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As of May, 2011, construction is underway. The City of Sacramento and its partner I.A. Sacramento Holdings, LLC, a subsidiary of Inland American Real Estate Trust, Inc., broke ground on the construction phase that will finally open up the Railyards to the rest of downtown on April 28.
Groundbreaking for the Track Relocation Project- phase 1 of the future Intermodal facility - was attended by 200. United States, California, City of Sacramento and Railyards flags attached to the first piece of railroad track and moved into place was the highlight of the event. The flags marked the federal, state and local government and agency partnerships formed to get the project to the starting line. See project fact sheet. Construction of bridges over the future new railroad tracks started in June 2010 and was finished in March 2011.
The 245-acre downtown Railyards and the future Intermodal facility attracted a panel of national experts to Sacramento in January 2011. While here, the panel, a fellowship program of the Urban Land Institute, recommended several ways the City and all property owners can position the Railyards and the future facility to be most successful. The City will be considering these suggestions as site and facility planning progresses. Find out what they recommended in this news release and editorial in the Sacramento Bee.
Background
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Planning experts from the nation’s largest cities toured the Railyards in January, 2011, and recommended a variety of strategies to make the most of the diamond-in the-rough that is the Sacramento downtown Railyards. The site first achieved national acclaim in the 1860s as the western terminus of the transcontinental railroad. |
In early 2011, the City Council approved a number of renegotiated contracts with Inland American, which had taken ownership of the Railyards property in October 2010 following the property’s fall into foreclosure. The foreclosure status, coupled with the City’s rejection of construction bids that had come in over budget, forced the City to delay requesting a second round of construction bids to build new railroad tracks until January of 2011. See news release.
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.
Most of the remainder of the funding was also confirmed in December 2009 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 track relocation and bridge construction project is fully funded.
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 Inland American and for future expansion of the depot into a world-class regional multimodal transportation center. In the immediate future, service and safety upgrades will include new passenger platforms and grade-separated access to passenger trains and across the rail corridor.
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: Bicycle, pedestrian, bus, light rail, taxi and train connections are planned.
On August 31, 2009, the City gained approval from federal agencies to move forward with final design on new railroad tracks and the future facility.
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.
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 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.
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 2011 through Summer 2013 – Track relocation construction underway.
- During track relocation, Sacramento Valley Station improvements will commence.
- 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:
The 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 the former developer's Railyards Specific Development Plan by unanimous vote. For more information, visit the Railyards Web site. |
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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