May marks the beginning of the summer Spare the Air season in the Sacramento region. Here are ten things you can do to reduce air pollution:
Visit www.sparetheair.com to sign up for Air Alert and for more information on the summer Spare the Air season.
In March -- four years ahead of schedule -- construction began to rebuild and modernize the Sierra College Boulevard / Interstate 80 interchange. The $31.6 million project is a joint effort of local landowners, the Placer County Transportation Planning Agency, Caltrans, the California Transportation Commission and the city of Rocklin.
"The modernization of this interchange is one of the City's most important priorities," said Rocklin Mayor Kathy Lund. "It creates a foundation for continued economic growth in Rocklin and provides congestion relief for motorists. This project is years ahead of schedule thanks to the creativity, collaboration and commitment of public and private partners. "
West Sacramento took a dramatic step towards redevelopment of its riverfront area by demolishing the Riske Lane over-crossing on Tower Bridge Gateway on April 19.
Transforming the obsolete leg of a former freeway from a barrier to a boulevard with sidewalks, bikeways and new landscaping is part of the effort to change a former industrial waterfront area into a showcase of new urban development. Furthering the vision for the West Sacramento riverfront as a dynamic, walkable neighborhood of offices, restaurants, and residences, the overcrossing will be replaced by a four-way signalized intersection. A new street -- Garden Street -- will directly connect the Triangle area on the south with West Capitol Avenue and Raley 's Landing on the north.
The Garden Street Intersection is a catalyst project to begin conversion of the West Sacramento Riverfront and adjoining neighborhoods into a major part of a population rich, smart growth, regional downtown focused on the Sacramento River. SACOG provided about half the funding for this project with a $3 million Community Design grant.
SACOG's Regional Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Trails Master Plan is being amended and is available for comment during the month of May. The draft Plan and comment form is available at www.sacog.org or contact Aimee Hagen at (916) 340-6211.
The Plan is intended to guide the long-term decisions for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Funding Program. The emphases of the bicycle and pedestrian plan and funding program are to provide facilities for walking and bicycling in the cities and towns of the region, and provide connections between cities and towns.
The focus of both the Master Plan and the Funding Program is to provide facilities for walking and bicycling. The goal is to integrate local plans to create a seamless regional bicycle and pedestrian system. This approach prioritizes local projects by their contribution to the regional network, providing key connections and access between communities, counties and jurisdictions while improving conditions for bicycling and walking. Local surveys have found that people are willing to bicycle more frequently when better bicycle facilities are provided.
In the Sacramento region, the cities of Davis, Roseville, Sacramento, West Sacramento, Woodland and Yuba City have received the Tree City designation. The Tree City USA ® program, sponsored by The National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters, provides direction, technical assistance, public attention, and national recognition for urban and community forestry programs in thousands of towns and cities that more than 93 million Americans call home.
Regional Report for April - May 2007 (text-only version)
Sacramento Area Council of Governments