Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "rt"

Bridge over tracks to connect Curtis Park, Land Park

2011-06-14T00:53:50Z

Residents will get a chance to see the design of a planned pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the railroad between Curtis Park and Land Park Wednesday night.

The city’s project team will give a construction update at the Sierra 2 Center for the Arts and Community, 2791 24th St., at 6 p.m. ~~6:30 p.m~~ . Wednesday

The bridge is designed to give pedestrians and cyclists safe access over the railroad tracks from the light rail stop at Sacramento City College near the intersection of 24th Street and Sutterville Road.

“Currently, pedestrians and bicyclists must use Sutterville Road to travel between Curtis Park and the light rail station,” according to a Department of Transportation newsletter. “This multi-lane, high-speed roadway makes walking and bike riding a risky and inconvenient way to travel.”

Click here to see the city's map of the area.

According to the newsletter, the elevated track crossing will be 12 feet wide, with concrete railings and access shields to give riders and walkers enough space for safe two-way traffic.

Engineers will be able to begin the design phase in July, when the environmental phase is completed. A grant of $500,000 was received from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, and no funding is coming from the city’s general fund, which is currently $39 million in the hole as City Council attempts to balance spending and revenues.

Sacramento Department of Transportation spokeswoman Linda Tucker said the project is a candidate to receive Proposition 1B funds from SACOG.

“The city should succeed in getting the money to build it,” she said in an email Monday. “It’s really a ‘feel-good’ project that will get students and RT riders from Point A to Point B in the safest, most direct fashion.”

The design phase is expected to be completed in 2012.

Currently, the design includes using both ramps and staircases to access the elevated crossing. Ramps will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and stairs might have small ramps incorporated into them that would allow cyclists to push their bicycles up the stairs if they don’t want to use the longer ramps.

The approach ramps are 400 feet long on either side of the 300-foot span over the railroad tracks.

The project goes back to 2006, when a feasibility study was funded as the city looked to link the already pedestrian-oriented Curtis Park and Land Park neighborhoods and provide better access to public transit, according to Tucker.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

Editorial Note: A correction has been made to this story after it was published. The incorrect information has been struck out and the correct information has been added.

Development sought in North Sac

2011-02-11T05:41:09Z

The Sacramento Planning Commission gave the green light to plans to re-zone parts of North Sacramento to attract future development.

The commission made a recommendation, Thursday night, to the City Council to vote on plans that will allow for more commercial development near a Regional Transit line.

City staff formally refer to the plans as the Northeast Line Implementation Plan. Areas near a light rail line that has stations at Globe Avenue and Del Paso Blvd, and at Arden Way and Del Paso Blvd, are the focus of the proposals. The city’s plans also cite areas around Royal Oaks Drive and Arden Way.

The City Council is expected to vote on the plans next month. The commissioners approved the plans but did not comment on them.

In an interview earlier on Thursday, Greg Sandlund, an associate planner for the city, said, “We just see this area having tremendous potential.”

The areas around the light rail line are unique, Sandlund said. “It’s the only corridor outside of the Central City where you have light rail running along a commercial corridor,” he said.

***

In other light rail news, Regional Transit is making headway on work to bring a light rail extension from Meadowview Road to Cosumnes River College.

As part of its extension, the agency intends to purchase parts of the backyards of 47 homes, according to Diane Nakano, assistant general manager of engineering and construction for RT.

Nakano said the environmental process is expected to run until May.

View Northeast Line Implementation Plan in a larger map

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Changes to Regional Transit's routes affect many

2010-06-24T03:15:52Z

Sacramento Regional Transit cut 25 weekday routes and altered numerous others June 20. How is it affecting the daily riders?

Mary Glick, 50, takes bus 72 multiple times a week, a line that has been limited by the new cuts. She says she's restricted to what hours she works at her downtown Denny's now, but counts herself lucky to live so close to her house from her light rail station.

"It's kind of a bummer," she said. "Thank God it only takes me 40 minutes to walk home."

Regional Transit cut the routes to save money and provide a cushion forthe $25 million that was lacking in their budget. However, the cuts could cause even more loss to RT's income.

"I don't even know if I can keep riding," Sacramento City College student Rodney Alvarez, 20, said. "It's the way I get home at night, but I might just start grabbing rides from friends instead."

The altered routes are as follows:

Cut routes:

Weekdays - Routes 4, 9, 10, 18, 20, 36, 50E, 63, 73, 83, 89, 94, 95, 100, 101, 102, 104, 106, 107, 141, 142, 200, 201, 251 and 261

Saturdays - Routes 5, 6, 8, 13, 14, 16, 24, 28, 54, 61, 65, 74 and 143

Sundays - 8, 13, 14 and 22

Stopped after 9 p.m.:

Weekdays - Light Rail (Blue and Gold Lines), Routes 1, 13, 14, 15, 21, 23, 30,38, 51, 56, 61, 62, 67, 68, 72, 80, 81, 82, 86, 87, 88 and 93

Saturdays - Light Rail (Blue and Gold Lines). Routes 1, 15, 21, 22, 23, 30, 51, 56, 67, 68, 81 and 88

Sundays - Light Rail (Blue and Gold Lines), Routes 1, 15, 21, 51, 56, 67, 68, 81 and 88

Many routes will have altered times of arrival and departure, some changing from every 15 minutes to 20 or 30 minutes:

Weekdays - Routes 1, 2, 6, 34, 38 and 61

Saturdays - Light Rail (Blue and Gold Lines), Routes 1, 30, 51 and 81

Sundays - Light Rail (Blue and Gold Lines), Routes 23, 30, 56 and 81

A few routes have had slight changes to their schedules:

Weekdays - Routes 74 and 75

Saturdays - Route 55

One was changed completely:

Weekdays - Route 28

For full details on individual routes, visit www.sacrt.com/schedules/current/routes.stm

Rail Construction closes Seventh Street downtown

2010-05-18T18:59:28Z

Street closures affect vehicle traffic as well as bus routes.

Construction workers dig up old sewage pipes on the west side of 7th Street between G and H Streets this morning. They will also dig up old pipe on the east side of the street which will be the location of the new light rail tracks between downtown and Richards Blvd. New sewage pipes will be laid on the west side of 7th Street.

RT construction contractors will close two lanes of 7th Street between F and H streets, effective Monday, May 17 through Wednesday, June 2, 2010. Two lanes will be closed to traffic to perform work associated with RT's Green Line to the River District light rail project, which will extend light rail 1.1 miles north to 7th Street and Richards Boulevard at the Township 9 development.

RT has worked with the City of Sacramento to develop detours during the road closure, and signs will be posted to direct motorists. Sidewalks will remain open. Pedestrian access and access to all businesses and parking lots will be maintained. The bus stop at 7th and G streets will be temporarily relocated. All affected inbound bus routes will end on 8th Street at H Street. All affected outbound bus routes will start on F Street at 8th Street.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

RT Cracking Down On “Freeriders”

2010-04-22T10:39:20Z

If you decide to ride on the Light Rail without proper fare this weekend, RT Police will find you.

Regional Transit began a series of crackdowns earlier this month on riders riding illegally.

On my transfer to the Meadowview Train at the 16th Street station Downtown last week, a dozen of RT Police rushed the train before it left for the next route.

Each police officer checked each rider for their tickets or their transit passes.

Those who didn’t have fare were issued tickets containing a fine.

For the riders who got off at the previous station were welcomed by another group of officers awaiting to check for their proof of fare.

RT has lost tens of thousands of dollars in recent years as the result of unpaid fares.

The stings of checking for fares by RT Police have been conducted at various locations and times throughout the Light Rail Transit lines.

Tickets for the light rail system are available for purchase at every light rail station. Valid RT Bus transfers as well as valid college ids are also acceptable forms of passes for Light Rail.

Do public transit stops attract crime?

2010-04-21T16:44:52Z

Last week’s fatal stabbing of 68-year-old Bernice Nickson took place at a downtown Regional Transit stop.

While it would be hasty to let one incident determine RT’s entire reputation, the incident does beg the question: Are Regional Transit stops hubs for crime?

Alane Masui, assistant general manager of communications for Sacramento RT, said no. She said that when crimes take place on the street, transit stops are just easy landmarks to associate with the incident.

“It’s more of a perception than a reality,” she said. “When something occurs, people try to put the incident in context, and transit stops serve as regional landmarks.”

There are about 3,800 bus stops and 47 light rail stations in the Sacramento area. Masui’s point is that RT is all over the city, meaning it’s nearly impossible to draw a line determining where a “transit area” ends and a “non-transit area” begins. So a comparison of safety rates can’t really happen. It’s left to perception, not hard data.

Sgt. Norm Leong of the Sacramento Police Department said transit stops do attract crime, but he stopped short of singling them out as a problem.

“When you have people out walking, it creates a vulnerability,” he said. “But it’s no different than a nightclub closing or a concert getting out.”

He said there is an added danger now that so many people wear headphones in public, essentially putting their $200 smart phones on display for potential criminals to steal.

But Leong said criminals are foolish to break the law at RT stops because the stops have high-quality surveillance cameras. Bernice Nickson’s death was solved thanks in part to one such camera, which provided detectives a general description of the killer and his initial direction of travel after the stabbing.

Still, some riders believe crime is higher at bus and light rail stops. Daniel, a 23-year-old who declined to give his last name, is one of them.

“It’s the streets,” he said, sitting on his bike at the Eighth Street and O Street light rail stop. “I’ve seen people get jumped. At Power Inn I saw someone get his head beat in with a bat. And no one came for a while.”

"It's only at some stops," added Ashley, also 23, who said it has more to do with neighborhood than anything else.

"I'm comfortable," said 55-year-old Suzy Bonin, in reference to public transit as a whole. "At night ... it can get iffy."

Bonin says she might think twice before letting her teenage grandson ride alone, however.

According to a performance report on SacRT.com, there were 42 crimes on RT in January, which is about average for the past year. Those are felonies and misdemeanors, not minor infractions. RT’s worst month last year was March, with 74, and its best was December, with 36. The number of crimes January is down 11 from last year’s January total of 53.

Roger Dickinson, who is on the RT board of directors, agreed with Masui. He said transit stops are unfairly used as reference points for crimes that may actually have nothing to do with public transit.

“If someone gets stabbed a block away from a light rail station, the media still refers to the station,” he says. “Even if it had nothing to do with the genesis of the crime.”

So, are the stops dangerous?

Regional Transit said no -- it’s just perception. The Police said yes, but no more so than a nightclub or a concert. But at least RT stops have surveillance.

Leong said the whole discussion triggers a certain level of paranoia. But RT is still the best option for many commuters, and its shortcomings are just the price riders pay for the convenience of light rail and buses.

“What’s the alternative?" Leong said. "Don’t walk anywhere?”

- Photos by Brandon Darnell

Transit takes center stage at District 1 debate

2010-04-01T06:00:23Z

Regional Transit wrapped up their talks about service cuts earlier this week, though there was still plenty of room for finger pointing and analysis at the District 1 Candidates Debate.

"Natomas is losing all routes on the weekends as my understanding," said candidate Angelique Ashby. "That means people have jobs elsewhere on the weekends and they are going to ride the bus, they can't do that anymore."

Ashby said she didn't understand why current District 1 Councilmember Ray Tretheway, who is on Regional Transit's Board of Directors, did not fight to keep a route in Natomas.

"I don't understand how he can let them all go," said Ashby. "We certainily pay into that tax system that provides that transportation. It seems to me it should be equal, and areas that have access to Light Rail should have been cut first. We don't have any Light Rail, but buses are the only public transportation that we have."

Tretheway responded saying no lines in North or South Natomas were cut except for one operating on the weekends.

"One goes through North Sacramento and ends up to Natomas Marketplace", said Tretheway. "That one was cut on weekends. All the rest I fought to restore."

Tretheway also elaborated on the Natomas Light Rail extension, saying it's been settled on going down Truxel Blvd for the last three to five years. Ashby opposes the Truxel Blvd plan.

"I believe that we will take care of the community, community center, and neighbors, and that Light Rail will be a public asset coming down Truxel", said Tretheway.

Efren Guttierrez, the third candidate in the debate, expressed his disappointment with Regional Transit.

"The line that you're talking about Ray is Line 13," said Guttierrez. "Line 13 runs down Northgate Blvd, and that is a working class neighborhood."

Guttierrez also discussed the problems working with other transit authorities over the years.

"We've been fighting with SACOG and Sacramento Transit Authority for years to deal with our problem of buses in this city," said Guttierrez. "We've seen this coming down the pipe."

Regional Transit board cuts: slower light rail, fewer buses

2010-03-30T05:48:05Z

Dozens of bus routes in the Sacramento region will vanish and light rail will slow down on the weekends as a result of sweeping Regional Transit budget cuts. The agency’s board of directors slashed bus, light rail and paratransit service Monday night to resolve a $10.6 million deficit.

One of the major budget fixes scales back night service seven days per week. The RT board decided that light rail, bus and paratransit trips that now begin after 9 p.m. will cease.

Public transportation will also be slower on weekends. Right now, light rail picks up passengers in 15-minute cycles during the weekend. The cuts mean that riders can catch the light rail every 30 minutes on weekends, explained Mike Wiley, RT’s general manager and CEO.

Cuts will take effect June 20.

While the board cut paratransit trips that begin after 9 p.m., that decision could be changed. Board Member Don Nottoli asked RT staff to look into ways that paratransit riders could take later rides.

Some paratransit riders expressed concern at the Monday meeting that they could be left on the street if they were out late.

Pamela Ross of Sacramento said that she takes paratransit late at night when she comes home from summer vacations. Ross, who uses a wheelchair and has two service animals, was worried that she wouldn’t have a paratransit ride home from the train station. She said she “really didn’t want to sleep in the train station at night.”

RT works with a private firm, Paratransit, Inc., to provide transit service for disabled residents.

The cuts yield $11.7 million, nearly $1 million more than the deficit, Wiley said. That extra million provides “wiggle room,” he said.

Wiley said that million-dollar cushion could be necessary because there are many assumptions in RT’s budget plans. The agency previously had a $25 million deficit, he said. The deficit number changed because recent state legislation moved $11.8 million to the agency. Before Monday, RT made more cuts and also found some new revenue opportunities, Wiley said. The state money, new revenue possibilities and new cuts brought the deficit down to $10.6 million, he explained.

However, the numbers are not set in stone, Wiley said. The new revenue possibilities — which include funds RT is hoping to receive from the federal government — will need to pan out.

An RT report for Monday’s meeting said the following weekday bus routes will disappear: 4, 8, 9, 10, 18, 20, 36, 50E, 63, 73, 83, 89, 94, 95, 100, 101, 102, 104, 106, 107, 141, 142, 200, 201, 210, 226, 251, 261

The report states that the following Saturday routes will end: 5, 6, 8, 13, 14, 16, 24, 28, 54, 61, 65, 74, 143

The following Sunday routes will stop service: 8, 13, 14, 22

Some bus routes will also have slower service on weekends.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Brush fire delays south area Light Rail

2009-07-02T23:52:45Z

Sacramento, CA- Early Thursday after noon, a small blaze broke out off of Hing Avenue, near Franklin and 47th. The fire was contained to the dry field area between the homes and railroad tracks.

Light Rail service was minimally impacted. Trains were briefly delayed during the high part of the blaze then permitted to move through at a reduced speed due to limited visibility resulting from heavy smoke, per on scene RT rail worker.

Several structure firefighting engines were in place to protect the homes along the field, while brush rigs and crews moved through the field to attack the fire and bring it under control. Per Captain Doucette, the cause of the fire is unknown.

A glimpse into Sacramento RT's current fiscal crisis, from an Operators perspective

2009-06-17T07:24:23Z

"When are the Operators going to get a furlough day?"

Hearing that question from one of Regional Transit's Admisistrative staffers who happens to be a close friend of mine, I had to pause and chuckle.

The powers that be at Regional Transit have taken on the arduous task of bridging a 9 Billion dollar budget defecit, and that ain't no easy fix.

Furloughs, hiring freezes, unfilled vacancies....the list goes on and on but makes nigh a dent......See, the problem lies with how Regional Transit recieves, and in turn allocates funds from the Fed's and the State.

Why are we facing service cuts and possibly layoffs? Simply put, our Operational bucket is almost empty while our Capital Bucket overfloweth....to a certain degree.

Operational expenditures are a world away from Capital expenditures, and one can't, by law be used for the other.

All the shiny new busses were a capital expenditure. The "Green Line" to Richards Blvd. is a capital expenditure. The South Line to Consumnes River College is a capital expenditure. The McClellan bus facility is a capital expenditure. The Lumberjack project is a capital expenditure........the list goes on and on and on.

What is the point in making all sorts of capitol improvements when the operations are not able to sustain the level of service planned for such improvements?

At the end of the day, Regional Transit is a Bus and Rail Company. Our job is to move people.

We are not a Real Estate Company, Law Firm, Social Service Outlet, or Soda Vending Machine Company.

As for my friend, I don't know what Regional Transit's Admin's would do without Operators.......No Operators means no Operator related paper to push.

Jaywalkers Beware!

2009-06-09T02:40:11Z

If it wasn't a serious situation, it would have been almost humorous today as a Sacramento Police Department motor officer stopped Jaywalkers left and right at the railroad crossing on Broadway between 19th and 20th Streets.

Some may say it's just revenue for the police department, while others contend that the Jaywalkers coming and going from the Broadway Light Rail station are a true traffic hazard as they weave in and out of vehicles.

According to the California Vehicle Code, "Between adjacent intersections controlled by traffic control signal devices or by police officers, pedestrians shall not cross the roadway at any place except in a crosswalk." The citing officer stated that fines vary depending on the individual's driving record, given that this falls under the Vehicle Code.

Given the location of the Light Rail station, it is easy and almost natural for people to want to cross the street right at the railroad crossing. However, signs plainly direct pedestrians to adjacent crosswalks at the intersection of Broadway and 19th Street.

The almost-humorous part was watching people cross right in front of the officer, who was already citing three people who were waiting their turn for their little yellow piece of paper. Pedestrians found themselves without excuse as the officer pointed to the clearly posted sign that even directs people to the crosswalk just a few feet away.

In the end, pedestrians have a choice: Cross at the railroad tracks and become part of the city revenue stream, or walk a few feet to the corner to cross safely and legally.

NAST caught in state budget process, but wins mitigation for Highway 50 expansion

2009-03-04T01:20:11Z

As everyone who reads the news or watches TV knows, California’s budget process has been a disaster. This is not too surprising considering the state of the economy, the fact that it takes a two-thirds majority to pass the budget, and the inability of the Democrats and Republicans to work together on anything. But what was surprising was that a recent transportation lawsuit won by Sacramento neighborhood and environmental groups was unexpectedly caught up in the middle of it.

In June of 2007, Neighbors Advocating Sustainable Transportation (a coalition of Sacramento neighborhood and community groups, and the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS)) filed a lawsuit over Caltrans’ inadequate Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for widening Highway 50.

Caltrans plans to add an additional lane to Highway 50 in both directions between Sunrise and Watt Avenue; the lanes would become high occupancy vehicle lanes (HOV lanes) also known as carpool lanes. In July 2008, Superior Court Judge Timothy Frawley agreed that Caltrans had not complied with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and ordered Caltrans to complete a new EIR.

One of his requirements was that the new EIR include an alternative that could reduce traffic congestion on the Highway 50 Corridor without adding lanes to Highway 50. In other words, a mass transit alternative. In addition, the judge ordered Caltrans to analyze the greenhouse gas emissions that would result from more cars using the widened freeway.

NAST and ECOS were starting to look into such a transit alternative when Governor Schwarzenegger announced that he planned to exempt Highway 50 and ten other highway projects from CEQA. His reason: without CEQA, all 11 projects could begin construction immediately and thus qualify for federal stimulus money. The unsavory catch for legislators and the public: the Governor was asking the legislature to use its powers to overrule the court's decision on the Highway 50 CEQA lawsuit, a very worrisome precedent.

Budget negotiations dragged on. There was a lot of lobbying about CEQA: Democrats wanted no changes to CEQA; Republicans wanted to get rid of it completely, not just exempt 11 projects. State and national environmental organizations weighed in. As the state’s economy continued to worsen, Democrats were under increasing pressure to compromise in order to get a budget passed.

Finally NAST and ECOS were asked if they were willing to negotiate with Caltrans for projects that Caltrans could do to address the problems found by the judge and mitigate the negative impacts of widening the freeway.

After much soul searching, NAST and ECOS agreed. They did so for two reasons: First, it was quite possible that the legislature would simply override their lawsuit and they would be left with nothing. Second, winning an EIR lawsuit doesn’t stop a project, it just means that a new EIR must be done. Hopefully, the new EIR will result in an improved project that fully addresses negative impacts. But, no matter how compelling the new EIR’s findings, the agency in charge of the project, in this case Caltrans, can still ignore them, claim “overriding considerations," and build the project without addressing the public’s concerns.

The NAST/ECOS negotiations were attended by representatives from Regional Transit (RT), Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), the legislature, and state environmental organizations, all of whom had an interest in the outcome for their own reasons. In the end, NAST/ECOS agreed to ask Judge Frawley to vacate his ruling (which he subsequently did) in exchange for major project mitigations that CalTrans would not otherwise have provided: 1) Three years ($3.6 million) of RT’s operating costs for double tracking light rail from downtown to Folsom (this money will leverage construction funds and mean that the double tracking can occur sooner than would have otherwise been possible); 2) $3.9 million in signal improvements that will increase frequency of service from Hazel to downtown and allow for additional peak period express trains from Folsom to downtown and 3) find $820,000 for construction of a bicycle pedestrian crossing over Highway 50 near Mather Field Road to provide better access to the Mather Field light rail station.

Budget negotiations are now over. California has a new state budget. Unfortunately, it is one that leaves much to be desired in terms of neighborhoods, the environment and transportation.

RT’s Folsom line is better off because of NAST/ECOS’ lawsuit and negotiations. But 11 major highway projects, all with the potential to increase green house gas emissions and increase the number of cars on our roadways, will soon be under construction.

The new state budget eliminated all state money for public mass transit. The Highway 50 HOV project will cost $145 million, money that could have been used to give Sacramentans real alternatives to their cars. Hundreds of millions will be spent on the ten other, now CEQA exempt, highway projects.

The Highway 50 project goes as far Watt Avenue. SACOG and Caltrans still want to bring the widening downtown and also add HOV lanes to I-5 and I-80. And Sacramentans who want to use transit are still left with very few alternatives. NAST and ECOS aren’t going away and neither is the fact that Judge Frawley’s ruling was the first time that a judge said that a freeway project EIR needs to look at greenhouse gases and transit alternatives for relieving highway congestion.

The bottom line for NAST is that no additional money should be spent on expanding streets and highways until our region has built a transit, bicycle and pedestrian transportation system that provides people with real alternatives to cars. Such a system would reduce traffic congestion on our existing highway system so that, when you need to use a car, you still can. For more information about NAST and to get involved, go to www.nastsacramento.blogspot.org.

R.T. Train Collides With Sedan

2009-02-11T01:46:44Z

A downtown bound Sacramento Regional Transit train collided with a sedan at the Stockton Blvd. crossing this afternoon.

The green sedan, carrying only the driver, somehow ended up in the path of the on-coming train when it was struck.

No injuries were sustained by the single occupant of the sedan or by any light-rail passengers on board.

Officer Schumacher with the Sacramento Police Department confirmed the lack of injury in the incident saying only that the vehicle was on the wrong side of the crossing arm.

Richard Williams was working across the busy street and heard the accident but said that he did not see it happen.

“It looks like the arms came down before we heard the crash,” said Williams.

The vehicle sustained mostly front end damage, the train appeared to continue its normal route after inspection.

Light Rail at Night

2008-12-16T00:58:25Z

Is it safe for individuals to ride the light rail alone at night? In a word, no.

I ride the light rail on a regular basis, and have had considerable time to evaluate both the strengths and weaknesses of the system as a whole. The major problems are a lack of security, a lack of reliability, and a lack of destinations.

The system suffers from a lack of sufficient/effective security on trains and especially in stations. There are no security guards at most station stops, though the busy stations such as 16th street typically do have 1-3 guards during peak hours.

The trains are equally destitute of security/authority; I have never seen a train with more than one security guard, and most trains have none. Since the train cars don't connect to each other, the security guards will switch cars at the stops, but this means that even trains with security guards have unmanned cars.

The result of this situation is that basic rules like no food or drink are never enforced. Individuals frequently use the trains to transport drugs, and it's not uncommon to be in a car that reeks of marijuana. Individuals can also drink alcohol, engage in verbal and physical fights or harass other passengers without consequence.

There is also a more intrinsic security problem: The light rail system does not require a ticket or proof of payment to enter. Systems like Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) or the New York subways require you to have a card to enter the stations and board the trains, ensuring that almost everyone in the system paid the required fare.

The Sacramento Regional Transit (RT) uses an honor-based system. Riders buy a ticket, which is occasionally checked by an attendant. The ticket checkers are very rare. I see one maybe once out of every four or five times I ride.

Ticket checkers themselves are fairly slow, and individuals riding without a ticket can easily move to the far end of a train car and exit the train before the ticket checker reaches them. I've seen it more times than I can count — a ticket checker boards the train and the loudest, smelliest or sketchiest dudes quickly get off at the next stop. If someone is caught without a ticket, the fine is relatively small — the initial fine is as low as $85.00

Even if an individual is repeatedly caught evading fares or causing trouble, RT also has no legal right to ban people from the trains. The result is that the light rail system is perennially crowded with transients, exacerbating the problems with anti-social behavior, harassment, body odor, and more.

The system also suffers from a lack of basic reliability, both in terms of late trains and the occasional system-wide mechanical failure. The trains don't adhere to the posted schedule, and while the variance is usually only a few minutes, sometimes an entire train run can disappear.

For example, during commuting hours there should be a train every 15 minutes but sometimes it can be as long as 30 minutes before a train actually arrives. There is no way to let passengers know when the next train will arrive, so it is always a bit of a mystery when the train will leave the station and when you will arrive at your destination.

Finally, there is a limit in where the light rail can take you. The system is primarily designed to take people to and from downtown Sacramento, and works fine for those purposes. Anything beyond this basic route will require one or more transfers, and oftentimes will significantly lengthen the time of your trip. If you have to take a bus, a trip that would take only 15 minutes by car could take 1.5 to 2 hours via RT.

A good example is traveling from my neighborhood to the Arden Fair mall. By car, it's an easy trip — just take the 50 to the 80, and exit off of Arden Way. By transit, on the other hand, it requires two trains and a bus for a total trip time of at least an hour and 15 minutes.

Because of the lack of security at the stations and in the cars, and the lack of reliability in general, I wouldn't recommend anyone ride light rail alone at night.

If you're interested in reading more about safety and public transportation, here are some great articles to check out:

Women only busses in Mexico:
The importance of "Attractive Young Female Transit Riders":

Light Rail Crime Statistics

2008-12-12T04:26:54Z

As of October 2008, there were 182 crimes reported for the year.

These statistics are for the transit system, which also includes bus travel. Crimes include everything from assault, robbery, auto theft and vandalism to petty theft and trespassing.

In an average month, there is far less crime reported for someone riding the light rail than reported crime in Downtown Sacramento. The Sacramento PD offers a crime mapping tool where you can obtain a detailed report of all crimes during a specified period for either a particular neighborhood or intersection.

In the month of October, 2008, 100 incidents were reported in the downtown area. With 17,000 residents in the downtown area, this makes for 5.8 crimes per 1,000 people.

Compare this rate to reported transit crimes during the same month: 41 crimes for the 1,627,000 transit passengers, which means only .012 crimes per thousand passengers.

However, it's difficult to compare crime in the downtown area with crime related to the transit system. For example, riding in the actual light rail cars would naturally be safer than walking around certain parts of Downtown Sacramento. The light rail cars are heavily monitored by RT officers, while there aren't necessarily going to be officers paroling every street.

Once a person steps off the light rail car, though, safety will depend heavily on the location of the station. Again using the Sacramento PD crime mapping tool, I was able to map all crime that occurred from August through October, 2008, within a one-mile radius surrounding various light rail stations.

Crime varied drastically, even within the downtown stations. At the Marconi and Arcade station there were 222 reported incidents. At the 8th and O street station there were over four times this amount, with 948 incidents. Riders should choose their routes carefully, especially if traveling alone or at night.

How does the Sacramento RT system compare to public transportation in other cities?

Current Bay Area Rapid Transit System crime statistics were difficult to obtain, but in the year 2003 the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency reported .79 crimes per 1,000 patrons, per year. Overall, 17,770 crimes were reported in the year 2003 for the estimated 22,387,072 patrons who rode the BART system that year.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported .0047 incidents on the trolley cars per 1,000 riders in the year 2007.

Light Rail is a success

2008-11-15T06:52:52Z

50,000 people a day on average ride light rail. That to me is a success. Of course it can always improve.

Gas prices are coming down, but that's no reason not to still take light rail.

While light rail may not be the ideal choice for everyone, if you live outside the City of Sacramento and need to get to the center of town, there is hardly a better way to go

I take light rail to work often. There is a station about 3 blocks from my home at 23rd and R St. and it lets off right at my office. This makes it an inexpensive and convenient choice of transportation.

I often hear people making excuses s to why they shouldn't take light rail. One of the excuses I hear often is that Light Rail isn't safe. In my experience it has been exceptionally safe. But for those who are concerned with its safety here is a quote from the RT website about their system policing:

"Police Services current staffing consists of one lieutenant, three sergeants, 22 officers/deputies, 17 transit officers and 50 security guards. Police Services personnel patrol the system by car, bicycle and foot, as well as riding the light rail trains and buses."

Beyond just feeling safe many people who right light rail are very polite and out going. Just today I had a very nice conversation with a fellow rider. This is a frequent occurrence on light rail, pleasant people engaging in conversation.

What are your experiences riding light rail? What do you like about light rail as it exists today? What about it deters you? Please comment below with your thoughts and experiences with light rail.

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