DOT Secretary Ray LaHood visited Sacramento, CA, Jan. 7 to present the Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) with a federal Full Funding Grant Agreement to extend RT’s light rail system. The 4.3-mile Blue Line extension will connect downtown Sacramento with the growing South County corridor, which includes Cosumnes River College.

The $135 million grant is funded through FTA’s capital investment program and will be matched by the same amount from state and local sources, in addition to $7.1 million from DOT.

“When you build transit, you also open the door to new local economic development,” LaHood wrote in his official Fast Lane blog. “Just as we’ve seen with new transit projects across America, in addition to improving access to Sacramento’s major employers, extending the Blue Line will also encourage economic development near the extension’s four new stations …. New stores and services, new employers, and new housing will combine with the light rail extension to create communities where people can live and shop closer to where they work.”

The project extends the Blue Line light rail line from Meadowview Road to Cosumnes River College and includes four new stations, at Morrison Creek, Franklin Boulevard, Center Parkway, and the college.

Signers of the Sacramento FFGA pose behind the signed document. From left: Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson; FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff; Sacramento City Councilmember Bonnie Pannell, chair of the RT board; California state Assemblyman Roger Dickinson; Pamela Haynes, president, Board of Trustees, Los Rios Community College District; DOT Secretary Ray LaHood; Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA); state Assemblyman Ken Cooley; and RT General Manager/Chief Executive Officer Mike Wiley.