The City of Sacramento is on the move to seamlessly connect the Railyards District to the Sacramento Valley Station, courtesy of a fresh $4 million grant from the California State Transportation Agency’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program. This financial boost is set to bridge the gap in the city's active transportation array, as reported by Sacramento City Express. Indeed, the Sacramento Valley Station – Railyards Western Connector project is to finally bring to life the dormant Westside Tunnel, a piece of infrastructure waiting more than a decade for its connecting counterpart.
According to Greg Taylor, project manager with the City’s Department of Public Works, who told Sacramento City Express, "The Westside Tunnel was completed in 2012 with the construction of the new SVS passenger platforms and has remained closed due to the lack of infrastructure north of the rail tracks." With the Bercut Drive extension slated to fill this void, the closed loop of connectivity is set to finally be forged, welcoming bicycles and pedestrians, while also providing a stopping point for buses in transit to the future medical campus and other local hubs.
The Western Connector is a key component in Sacramento’s vision to evolve its transit offerings, working alongside previous improvements such as the Phase 1 Track Relocation and the creation of new passenger platforms. Mayor Darrell Steinberg, lauding this advance in a statement obtained by Sacramento City Express, said, “The allocation of this $4 million grant marks a significant milestone in our ongoing mission to transform Sacramento into a model of sustainable urban living.”
Accumulating over $72 million in TIRCP funding before this latest grant, the City has strategically aligned its fiscal arsenal to spearhead assorted improvements and new developments around SVS. TIRCP funded projects currently in the pipeline embrace a diverse array of facilities, from an 18-birth bus hub, to the H Street Cycle Track, aiming to create a dynamic and interconnected transportation landscape. The foresight to intertwine the Western Connector with a $30 million State Parks grant, as highlighted by city officials, propels Sacramento further along the path to housing, entertainment, and cultural spaces expansion within the city's urban core.
