Report and PHOTOS by Marcia Johnston, RailPAC Sacramento Director

The Downtown-Natomas Airport [Green Line to the River District] Groundbreaking Ceremony was held on Monday, October 12th at Richards Boulevard and Seventh Street.

The speakers included: Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui, Kevin Johnson – Mayor, City of Sacramento, Steve Cohn, Councilmember, City of Sacramento and Chair, SacRT Board of Directors, Ray Tretheway, Councilmember, City of Sacramento, Member, SacRT Board of Directors [Note: this new line is also in Councilmember Tretheway’s district], Roger Dickinson, Supervisor, County of Sacramento, Member SacRT Board of Directors, Suheil Totah, Vice President of Development, Thomas Enterprises, Inc., and Steve Goodwin, President, Township 9, The River District Board of Directors.

Project Overview: This is the first phase of the line [“Green Line”] extending light rail 1.1 miles north to Richards Boulevard and Seventh Street at the Township 9 Development, and is expected to be completed by November 2010.

Extension to the Sacramento Airport, however, may not happen before 2017. The new estimated cost is $44 million, and unfortunately, construction bids on the initial phase came in high, which could delay construction until 2014. Most of the funding comes from RT’s local Measure A sales tax.

New stations will be located at 8th & H/County Center and Seventh & Richards/Township 9. The estimated ridership is approximately 6,000+ passengers annually between 13th Street and the Seventh and Richards Boulevard/Township 9 Station.

Another photo from the event.