Sacramento light-rail extension expands commuters' transit options

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), a branch of the U.S.  Department of Transportation, recently opened California's Sacramento Blue Line light rail extension, which aims to expand transit options in the Sacramento area.

The new extension reaches to Consumnes River College (CRC) and expands travel options between the Sacramento downtown area and South Sacramento.

“Sacramento’s new light rail extension will improve access to jobs, education and other important ladders of opportunity for thousands of area residents, including CRC students, faculty and staff,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said. “The Obama Administration is proud to support projects like this one that spur new economic development, reduce congestion and offer new travel options that will meet the needs of a growing population.”

The expansion will help commuters avoid Highway 99 and its congestion.

“California’s capital region needs and deserves a robust public transportation network that connects residents to employment opportunities downtown, as well as South Sacramento, and other destinations throughout Sacramento County,” Therese McMillan, the FTA's acting administrator, said. “With continued population growth expected in the coming decades, Sacramento’s expanded light-rail system will bring much-needed, world-class transit options to this growing region.”