and 2D approaches to capture system and surface interactions. The 1D model represents major storm drain components—pipes, channels, manholes, inlets, and outfalls—using dynamic wave flow routing to evaluate system capacity. Concurrently, a 2D model simulates overland flow and surface flooding through a LiDAR-based computational mesh that incorporates roads, obstructions, and low-lying areas. Coupling the 1D and 2D models provides a dynamic link between subsurface and surface systems, allowing for comprehensive evaluation of combined performance under selected storm events.
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3.4 COST
The total cost of stormwater modeling for DOU is estimated to be approximately $2.35 million. Assumptions for this cost estimate include the following:
• 25% contingency to account for variability in assumptions and potential cost uncertainties.
• Modeling of both the 10‑year and 100‑year, 24‑hour design storm events, consistent with City guidance.
• Hydrologic and hydraulic simulations performed under current precipitation conditions as well as one future climate‑adjusted scenario. • Based on this configuration—two storm return periods modeled under both current and future conditions—the analysis would generate four sets of flood‑depth rasters. • LiDAR data are already available for the entire site. • About 50% of the model storm drains do not have adequate information shown on as-built drawings and would require limited survey (for structure type, inverts and top of structure identification, etc.). Survey costs would be roughly $500,000. • Altogether, the data and modeling estimates would cover approximately 120 drainage basins, reflecting the 40 basins out of 160 already studied. • Estimates encompass data gathering, hydrologic modeling, 1D and 2D hydraulic modeling, 1D/2D model coupling, documentation, surveying, and project management.