Sacramento — Streetcar Few Years Away

December 2013

The Sacramento Business Journal reports that officials enjoyed a demonstration ride on a streetcar built in Sacramento but destined for Atlanta, as it made a test run on the downtown segment of Sacramento's light rail system.

Officials from Sacramento and West Sacramento estimated that streetcar service linking the respective downtowns could be about four years away. An early action supporting that goal was the vote by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments to contribute $5 million toward the project's first phase. The City of Sacramento has committed an additional $2 million to the project, and West Sacramento has also set an undisclosed amount aside.

However, initial project cost estimates are $130 million to $150 million. So substantial additional funding will need to be sought, with the Federal government a possible source of much of the shortfall.