SacRT suspends downtown light rail service as state workers return to Sacramento offices
By CBS Bay Area
Just as California state workers are being forced to return to Downtown Sacramento offices, all light rail trains that operate downtown are being suspended.
Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT)said it has seen increased ridership since last week’s new return-to-office order began and noted that some trains are nearing full capacity. But that’s not stopping them from canceling all downtown rail traffic for the next four days.
“That’s going to be chaos,” light rail passenger Oscar Gutierrez told CBS News Sacramento. “Everyone’s going to be sitting there trying to get to work. It’s going to be disruptive”
The light rail shutdown comes at a bad time for state workers like Gutierrez and Valerie Kauer.
“I’ve been recently ordered to go back to work four days a week,” Kauer said.
Train track closures now affect all three of SacRT’s rail lines.
The blue line is closed between 13th Street and the Globe Street station in North Sacramento. The gold line from Folsom also ends at 13th Street. The green line, which runs to the River District, has been closed for more than a year and won’t open until mid-August.
That’s been an inconvenience for employees at the new May Lee office complex on Richards Boulevard that was built to accommodate up to 5,000 state workers.
Why is regional transit temporarily stopping trains?
SacRT says the disruption is necessary to modernize stations for new low-floor trains and to continue construction on a new station being built along North 12th Street.
Light rail trains outside of downtown will continue to operate through the closure, and shuttle buses will be used to transport riders between the closed station. Still, SacRT warns there could be delays due to traffic.
Riders like Kauer say it’s another new hassle for downtown workers.
“So I just plan to drive into work tomorrow,” she said.
Another track closure is also planned for the weekend of July 18, when light rail service between the Marconi Arcade station and K Street will be canceled.
