SacRT obtains $33 million for light rail, other transit projects

The Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) was awarded more than $33 million in modernization project funding from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG). 

The project funding for SacRT includes $22 million to accelerate its light-rail modernization project; $4.5 million to advance the Sacramento Valley Station loop stations project; and $1.6 million to complete the funding needed to reimagine the Watt/Interstate 80 Station, according to a news release.

SACOG’s Regional Funding Round awards transportation funding to road, transit, bicycle and pedestrian projects and programs across six counties in the metro Sacramento region.

Over the past year, SacRT has received more than $72.5 million from state and local sources to advance the light-rail modernization with leveraged federal funding. SacRT plans to transition to a new low-floor light-rail fleet. 

The $22 million awarded from SACOG will go toward the purchase of 16 additional low-floor light-rail vehicles. SacRT executed a contract for the first 20 vehicles in April 2020.