West Sacramento streetcar project paused, city says
The long-discussed Sacramento Regional Transit project that would produce a streetcar connecting West Sacramento and downtown Sacramento is on pause, officials said.
(Previous coverage in the video player above)
The Downtown Riverfront Streetcar would feature a 1.8 mile line starting at Sutter Health Park, crossing the Tower Bridge to the Capitol Mall, then proceeding down N Street before linking to existing light rail tracks, and eventually connecting to the Sacramento Valley Amtrak Station.
On Wednesday, the city of West Sacramento said in a statement the financial landscape for major transportation infrastructure has shifted since the project was first approved, citing a 30% rise in steel costs in the last 12 months.
“The City of West Sacramento and the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) remain committed to expanding transit options that improve mobility and strengthen connections between West Sacramento and the greater Sacramento region,” West Sacramento said. The Downtown Riverfront Streetcar project… continues to be an important part of the region’s long‑term vision for a more connected, sustainable, and economically vibrant future.”
| PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Long-discussed vision of a Tower Bridge streetcar project seeks your feedback
This project was first unveiled a decade ago but has been scaled back. The 2015 approved project planned a 3.3-mile route that extended from the Civic Center and Bridge districts in West Sacramento to areas near the Convention Center and Midtown in Sacramento. Those plans called for building 23 new stations.
SacRT spokesperson Jessica Gonzalez told KCRA 3 last year that the revised alignment that reduced the size of the project was formally approved by the Sacramento City Council and the SacRT board in 2022.
| PREVIOUS COVERAGE | SacRT asks for public comment on scaled-back Downtown Riverfront Streetcar Project
West Sacramento did not give a date for when the project will be back on, but emphasized that it is on pause, not canceled.
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