Tag Cloud
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
STORYLINE City of Sacramento Department of Transportation
This storyline has only one article
Viewing thru of
Thousands of jobs coming soon to the Railyards
by Linda Tucker, published on March 4, 2010 at 3:52 PM
The City of Sacramento and its private development partner, Thomas Enterprises, Inc., are requesting bids beginning today for a much anticipated marquee project, which will mean thousands of jobs in the area this summer.
The Track Relocation Project constitutes a series of new railroad tracks, passenger platforms, and three tunnels. The request for bid is available on the City’s webpage at http://www.cityofsacramento.org/generalservices/procurement/bids/ under “Construction Bids."
“With this project out to bid, we are looking forward to breaking ground in mid-May on one of the largest public works projects in the state this summer and certainly one of the largest in the City’s history,” said Mayor Kevin Johnson.
The project at the downtown Railyards will require constructing and realigning freight and passenger tracks 500 feet north. The project will also allow more freight trains through Sacramento at more efficient speed and facilitate the expected surge in regional rail ridership, particularly between the Bay Area and Sacramento. With the current tracks out of the way and access provided, the gateway will open for housing, shops, museums and entertainment venues being developed by Thomas Enterprises and for future expansion of the depot into a world class regional multi modal transportation center.
Last month, the City and Thomas Enterprises bid out the construction of two pedestrian routes connecting the Railyards with Old Sacramento and downtown; three bridges over the tracks at 5th and 6th streets; and a construction management firm. These projects, the tracks and other road construction along with the historic Central Shops abatement work total a public investment of approximately $115 million, which should sustain or create nearly 3,300 jobs over two years (according to the FHWA formula of one job per $35,000 investment). Approximately $30 million are federal stimulus dollars. Work on roads and utilities
within the Railyards funded by state Proposition 1C dollars began last year by Thomas Enterprises.
Johnson thanked Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui of Sacramento, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the California Transportation Commission, Caltrans, the California Department of Housing and Community Development, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority and Amtrak for helping Sacramento secure the funds for this critical project.
Linda Tucker is the public information officers for the City of Sacramento Department of Transportation.
Flag Article As:
Conversation Express your views,
debate, and be heard with those in your area closest
to the issue.
Leave a Comment
There will not be "thousands of jobs” for this phase of the project.
"...$115 million, which should sustain or create nearly 3,300 jobs over two years (according to the FHWA formula of one job per $35,000 investment)...”
Do you have any Idea how much workers get paid under federal Davis Bacon or state prevailing wage laws? On average it's 75-95K per year PER employee - that blows their formula fast doesn't it?
But more to the point, you don’t understand how they do their calculations...there may be a couple of hundred hired for this particular project...and they may not even be local hires, doubtful they will be, we dont have that many skilled experienced railroad workers....the rest, THEORETICLLY would be jobs "created" by money being spent in the region. The problem with this theory is that most of the material will most likely be shipped in...So those jobs would be in other communities. AND the FHWA formula is only a rough formula, and has little to do with the realities of individual projects.
So don't blame the city--blame UP and developers. Absent bending to their demands, neither cared if the area ever got developed.
That means the taxpaying population of California's 38 million people, mostly from LA and SF, are paying for work here in Sacramento..just as the majority approved at the ballot box. Sacramento hasn'y been very competitive in securing state bond money...until now. About time.
And contrary to the Jim Knapp's comment, virtually ALL of the money awarded to date has gone to local firms. As Linda's article says, bids are out now for the big awards, we'll see how that goes.