32 replies to this topic

[clearwater]

So it is not good to get to Sac for venues on the weekend, It is no good for getting tourist into Folsom, it is no good to get to the Airport( should that link be built) . So what good is it ?
And John, Although Supply and Demand are a key to most commercial venues, we would be kidding ourselves to think this is something RT has even calculated. It is a pure political merit badge and debacle as it has been in EVEry Subruban location it has been tried
measure A nor any other measure supporting RT will ever get my vote. Even if it is only part of the measure of a wider support program.

[Terry]

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

The other question one might want to ask is why the city refuses to join RT.

Okay, history lesson here:

Folsom contracted with RT for bus service into the early 80s which amounted to one bus from one stop in Folsom in the morning to downtown Sac via Greenback Lane to Highway 80 to downtown. Then one bus in the afternoon from downtown via highway 80 to Greenback to Folsom. And that included every frigging stop along the way. Also, if you got on or got off within Folsom city limits, you had to pay $1.25 per ride as opposed to others riding at $.75. And RT took all of Folsom's federal mass transit monies to provide this service!

Folsom eventually pulled out of RT's bus service system and came up with its own commuter service.

So, you ask why the city wouldn't want to get involved with RT?????

[Janet]

Hi. I want to add some info that I learned at the meeting.

1. The express service will make stops at every 3rd station.
2. If demand warrants then they will start weekend service. They said if Folsom was having a special event (perhaps the rodeo?) then it is possible they could have service running just for that event.

I thought that it was odd that no service was being offered on the weekends. I thought that getting people to Old Folsom was the big draw for getting the train, but now I understand it is the commute.

Hopes this helps.

also, John, thanks for removing any redundant posts of mine. I just wanted people to get the info!

[Janet]

Just wanted to ask. Has the city had any more meetings (other than the one earlier this year in April, I think). re: east/west routes to EDH?

[cybertrano]

I am taking the lightrail to work currently (from Folsom to Downtown Sac). I was excited when lightrail is supposed to have an express line that will take commuter to downtown Sacramento with minimal stops! Look like it's not happening.

The extension to Sunrise is great however. I can't wait for the Iron Point extension next year!!!!!!

[FiscalConservative]

Is it only me who believes that the City and RT have taken what was a beautiful tree-lined road (Folsom Blvd) leading from 50 into Folsom and replaced the view of those trees with an ugly mass of steel poles lining the East side of Folsom Blvd! These folks really screwed up and I am wondering why the public is silent.

[ducky]

Not only is our beautiful entrance to our city becoming unsightly, Fiscalconservative, but more dangerous if your car happens to break down. There is no longer a shoulder on Folsom Blvd. coming into town because of the new guardrail. One night last week there was a car broken down partially blocking the right lane because there was nowhere to pull over. The car ahead of me darted suddenly to avoid the stopped vehicle and luckily there wasn't much traffic so I could quickly change lanes also. I wanted to stop and tell the driver it wasn't a good idea to stand behind their car and to ask if they needed to use a phone but there was no way to do it without becoming a hazard myself. I promptly called the Folsom PD and hope everything turned out all right.

[FiscalConservative]

Not only is our beautiful entrance to our city becoming unsightly, Fiscalconservative, but more dangerous if your car happens to break down.  There is no longer a shoulder on Folsom Blvd. coming into town because of the new guardrail.  One night last week there was a car broken down partially blocking the right lane because there was nowhere to pull over.  The car ahead of me darted suddenly to avoid the stopped vehicle and luckily there wasn't much traffic so I could quickly change lanes also.  I wanted to stop and tell the driver it wasn't a good idea to stand behind their car and to ask if they needed to use a phone but there was no way to do it without becoming a hazard myself.  I promptly called the Folsom PD and hope everything turned out all right.

Amazing! You gotta wonder what motivated the City (City Council) to push RT for this light rail extension. It does not make sense to single track the line into the City; nor does it make sense to create a forest of steel poles along the main entrance to the City where there were once only trees. However; the free ride that this form of transit will give to the undesirerable element who live in Sacramento will only bring more crime to those areas within a short walking distance of the light rail stations along this extension.

Was this another pet project that Miklos pushed through?

[Orangetj]

Is it only me who believes that the City and RT have taken what was a beautiful tree-lined road (Folsom Blvd) leading from 50 into Folsom and replaced the view of those trees with an ugly mass of steel poles lining the East side of Folsom Blvd! These folks really screwed up and I am wondering why the public is silent.

I absolutely agree. Heck, once the South of 50 area is denuded, terraced and covered with a few thousand acres of tract homes, big box stores and office buildings, there really won't be much of Folsom's once abundant and easily seen natural beauty left. Lessee...there's the brief section of Folsom Blvd headed toward the freeway between Blue Ravine and the outlet mall, the lake itself, a short stretch along Blue Ravine, and....well...that's about it.

If we continue the way we're going now, it won't be long before we look pretty much like Roseville, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, or any other area of sprawl. I grew up here in Folsom and I really do like the community, but the drumbeat of "progress" is starting to hurt my head.

[YabYum]

I disagree. I think Light rail will be a positive step for Folsom, and an ever better choice for thos that normally commute to their jobs in d'town Sacramento.

Let's see: Monthly light rail pass = $60; Monthly parking downtown (average) = $100.

Hmmm....*strokes chin* Which to choose?.....

The light rail station at Sunrise has been a massive success. Ridership has increased dramatically, and those people that ride on a daily basis are saving the rest of the driving Hwy 50 commutes a few minutes each day by staying out of their cars! Not to mention the environmental benefits of light rail, and the advantages of encouraging public transporation in general!

Accept the fact that Folsom has grown (and FAST!). But also have the sense to realize that trying to stop growth is about as winnable of an option as trying to "stop" terrorism.

A side note to FiscalConservative:

You mention living in the DC/MD area, and utilizing their public tranny systems to the fullest, yet you frown upon this regions decision to expand public tranny and light-rail to Folsom? Where's the logic? Yeah, riding light rail is a whole 'nother experience compared to your beloved Metro trains, but at least the goal is the same: Keeping people off the highways, saving some pollution, and helping those who don't have the benefit of a reliable car. I lived in Chicago for two years, and felt absolute liberation Not Owning a Car at all during that period of my life. But urban-dwellers, in dense neighborhoods like Chicago (or D.C.) can afford those luxuries. The suburban sprawl of the Sacramento area forces people to get more creative in finding an alternative........

[Terry]

Amazing! You gotta wonder what motivated the City (City Council) to push RT for this light rail extension. It does not make sense to single track the line into the City; nor does it make sense to create a forest of steel poles along the main entrance to the City where there were once only trees. However; the free ride that this form of transit will give to the undesirerable element who live in Sacramento will only bring more crime to those areas within a short walking distance of the light rail stations along this extension.

Was this another pet project that Miklos pushed through?

You got it wrong. RT HAS BEEN PUSHING FOLSOM FOR YEARS TO GET ON BOARD WITH RT (or shall I say BACK onboard with RT). I've told this story before, but I'll repeat it again. RT is no friend of Folsom's. They just want the federal mass transit money that they USED to get from Folsom, and Folsom decided they could do a better job with the fed money so got rid of RT bus service and started their own commuter bus lines. Okay, history again. RT in the late 70s early 80s, provided one bus to Folsom in the morning and one bus back to Folsom in the evening. The route from Folsom in the morning to downtown Sac was via Rainbow Bridge, down Greenback ALL THE WAY TO HIGHWAY 80, then 80 to downtown Sacramento. It was not express, so there were probably 15 stops all the way down Greenback. The ride took 45 minutes one way. The trip home was exactly the reverse. Riders getting on in Folsom and riding to Folsom paid 50% more than those who got on/off at Greenback and Main in Orangevale. And most of us stood for at least 1/2 of the 45 minute ride. When RT would not provide more/better service to Folsom, Folsom told RT to get lost, took its annual federal mass transit grant back from RT and used it towards the current commuter bus service which is absolutely wonderful, efficient, comfortable and affordable. About 10 years ago, RT approached Folsom again, not offering bus service, but now offering light rail. Again, Folsom would have to give RT its federal mass transit money and additional funding to extend the light rail. The proposal presented by the slicksters at RT included express services (double tracked) for Folsom riders, full service 7 days a week, and no increase in fares over what was charged others in Sacramento county. I was at those presentations and I know these questions were asked and I heard the answers specifically addressing these. RT slicksters said anything and everything that Folsom representatives wanted to hear.

Well, I predicted the current situation (wish I would have bet some money on this), and we will have exactly what I predicted. No double tracking, express service that's defined quite a bit differently than originally presented, structured fares for Folsom riders, and no evening/weekend service.

I am not against mass transit by any means, I have been a Folsom commuter bus customer (and previously an RT bus customer) for many years. But I don't trust, respect, or feel that RT has any interests other than to expand its empire, with no thought to customer service, fiscal integrity, or its own reputation.

I would be thrilled if Light Rail in Folsom is a success. But before it's even opened its Folsom line, RT has reneged on its previously stated commitments to Folsom. RT absolutely does not care about anything except amassing all the federal mass transit money available throughout the region. In exchange, they provide shoddy service with no oversight of its customer service, efficiency or spending.

[Candy Apple]

Why did they not double rail the trolley into Folsom, especially if the lang rang plan is to go to Granite Bay?

[tony]

Why did they not double rail the trolley into Folsom, especially if the lang rang plan is to go to Granite Bay?

Extension of light rail to Granite Bay is not on anyone's radar screen. RT, Folsom and others are instead studying an extension to El Dorado County (although neither is in RT's 20-year plan). Folsom made a decision to provide space for light rail on the Lake Natoma Crossing just in case, because adding it later would have been dramatically more expensive. Consequently, there is little need for double-tracking along Folsom Blvd., unless the frequency of service is going to be much greater than planned at the start. Also, if you thought they removed a lot of trees for the single track, imagine how many more would have had to be removed to double-track it all -- pretty much all of them. Finally, if the extension is to go to El Dorado Hills, then the Folsom Blvd. to Sutter Street leg will most likely become a spur line that would not require double-tracking.

As for Terry's histoy, I would propose a slightly different version. In the mid 90s, when Bob Holderness was mayor, the city investigated a number of rail options other than RT's light rail (the self-propelled "Regio Sprinter" for one; even sent a delegation over to Germany to check them out). Because of the earlier issues with RT, the city wanted to go it alone, and, to the best of my knowledge, RT wasn't the driving force for bringing light rail to Folsom; the city was. The city is still not joining RT. The city is paying for the service, and the lack of weekend service is the city's financial decision, not RT's.

I, for one, am looking forward to the opening of light rail to the Historic District (less than 1/2 mile from my house), even though it has resulted in some major compromises to bicycle facilities in the Folsom Blvd. corridor.

[Candy Apple]

Thanks Tony.

[pacomon]

Public Transportation Rocks!!!!! Polluting the earth with your car doesn't!!!!!!!!!!!!
Give it up!!!!! Give it up!!!!! Give it up!!!!!! Give it up!!!
Or your kids will be forced to one day!!!

I disagree. I think Light rail will be a positive step for Folsom, and an ever better choice for thos that normally commute to their jobs in d'town Sacramento.

Let's see: Monthly light rail pass = $60; Monthly parking downtown (average) = $100.

Hmmm....*strokes chin* Which to choose?.....

The light rail station at Sunrise has been a massive success. Ridership has increased dramatically, and those people that ride on a daily basis are saving the rest of the driving Hwy 50 commutes a few minutes each day by staying out of their cars! Not to mention the environmental benefits of light rail, and the advantages of encouraging public transporation in general!

Accept the fact that Folsom has grown (and FAST!). But also have the sense to realize that trying to stop growth is about as winnable of an option as trying to "stop" terrorism.

A side note to FiscalConservative:

You mention living in the DC/MD area, and utilizing their public tranny systems to the fullest, yet you frown upon this regions decision to expand public tranny and light-rail to Folsom? Where's the logic? Yeah, riding light rail is a whole 'nother experience compared to your beloved Metro trains, but at least the goal is the same: Keeping people off the highways, saving some pollution, and helping those who don't have the benefit of a reliable car. I lived in Chicago for two years, and felt absolute liberation Not Owning a Car at all during that period of my life. But urban-dwellers, in dense neighborhoods like Chicago (or D.C.) can afford those luxuries. The suburban sprawl of the Sacramento area forces people to get more creative in finding an alternative........