Draft Network Integration Plan Network Integration Plan June 8, 2021 Executive Summary The 2018 California State Rail Plan articulates a vision of intercity rail, commuter rail, and local mass transit integration, making the rail system easier to access and use. To further this vision, the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) have been funding rail integration plans in various parts of the state to better integrate transit with the state rail system. The Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) Network Integration Plan is one of those plans. SacRT Network Integration Vision The common theme running through all state-sponsored Network Integration Plans is how to provide better connections between local transit and the state rail system. In Sacramento, that system consists of the Capitol Corridor and the San Joaquins intercity trains, which are sponsored by Caltrans and operated by their respective Joint Powers Authorities. In the future, two new San Joaquins roundtrips will be added on the Union Pacific Railroad’s Sacramento Subdivision, stopping at a Midtown Station along the 20th Street corridor. Additionally, the Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) commuter rail service, operating today between Stockton and San Jose, is planning an extension to Sacramento with multiple arrivals and departures. These trains also will stop at the Midtown Station. SacRT serves Sacramento Valley Station (SVS) today with the Gold Line light rail transit (LRT) service and two local bus routes, the 30 and the 38. The Gold Line operates with mostly 15-minute headways between SVS and Sunrise and 30-minute headways between Sunrise and Folsom. SacRT also serves the Midtown area, with the Blue Line and Green Line stopping nearby at 16th Street Station and the 62 Freeport bus route running along 19th Street and 21st Street, providing a connection to and from Downtown Sacramento. Network Integration Elements The realization of improved integration of intercity rail, commuter rail, and SacRT LRT and bus services envisioned in this plan rests on four elements. These elements are: Infrastructure improvements. These are physical improvements to the transit network—some to be implemented by SacRT and some by other agencies—that will play key roles in future service integration. These include the following projects, some of which are actively underway and some of which are still in the planning stages: The SVS Area Plan, which includes the Bus Mobility Center (a multi-level bus terminal), an elevated concourse and circulation deck connecting to the light rail station, and other improvements at SVS. At least four SacRT routes could make use of the BMC in the near- term. The SVS Loop, which includes a north‒south double-track alignment for the Gold Line and Green Line through Sacramento Valley Station and along 7th Street to North B Street. Also included is a new Railyards Station to serve a new Major League Soccer (MLS) stadium and surrounding development. Page ES-1 Double-tracking portions of the Gold Line at Glenn and Hazel Stations, which will allow for 15-minute headways between Sunrise and Folsom. Conversion of SacRT’s existing high-floor light rail vehicle (LRV) fleet to low-floor LRVs, which will facilitate faster boardings and alightings. Station upgrades to allow for level boarding with the new low-floor fleet. The Midtown Station serving future ACE commuter and San Joaquins intercity trains. SacRT will provide local connections at the Midtown Station. The Downtown / Riverfront Streetcar linking SVS with West Sacramento. Light Rail Service Improvements. These are new concepts to expand LRT service, enhancing mobility options. 15-minute headways between Sunrise Station and Folsom Station. Headways are limited to 30 minutes today. The aforementioned double-tracking through Glenn Station is a prerequisite for this service improvement. Peak short-tripper trains to provide supplemental service between Sunrise Station and SVS during the weekday commute periods. Gold and Green Line interlining—that is, extending the Gold Line to 7th & Richards / Township 9 Station, which will require the aforementioned double-tracking of 7th Street between F Street and North B Street. Special event service for the MLS stadium, including both special event trains and augmented regular-service trains. Bus Service Improvements. These include potential modifications to Routes 30, 38, 51, and 62, including service to the BMC, new touch-and-go stops at 5th Street / G Street, and a new bus terminal in the Railyards area. Rerouting the 142 Airport service following a reconfiguration of the northbound I-5 on-ramp from I Street is also being considered. For Midtown Station, potential improvements to Route 62 could facilitate connections for ACE and San Joaquins passengers. Fare and Information Systems Integration and Customer Experience. CalSTA, Caltrans, and intercity and local transit partners have initiated the California Integrated Travel Project (Cal-ITP) to unify and simplify fare collection and trip planning throughout the state. Cal-ITP seeks to achieve this goal by ensuring access to reliable and accurate real-time transit information, reducing friction in payments, and creating a statewide eligibility verification program. SacRT is participating in the Cal-ITP development. Recommendations The Network Integration Plan concludes with recommendations for capital investments, phased implementation of LRT and bus service changes, and fare and information integration that will provide SacRT riders with a more seamless, expeditious, and user-friendly experience. Highlights include: Page ES-2 More double tracking of the Gold Line east of Sunrise Station and prioritization of the 7th Street double track to ensure service reliability and provide more operational flexibility. Phased rollout of 15-minute headways on the Gold Line between Sunrise Station and Folsom Station, starting first with weekday peak-period service only and expanding to all- day service, seven days a week, in later years. Three peak short-trippers between Sunrise Station and SVS. These trains mitigate the loss of seated capacity consequent with the conversion to two- and later three-car low- floor trainsets from four-car high-floor trainsets. Future interlining of the Gold Line and Green Line between SVS and Richards Boulevard / Township 9, which will streamline LRT operations in Downtown Sacramento, improve operating cost efficiencies, and accommodate future ridership growth. Special event LRT service on the Blue and Green Lines serving the future MLS stadium. Initiation of detailed analysis to identify and move forward with a preferred solution for new storage tracks to replace the Gold Line’s SVS tail tracks and accommodate event service staging for the MLS stadium. Extending Routes 30, 38, 51 and 62 to the SVS BMC in the near-term, and to a new Railyards terminal in the long-term. Continued coordination with the City, the Railyards master developer (Downtown Railyard Venture), and individual parcel developers on identifying a preferred option for a new Railyards bus terminal. Increase peak-period frequency on Route 62 to facilitate connections at Midtown Station, particularly in the interim until completion of the new mainline platform at City College Station to allow for cross-platform transfers with the Blue Line. Continued participation in the Cal-ITP project. Page ES-3 (this page intentionally left blank) Page ES-4 Network Integration Plan Table of Contents 1 Purpose, Need and Requirements ..................................................................................... 1 1.1 SacRT Profile ............................................................................................................... 1 1.2 California State Rail Plan ............................................................................................. 1 1.3 Network Integration Plans ............................................................................................ 1 1.4 SacRT Network Integration Plan .................................................................................. 2 1.5 Related Projects .......................................................................................................... 3 2 SacRT Service Integration Vision ....................................................................................... 5 2.1 Goal: Improved Integration with the State Rail System ................................................ 5 2.2 Key Network Integration Elements ............................................................................... 6 2.3 Other Integration Efforts ............................................................................................... 8 3 Infrastructure Improvements ............................................................................................... 9 3.1 Sacramento Valley Station ..........................................................................................10 3.2 Sacramento Valley Station Area Plan .........................................................................13 3.3 SVS Loop ...................................................................................................................26 3.4 Folsom and Rancho Cordova Double Track................................................................28 3.5 Low-Floor Conversion .................................................................................................31 3.6 Midtown Station ..........................................................................................................38