SacRT New Bus Route Plan: More Weekend Routes And Restoration Of Proposed Cuts

Sacramento Regional Transit says public reaction to some of its proposed bus route changes has caused the agency to reconsider.

Some of the changes it proposed were the elimination of a route through Tahoe Park and part of another at McClellan Business Park. After more than 400 people responded to requests for feedback, the agency scrapped that plan.

"We will restore most of the route 38 that serves the Tahoe Park neighborhood and the hospital and into downtown,” said James Boyle, Director of Planning for Sac RT. “We also heard some comments and feedback on Route 26 and that's the route that goes up Watt Avenue and diverts off into McClellan Park to serve the commissary and the veteran's hospital."

Boyle says one goal for the plan, which has not been finalized, is a wait time of no more than 45 minutes for every route on every day, including weekends.

SacRT looked at existing ridership and under-served areas of the county.

"We added a lot of service to the North Highlands area. We identified there's a community there that really lacks good transit,” said Boyle, “We have low-income populations up there and minority populations and we need to make sure we are being equitable and serving those communities as well."

SacRT began looking at ways to redo the bus schedule about a year ago. The agency hopes to have a plan finalized by the end of February.