[Yolobus Public Announcement] Rider Information regarding Fix-50 and Downtown Sacramento Entertainment & Sports Center Projects and YOLOBUS

[Kathy Souza]

Dear Yolobus Riders:

There are two important, intertwined issues I need to bring to your
attention.  I want to assure you that the Yolo County Transportation
District, which oversees Yolobus, is working hard at addressing these
issues.

Fix 50

Many of you may have heard of the "Fix 50" project, which will take
place between May 2nd and June 17th.  Because an elevated Section of
U.S. 50 between 18th and 24th Street needs to have major work, it is
anticipated that several freeway segments and streets in Sacramento and
Yolo will be impacted.  As you might expect, there will likely be
significant traffic tie-ups on U.S. 50, Business 80, Highway 99,
Interstate 80 and I-5, as well as many local streets.

Additionally, there are other freeway overlay and construction projects
in the works.  There is an effort under way to see if any of these
projects can be implemented in a different way, so as to minimize the
snowball effect of multiple projects.  

Several transit operators in the region, including Yolobus, have been
meeting and trying to find ways to minimize construction work impacts on
our existing riders, as well as to accommodate possible new riders.
This is no easy task.  We have been told to expect 60-minute delays
during the construction at times.

The Yolo County Transportation District Board of Directors is
considering authorizing several efforts to help you, including:

1.       Adding service between West Sacramento and downtown Sacramento
by extending the Route 340 to the West Sacramento Transit Center and to
the downtown Sacramento Amtrak depot.

2.       Adding commute hour trips between Woodland and either downtown
Sacramento or the Amtrak Depot in Davis.

3.       Adding commute hour trips between Davis and either downtown
Sacramento or the Amtrak Depot in Davis.

4.       Buying a large block of tickets on the Capitol Corridor trains
and selling them to the public for $3 per ride for trips between the
Davis and Sacramento Amtrak depots.

5.       Inserting other buses during the day when we get too far behind
schedule.

6.       Providing an extra paratransit vehicle to deal with delays in
east Sacramento.

7.       Providing post-River Cat trips from Raley Field to Southport
and other parts of West Sacramento.

Our ability to do some of these things may hinge on a request we have
submitted to Caltrans to help pay for them.

Downtown Sacramento Entertainment and Sports Center

It appears that this project may get under way as early as late May.
Demolition, excavation and construction will take about two years.  The
project is bordered by 7th, L, 5th and J Streets.  At different stages
of work, as many as 90 trucks a day will be traveling down Sacramento
streets and freeways doing demolition and construction.  At least two
existing bus stops on L Street between 5th and 7th Streets will be
relocated to L/7th and 6th/Capitol Mall.  Also, with a reduction of
vehicle lanes along 5th Street, addition of a bike lane and K-rail, plus
90 trucks a day to contend with, we will likely make route changes to
avoid 5th Street as much as possible.  This may require several of our
inter-city routes to use N Street (to 16th Street), instead of using J
Street.

You will be hearing more from us as we proceed.

Sincerely,

TERRY BASSETT, Executive Director

 

 

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