Study recommends two new Sacramento River crossings | Community

At least two new crossings are needed over the Sacramento River between the City of Sacramento and City of West Sacramento, according to the conclusions of the Sacramento River Crossings Alternatives Study jointly funded and managed by the two cities.

The study findings, to be presented to the Sacramento City Council at its Tuesday, July 19 council meeting and the West Sacramento City Council on Wednesday, July 20, concludes that two new crossings for currently underserved market-areas between the 100-year-old I Street Bridge and the American River confluence to the north, and between the Pioneer Bridge (U.S. Highway 50) and Sutterville Road to the south would accomplish several objectives, including:

• Increasing economic activity and access to jobs
• Improving the potential to achieve planned urban development and redevelopment
• Making walking and bicycling across the river viable as transportation options
• Reducing car, truck and public-transit delays
• Increasing riverfront public access and recreation opportunities
• Improving travel safety and increasing evacuation alternatives during emergency situations

The two City Councils are being asked by their respective staffs to acknowledge the purpose and need for two new crossings which was the objective of the study and to give the okay to seek state and federal funding for preliminary engineering and environmental analysis of the five potential crossing locations.

The nine-month study was shaped through an extensive public-outreach process that included stakeholder group meetings, an on-line survey that generated nearly 1,700 responses, and public open house.  Stakeholders representing Sacramento and West Sacramento property owners, community groups, neighborhood associations, developers, business interests, public transportation agencies, and advocates of walking and biking provided input to the project team throughout study.

“What this study clearly reinforced is that we are dramatically underserved when it comes to crossings over the Sacramento River,” said Jerry Way, the City’s Director of Transportation. “The study shows why bridges are needed, why we need two and that they need to serve multiple modes of travel, not just vehicles. From here, the next phase is to drill down into specifically where they might best function and what they would look like.”

North Market Alternatives

As defined in the study, the north market (see map) including the Railyards and River District developments in Sacramento, and the Washington Specific Plan area and proposed California Indian Heritage Center in West Sacramento, are sites of future development.  Two crossing alternatives were identified to serve this area: one connecting Sacramento’s River District to the Indian Heritage Center and the Rivers, and the second connecting the River District and Railyards to the Washington Specific Plan area.

South Market Alternatives

The south market (see map) as defined in the study has the highest level of existing population and employment not currently served by an existing bridge and includes Southport, the Stone Lock project and Pioneer Bluff redevelopment in West Sacramento and Miller Park redevelopment, the Broadway corridor and Land Park in Sacramento.  Three potential alternatives were identified to serve this area: one connecting the Pioneer Bluff redevelopment area and West Sacramento riverfront to Broadway or W/X Streets, a second connecting West Sacramento’s Stone Lock area to Miller Park, and a third connecting Southport at Linden Road to Land Park at Sutterville Road in Sacramento.

Stakeholders expressed strong support for new crossings that accommodate multiple transportation modes, including bicycles, pedestrians and vehicles, and for facilities that are the right scale for their surroundings, in consideration of both existing and planned future land uses.

“New river crossings between West Sacramento and Sacramento will provide numerous transportation and economic-developments not just to our cities but the overall region,” said Maureen Pascoe, City of West Sacramento Capital Improvement manager.  “We’re looking forward to collaborating further with Sacramento to get these facilities developed.”

New all-mode crossing facilities are estimated to cost between $40 million and $270 million depending on location, width, fixed or moveable design, and other variables.

The study evaluated traffic impacts, development plans, environmental impacts, safety, economic-development plans and facility costs. See the full report or executive summary.

Source:  Maureen Pascoe, City of West Sacramento