Sacramento streetcar project across Tower Bridge gains momentum with 2027 construction target
Electric passenger trains used to run on Sacramento's Tower Bridge up until the 1940s. Now, there are efforts to bring them back.
Sacramento Regional Transit is holding a series of public workshops, saying it has a plan in place to begin construction in 2027.
"Funding is always our biggest concern," SacRT spokesperson Jessica Gonzalez said.
In 2019, the project was put on pause when construction bids came back more than 50% over budget. Now, SacRT is reducing costs by scaling down the length of the line.
Originally, it was four miles long with 21 stops. Now, the plan is for it to be only 1.8 miles long with just three new stops between the Sutter Health Park over the bridge in West Sacramento and Downtown Sacramento.
The price tag is currently $164 million.
"The majority of that is covered by both federal and state grant funding," Gonzalez said.
But there's a time crunch.
"We're actually escalating this project very quickly," Gonzalez said.
SacRT will lose the federal funding that was awarded nearly a decade ago if they don't begin building in the next year.
The streetcar would begin at Sutter Health Park and cross the Tower Bridge, then turn on 3rd Street before going down N Street to connect with existing light rail tracks that go to the Amtrak station.
A total of 67 street parking spaces and two of the four vehicle lanes across the tower bridge would be removed for the new tracks.
"I think it's a waste of money," said Tim McKenna, who lives downtown.
McKenna lives on N Street and is concerned about losing all of the parking in front of his building, along with increased noise.
"It will disrupt our entrance and exit abilities to our garage and it will have a negative impact on our lifestyle," he said.
Supporters say it will help link two major sports venues — Sutter Health Park and Golden 1 Center — and initially attract up to 750,000 riders a year.
The streetcars will be manufactured in Sacramento and can seat 54 passengers.
SacRT says the new tracks are scheduled to be running by 2030.