Sacramento — Funding Questions

January 2014

The Sacramento Bee reports that city planners are seeking funding for a streetcar line linking Sacramento and West Sacramento that would cost as much as $150 million.

This map shows the proposed route, part of which would be shared by the existing light rail trains (black dotted line). A key source of funding could be taxes on properties located along the route. A developer building townhouses near the Tower Bridge in West Sacramento believes streetcars would be a valuable service to future homeowners. This developer and several others have contributed several million dollars to a fund to support the streetcar project.

Both city councils and the local transit agency also support the plans. Federal officials have indicated that funding will be easier to obtain if there is solid evidence of support from a wide range of local institutions.

The San Diego Council of Governments recently awarded $5 million to support detailed planning in preparation for a federal grant application.

A delegation of community leaders from Portland visited Sacramento and told of the economic benefits new streetcar lines brought to that city.