News
News & Guest Blog Posts
Everyday, our region’s counties and cities are taking actions to make this to best place to work, live, and play. We will share our member city and county milestones here, along with our own regional news and blog posts.
Region Wins Critical Forest Management Grants Through Cap and Trade Funds
8/30/18 In the past few years as the state has faced historic drought and damaging wildfire, restoring the resiliency of our regional forests and watersheds has become increasingly important. At the regional level, the Tahoe-Central Sierra Initiative (TCSI) has championed the goal of improving the health and durability of our forest ecosystems and communities. On August 7, CAL FIRE announced $27.5 million investment in forest health projects.
Poor Roads Costing Sacramento Area Drivers More Than $2,000 Per Year
8/30/18 A new report released this month highlights the hidden costs of deteriorated, congested, and unsafe roads and bridges for Sacramento metropolitan statistical area (El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo Counties) drivers.
Elk Grove Approves New Financial Incentives to Incubate and Attract Startups
8/30/18 The City of Elk Grove has approved $1.5 million for Startup Elk Grove, a program geared towards encouraging entrepreneurs, helping existing startups that are looking to grow, and building a base of incubator supporters such as co-working spaces.
SMF Airport Announces Plans for ‘Next Generation’ Electric Vehicle Charging
8/30/18 Sacramento International Airport is set to be the future home of a ‘next generation’ electric vehicle charging station. These new type of charging stations are more akin to contemporary gas stations as opposed to the current model of EVs charging in a single parking space. The charging station will feature 10 new publicly accessible ultra-fast fee-based DC fast-chargers. The chargers are being built with the current standard power of 50 kilowatts as well as future ready 150kW and 350kW capabilities.
New Report Helps Local Communities Build Healthy, Inclusive Public Spaces
7/31/18 As the Sacramento region recovers from the recession and development increases, it’s increasingly important for us to grow smartly, and create vibrant communities in all parts of our region. Inclusive public spaces consider all modes of transportation and access in order to foster healthy and resilient communities. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a leading national health philanthropy, recently partnered with the Gehl Institute to study healthy public spaces and develop a framework of four principles to guide decision making.
New On-Demand Shuttle Service Debuts in South Sacramento
7/31/18 Sacramento Regional Transit (RT) has begun serving the Franklin Blvd. – South Sacramento area with SmaRT Ride on-demand transit. Notably, this service provides additional mobility for residents and visitors to this area, which has been without a bus line since 2008. The new service is expected to provide about 26,000 rides in its first year. Riders will be able to access the shuttle through an app-based ride hailing system, an online reservation or by phone. In the near future the shuttle buses will be 100 percent zero emission, made possible by funding though Electrify America.
Sacramento Region Wins $1.8 Billion in Federal Flood Protection Funding
7/31/18 The Sacramento region got a big boost in flood protection funding this month, receiving $1.8 billion in federal funds. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers investment provides the final funding needed to complete multiple flood protection projects in the region, including levee work and raising the Folsom Dam. These projects, along with a separate levee project along the Natomas Basin, will provide Sacramento with a 300-year flood protection level.
New Door-to-Door Ridesharing Service Launches in West Sacramento
7/31/18 A new innovative ridesharing program is being tested out by West Sacramento as part of a one-year pilot and is operated by Via. The service is a hybrid of traditional public transit and private transportation network companies such as Uber or Lyft. Anyone with the app can request rides within the city limits Monday – Friday 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
New Opportunity Zones Designated Throughout Region to Spur Private Investment
The U.S. Department of Treasury has certified 63 census tracts designated as Opportunity Zones in our region that will provide multiple areas for private investment in low-income communities. The Opportunity Zones program is a recently-established community development program created by Congress to encourage long-term investments in low-income urban and rural communities, as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
Rancho Cordova and Roseville Receive $1.88 Million in Prop 1C Funding
The Cities of Rancho Cordova and Roseville have been awarded a combined $1.88 million in funding from the State Department of Housing and Community Development for the Infill Infrastructure Grant Program (IIG), which is funded by Prop 1 – the Housing and Emergency Shelter Act of 2006. Rancho Cordova’s Mather Veterans Village (Phase III) will receive $624,551 and will be developed by Mercy Housing. The Village will include 50 supportive housing units for veterans. Roseville’s Main Street Plaza Apartments will receive $1,259,709 and are being developed by Meta Housing Corporation.
Davis Residents Vote to Pass Measure J and Increase Housing Stock
Newly passed measure will allow the City of Davis to annex the Nishi property from unincorporated Yolo County in order to develop the land. Measure J was approved by residents with approximately 60% of total votes. Current plans for the property, which is located immediately south of UC Davis between the railroad and I-80, include 700 student housing units, some retail, and dedicated open space. The proposed housing on the Nishi property would provide much needed housing in Davis’ very tight housing market.
Voters Protect Transportation Funding by Passing Prop 69
The voters spoke June 5th and sent a strong message to protect valuable transportation dollars. Prop 69 prevents the Legislature from taking from or borrowing any new transportation revenues for non-transportation improvement purposes. It extends constitutional protections to all new vehicle fees and gasoline and diesel tax revenues generated by SB 1 that were not previously protected. This ensures that the revenues passed by the Legislature will be spent exclusively on transportation. SACOG’s Board of Directors took a support position on the Proposition.
SACOG launches over $12.5M in competitive grants
Four competitive grant programs launched on June 25
Have an innovative idea you want to test in the Sacramento region? Looking for a place to launch a tested and performance-based project? Want to help our region emit fewer emissions? Four new competitive grant programs are available this summer with over $12.5 million in available funding. The grants vary from temporary activations under $10,000 to large infrastructure projects and are available to partners across the region.
Civic Lab Year One Celebrates with Team Graduation
Inaugural year comes to a close and transitions to project testing
Civic Lab Year One brought together cross disciplinary teams to tackle challenging issues related to transportation and land use, and to pilot innovate solutions that can have local and regional impacts. Teams consisting of public agencies and the private sector partners came together to test and innovate on planning, programs, and policy. Their hard work paid off with the SACOG Board of Directors allocating $1 million in project funding. SACOG celebrated the completion of Year One with a reception and graduation on June 21, 2018.
“I Hear a Train A Comin’…”
Sacramento Regional Transitintroduces evening light rail service to Folsom
Looking for a traffic free, low cost, relaxing commute? Sacramento Regional Transit has you covered. Expanded evening light rail service is now available for Folsom. The late night service on SacRT Gold Line officially began June 17th. Light rail trains now serve Folsom until 11:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 9:30 p.m. on Sunday.
New Amtrak Service and SB1 Grant Awards
Will Better Connect Sacramento Region to San Joaquin Valley and San Jose
Earlier this month, Amtrak launched new intercity rail service that provides more convenient connections between Fresno and Sacramento through new early morning and evening trains. The new schedule allows San Joaquin Valley residents to get to Sacramento before 8am and departs the state capitol in the late afternoon. “This is going to be important that we make this a success, then we’re going to start other morning express trains,” San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority Chair Vito Chiesa
Senate Bill 1 Funding Approved
Sacramento Region to Receive Nearly $800M
The California Transportation Commission voted this week to approve $2.7 billion in competitive funding to transportation projects across the state. The Commission approved all the SB 1 recommendations from April 25 , with only slight changes to project schedules. This means our region got all its recommended projects funded. Along with SB 1 funds approved by CalSTA, projects benefiting our region were awarded nearly $800 million.
Workforce Transportation to Young Adults
Civic Lab Team Awarded $400,000
“Every student who is accepted into an internship program or hired through a program like 1,000 Strong or the Elk Grove Unified School District should have reliable transportation to their worksite,” notes a challenge statement from the Civic Lab team working to bring workforce transportation for youth and young adults. Now, with a three-year $400,000 award from the Sacramento Transportation Authority (STA), the North State Building Industry Association, Paratransit Inc., and Elk Grove Unified School District can make their project a reality.
JUMP Bike Share System Launches
In May, the cities of Davis, Sacramento, and West Sacramento, in partnership with JUMP, have launched the largest pedal-assist bike share system in North America. The system launched with 300 electric-assist bikes spread across the three cities, and an additional 600 bikes will be rolled out throughout the summer.
