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Sacramento Intermodal Transportation Facility: Moving in the Right Direction
On December 1, 2009, the City of Sacramento met its December 1 deadline to secure $20 million in federal stimulus money. The funds will be put toward the approximately $60 million cost of constructing new railroad tracks at the downtown depot.
The remainder of the funding was also confirmed in December when the City secured more than $25 million in state Proposition 1B dollars. Together with the $15 million acquired through a variety of other sources, the $60 million project is fully funded. Bids will go out February 17, with groundbreaking slated for May 2010.
Moving and realigning the railroad tracks 500 feet north will clear the way for the housing, shops, museums and entertainment venues at the railyards being developed by Thomas Enterprises and for future expansion of the depot into a world class regional multimodal transportation center.
The Sacramento Intermodal Transportation Facility is an integral component to the improvement of rail and transit facilities for local and regional travelers. The facility will provide user-friendly connections between nearly all modes of transportation: a single location for bicycle, pedestrian, bus, light rail, taxi and train connections can be planned. The facility is also part of the revitalization of the 240-acre railyards redevelopment area in the heart of downtown Sacramento.
The project solidifies ground-breaking partnerships among the City, transportation operators serving the facility, and regional, state, federal and local agencies funding and approving the project and with Thomas Enterprises, the developer of the Railyards.
Background
On August 31, 2009, the City gained approval from federal agencies to move forward with final design on new railroad tracks and later a new expanded transit facility at the downtown Sacramento railyards.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) signed off on the environmental assessment Finding of No Significant Impact as the appointed National Environmental Policy Act lead agency, in cooperation with the Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Transit Administration. The agency found the project’s environmental impacts can be avoided, mitigated or minimized.
(Read the New York Times article about the Railyards and future Intermodal transit facility.)
On its 33 acres, the City proposes to realign the railroad tracks to the north side of the site and expand the existing station and adjacent lands into a state-of-the-art transportation center. Here, multiple modes of transportation would provide convenient connections within the City, region and beyond.
The map shows the locations and components of the project. For more information, check out key dates.
Intermodal Project Map (click here for PDF version)
The Intermodal project site was once the western terminus for the Transcontinental Railroad and has been part of major railroad holdings in downtown Sacramento since the mid-19th century. In 2004, after concept design studies, the Sacramento City Council approved development of a regional transportation center, the Sacramento Intermodal Transportation Facility, at this location.
In 2006, a significant step in the project occurred when the Union Pacific Railroad sold the Railyards site to Thomas Enterprises. In turn, the developer sold nearly nine acres of land and the historic Sacramento Valley Station (depot) to the City, along with an option to purchase an adjacent 24 acres. The City is currently in the process of acquiring the additional acreage.
Did you know? At 240 acres, Sacramento’s Railyards site is the largest urban infill site in the nation.
Why go Intermodal?
The Intermodal Alternatives Study (report #13) and related reports are available here. |
A single, regional transportation hub will:
- Provide better connectivity between passenger rail and transit services to meet user needs at a convenient focal point
- Improve capacity and reliability for both freight and passenger rail service
- Reduce conflicts and widely dispersed operations among transportation modes
- Accommodate future growth for current rail, transit and bus service providers and provide opportunities for potential new operators
- Remove traffic from interstate and highway systems, as well as from City streets
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What is an intermodal facility?
A central location that provides user-friendly connections between various modes of transportation, where bicycle, pedestrian, bus, light rail, taxi and train connections can be planned. The new facility may also include airline ticketing, rental car services, charter operations and other travel amenities and services.
Projected Future Dates*
For the Intermodal project:
- May 2010-mid 2012 – Track relocation construction underway
- After track relocation, Sacramento Valley Station improvements will commence, pending funding
- After Sacramento Valley Station improvements are completed, Intermodal improvements will begin, pending funding
The Big Picture: A Snapshot of the Development Master Plan
Wondering what’s happening with the Railyards project? Although the Railyards project is separate from the federally funded Intermodal project, here’s a brief snapshot:
Thomas Enterprises’ master plan for the 240-acre Railyards includes mixed-use development to accommodate 12,000 housing units, specialty shops, entertainment, dining, office space and plazas.
In December 2007, following significant review of environmental and fiscal impacts, the Sacramento City Council approved Thomas Enterprises’ Railyards Specific Development Plan by unanimous vote. For more information, visit the Railyards Web site. Track relocation is just as critical for the initial development phases of the Railyards as it is for the Intermodal. As the tracks are relocated, the infrastructure, streets and buildings of the development will also start to take shape. In particular, several of the Railyards’ circulation system components soon will be constructed and will provide important connections in the City, including the street extensions/overcrossings of 5th and 6th Streets and the pedestrian/bicycle tunnel at 2nd Street. |
Did you know? The Railyards redevelopment area will be a hub for transportation, retail, housing, entertainment, business, culture and commerce.
Questions
Track Relocation, Phase I:
Jon Blank, City of Sacramento Department of Transportation
(916) 808-7914, jblank@CityofSacramento.org
Sacramento Valley Station Improvements, Phase II & Intermodal Transportation Facility Improvements, Phase III:
Hinda Chandler, City of Sacramento Department of Transportation
(916) 808-8422, hchandler@CityofSacramento.org
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