NEARLY HALF-A-MILLION FOR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
SACOG and SacRT Awarded Grant

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The Sacramento Area Council of Government (SACOG) in partnership with the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) have been awarded a $492,000 grant by Caltrans through its Sustainable Communities Planning Grant program.

SACOG and SacRT will work with partners to improve transit and plan for development along light rail train stops throughout the region.

“Transit is a key driver for local and regional economic opportunity for all.  But that depends on current and future riders having high frequency bus and train service,” said SACOG CEO James Corless. “This grant will help SacRT build that future system that the entire region can rely on and be proud of.”

SACOG’s Vice Chair Jay Schenirer, also a member of the SacRT Board of Directors, sees this collaborative effort as a beginning to a new future transit system for all of Sacramento. “We are thankful for the support that SACOG provided to help secure the grant award. This successful partnership is an excellent example of the renaissance of SacRT, as it seeks to become a collaborative economic force in the region.”                                                              

The two agencies provided a combined local match of $202,000, bringing to the total project cost to $694,000.  All funds will be used for the implementation of three planning projects below:

  1. SacRT Route Optimization Study (ROS): The ROS will take a blank slate approach to redesigning SacRT’s bus route system to reflect current travel patterns and create a more robust, connected transit network, using the existing SacRT light rail system.
  2. Inter-agency framework to guide future Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). This is intended to help coordinate planning and development efforts to better support and encourage development around light rail stations.
  3. Purchase and installation of planning software known as REMIX: This innovative software helps transit agencies design routes while identifying cost and demographic impacts associated with proposed route changes.

Caltrans plans to issue the grant funding in January 2018.