Sacramento — New Streetcar Proposal

May 2016

The Sacramento Bee reported that streetcar proponents, undaunted by voter rejection last fall, have come back with an even larger plan along with some new funding ideas.

Sacramento and West Sacramento o fficials have added $5 million in new features to their streetcar proposal, including an extra mile of tracks on West Sacramento’s waterfront, increasing the budget to $195 million. The availability of increased funding at both the state and federal levels was a factor in raising the project's price to $195 million. Other funding would come from a tax on commercial properties adjacent to the line.

Last year's proposal called for increasing these taxes by about $30 million. This year that amount has been cut in half with a larger burden placed on state and federal funds.

Officials expect better luck at the polls to secure the necessary two-thirds approval by getting the support of larger property owners. Last year, a number of major downtown owners, including the Sacramento Kings and hotel owners, indicated in a nonbinding vote that they would pay a property assessment to help finance the streetcar.

The proposed 3.3-mile starter line would weave through downtown and midtown Sacramento, stopping at the Capitol, the Golden 1 Center arena, Memorial Auditorium, the I Street train station and at major hotels, Old Sacramento and K Street nightspots. It would connect to West Sacramento over the Tower Bridge, where it would roll past Raley Field, City Hall and that city’s burgeoning waterfront districts.