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| Proposed Streetcars running along Capitol Mall |
This is a dream the city has been working on for two decades,
but the dollar amount the city had anticipated to build street cars in
Sacramento were far from reality after the bids came in. The
SacBee has reported that the lowest bid was $184 million by Teichert
Construction, which was $76 million more than the city budgeted for. City
leaders appeared to be shocked by the setback. Sacramento City Councilman Steve
Hansen said “a dramatic setback for the project” and “The team has to step back
and rethink this. As it’s currently conceived, the project cannot go forward”.
Two other bids came in at $190 million and $206 million.
The West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon said “It is
premature to characterize this as the death of the project,” he said, “but this
is the most significant challenge we have faced from day one.” The SacBee also
reports that Congress several years ago committed to fund up to half of the
project, but the Federal Transit Administration has not yet agreed to sign a
grant agreement, noting last year that Sacramento had not taken necessary
steps, such as finalizing construction contracts. Local leaders had hoped that
signing a construction contract would put them in position to finally obtain
federal matching funds for the project.Every year this project does not start construction the cost to build rises. The line would operate on rails in streets for 4.4 miles between West Sacramento and downtown Sacramento, crossing the Tower Bridge. At this moment, it will cost $41,818,181 million per mile.
Wanna hear something funny? Three years ago, after receiving $30 million in State funding for the project Steve Hansen said “After 20 years of working on this, that’s the final piece of money we need to go build it”.
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4 comments:
Steve Hansen is an idiot!
It is time for Sacramento and West Sacramento to invest in Bus Rapid Transit! The same level of service as the Street Car could be provided by articulating electric buses for a small fraction of the cost! Bus Rapid Transit Stations could be built to ensure long-term investments, and prove to the private sector that the buses will stop at the stations for decades to come. Why isn't this project changed to Bus Rapid Transit with articulating electric buses? Street Cars are too expensive considering the level of service! The technology is here in 2019 for buses, the cost is marginal when compared to street car rail investments. The streets are already here! Just build the stations and buy the buses!
Please tell me, why aren't we doing this!?!?
http://www.startribune.com/metro-transit-fleet-will-soon-include-electric-buses/487522831/
https://cleantechnica.com/2018/07/20/byd-charges-into-norway-with-two-new-orders-for-42-articulated-electric-buses/
Rails are sexy while buses are not, that is why both West Sac and Sacramento have not invested any dollars into the research of rapid bus transit. Sacramento wants to be in the league of big cities, and big cities have either rail or street cars or both. Good idea, thanks for commenting.
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