Light Rail Meeting

Public Invited to Light Rail Meeting
Regional Transit will host a community meeting to discuss progress on Folsom’s Light Rail project on Wednesday, July 28 at the Granite Center, 909 Mormon St. in Folsom. An open house will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by a presentation at 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

I'm going to have to delete the other references to this thread. Granted, it applies to a handfull of neighborhoods, however this is the most appropriate forum. It will remove redundancy and confusion.

... I did, however, make this a front page news item.

Spouse and I went to Light Rail meeting this evening at Granite Center. The high points (or low points depending on your view of light rail):

1. The commuter buses to downtown Sacramento will cease to operate once light rail starts service.
2. Folsom city buses will provide feeder service from throughout Folsom to and from the park and ride lots at Sutter, Glenn, and Iron Point.
3. Express service from Folsom to downtown Sacramento (no stops between Hazel and Sacramento) will be offered 3 times in the morning and 3 times in the afternoon Monday through Friday. Express trips should make the trip within 38 minutes. All other trips will be non-express, meaning stops at every station between Folsom and Sacramento.
4. There will be limited service throughout the non-commute hours on weekdays (probably one trip an hour) and only until about 10:00 pm.
5. There will be NO WEEKEND SERVICE AT ALL.
6. No fare information was provided (maybe later in the presentation, but not while we were there) however it was mentioned that fares are based on passenger "use and quality" which means distance will be a factor, so expect to pay more if you board in Folsom as opposed to say Rancho.

As I've said before, I think Light Rail is a mistake. Throwing good money after bad and trying to fix something that's not broken (ask the people who currently use the Folsom commuter bus lines).

We were particularly disappointed that weekend service was not going to be offered at all. I suppose we could look at that as a benefit - no light rail noises and traffic problems on weekends!

I'm curious about the lack of weekend service. Didn't the proponents of the light rail service speak of the benefits of increased tourism and patronage of Sutter St. merchants? Wouldn't one might expect more tourist-type/restaurant biz on weekends?

Opponents of light rail have expressed concerns about security and the use of the service by......let's say "those without apparent business." (I'm trying not to be offensive.) With a more commuter-oriented schedule, and service no later than 10 pm, perhaps some of the security concerns have been allayed.

Terry, was there any discussion about who would be providing security at the l/r stations? Is it still planned to be Folsom PD? Will l/r law enforcement have presence on the trains?

Having lived in Maryland and worked in downtown Washington DC for several years I have personally used an efficient form of mass-transportation for my daily commutes. Many of the East Coast Mass transportation systems are well run and heavily utilized and offer night and weekend service.

California doesn't get it and continues to build these heavily subsidized mass transportation systems that only a small percentage of people use. In California; the construction of these systems is more political than filling a real need. Systems like the RT system in the Sacramento Region only serve to give people like Ms. Scott a high paying job at the expense of the taxpayer.

QUOTE (forumreader @ Jul 29 2004, 09:59 AM)

Terry, was there any discussion about who would be providing security at the l/r stations? Is it still planned to be Folsom PD? Will l/r law enforcement have presence on the trains?

I wasn't there for the full presentation, but my previous understanding was that light rail has its security which is responsible for the trains and the park and ride lots. Folsom PD has taken a special interest in minimizing any criminal activity arising from light rail and will also be patrolling with an eye towards light rail produced criminal activities (park and ride lot breakins etc). I believe they will have their volunteers patrolling so as not to take away from other city patrols.

Light rail has a random presence on light rail to catch free riders, but my experience is that it's very, very random. The tickets they issue are expensive ($70.00 was the last I heard for free-riding offenders) and they rely on that as a deterrent.

If there is not going to be any weekend service, they should shut this down right now.

Someone had better speak up real soon on this subject...

Any city council members that read this speak up please:::


Andy, Kerri, anyone

We want to know..........

It's all supply and demand, folks. If there is enough demand for weekend trains, they will supply it. Trust me, if they can profit from it, they will offer it.

John, if nothing else, at least a morning train and an afternoon train on the weekends so people can at least come out and spend the day and have a ride back.

Just a reminder to those who would bash RT for coming to Folsom; the reason light rail is coming to town is because the City of Folsom requested it (OK, it's a little more coplicated than that. The city wil be paying for the operation and maintenance and will be the primary decision-maker on what level of service comes to town. And if you know anything about R, you'll konw that Dr. Scott has got their staff hopping since she's come on board. The other question one might want to ask is why the city refuses to join RT.

QUOTE (camay2327 @ Jul 29 2004, 02:10 PM)

John, if nothing else, at least a morning train and an afternoon train on the weekends so people can at least come out and spend the day and have a ride back.

I agree... I honestly don't foresee a lack of weekend trains lasting long at all. If you feel you would use it, send an email to SAC RT. When enough people demand it, you'll get it.

Squeaky wheels get the oil...

QUOTE (tony @ Jul 29 2004, 01:16 PM)

And if you know anything about R, you'll konw that Dr. Scott has got their staff hopping since she's come on board.

Yep ... Scott has her staff hopping .. trying to plan the spending of that 38% of TOTAL Measure A funding that RT will receive if the Measure is renewed by the voters this fall. In the meantime .. they are spending about 30% of the current TOTAL Measure A funding. I can imagine that it takes a lot of RT staff time and money trying to schedule empty RT buses and light rail to ensure that every last dime is spent.

Oh .. and don't forget the planning that Scott and her RT staff are involved in as they attempt to get another Measure on a future ballot to obtain additional funding to build light rail to the airport and other places where light rail doesn't exist today!

If they had light rail from Folsom to the Sacramento Airport, that is something that I might use some day. It would save parking fees and driving to and from...

QUOTE (camay2327 @ Jul 29 2004, 02:17 PM)

If they had light rail from Folsom to the Sacramento Airport, that is something that I might use some day. It would save parking fees and driving to and from...

Since most heavily traveled flights leave early in the morning (especially flights to the East Coast), and because people should be arriving at least 1 hour before departure, and because it is unlikely that light rail would start operating at 4:30AM to get people to the airport in time for the early flights .... it is very likely that few will be willing/able to take light rail to the airport if it is built.