The Sacramento River Stakeholder Advisory Group, in which I participated as the Land Park Community Association representative, concluded its eight-month long series of meetings in December with a recommendation that not one, but two new bridges are needed in Sacramento.
Working with consultants under the guidance of the transportation departments of both West Sacramento and Sacramento, the stakeholder group had been tasked to help develop a recommendation regarding the placement of the next bridge over the Sacramento River. The final report (available on the “crossings” page at landpark.org) ultimately recommended bridges north and south of the Pioneer Bridge (Interstate 80) and further study of each area.
Based on discussions at Land Park Community Association meetings, a survey, comments submitted personally and electroncially, many Land Park residents support a neighborhood friendly, well designed connection with pedestrian and bicycle capacity. Support for a bridge quickly disintegrates, however, when the purpose of the first bridge-which, according to City of Sacramento staff, is to relieve commuter congestion on busy freeways-is understood.
After soliciting neighborhood input, the LPCA board voted to support additional Sacramento River crossings in principal “as a catalyst for connecting communities and elevating regional livability”. The LPCA further concluded that the initial bridge (the utilitarian, commuter-style bridge) be placed near the railyards development and closer to the planned multi-modal transportation hub – a conclusion clearly supported by the study data.
My thanks to Mark Abrahams for his permission to share his article.
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