SacRT Route Optimization Update
On Saturday, December 8, 2018, SacRT General Manager/CEO Henry Li and Planning Director James Boyle and Planner James Drake joined a SacTRU General Membership meeting to give us an update on the route optimization project.
The Sacramento Transit Riders Union (SacTRU) has been an active participant in the ongoing route optimization study and would like to thank SacRT staff for coming and presenting the proposal to our members. We support staff’s continued commitment to community engagement with the current proposal and are urging the board to not rush any decisions based on artificial deadlines, allowing adequate time to develop a comprehensive plan for the successful modernization of our system.
While we support finding solutions for first and last mile connectivity, our membership opposes the replacement of fixed routes with microtransit coverage. Specifically, we are concerned that when funding for microtransit disappears in two years it will leave communities that currently have access to public transit stranded.
We request a list of the specific routes that will be removed or changed in the proposal and that staff provide detailed maps at upcoming community outreach events so that members of the public have a clear idea of how their transit access will be changing. Again, we urge staff and the board not to rush the decision making process. Staff has done a great job of providing this draft proposal in the last months since the consultant finished their year-long study. We believe that giving staff adequate time to work with the community, conduct a thorough Title VI analysis, and adjust the current proposal based on real routes and feedback will result in better outcomes.
SacTRU supports innovative solutions that incorporate our local and historical knowledge to build a system that connects riders with economic opportunities and vital necessities in an innovative and comprehensive manner.Our members will continue to participate in this process and to advocate for more regional funding for public transportation.
Highlights of the Proposal:
