Secretary LaHood, Mayor Johnson visit construction at Sacramento Station

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Sacramento, Calif., Mayor Kevin Johnson visited construction at the Sacramento Valley Station, showcasing the economic impact of federal investments in the station and other passenger rail projects throughout the state.

The project is central to the development of the 240-acre Sacramento Railyards project, which will double the footprint of downtown Sacramento by attracting an entertainment district, new office buildings, hotels, condos and other development.
The Sacramento Valley Station is currently served by Amtrak routes from the Bay Area and the Central Valley and will one day be served by California’s High-Speed Train. The US Department of Transportation has invested nearly $40 million to relocate the station tracks, part of the $70 million first phase. The city of Sacramento projects that as many as 2,000 jobs will be created from this project.

Sacramento’s long-term vision for the station is that it will provide passengers arriving on intercity trains with easy access to several transit options to reach their final destination. The city has said that better local and intercity transportation access will help spur private investment and bring new jobs to the Railyards site, much like cities such as Denver and Washington, D.C., experienced with similar projects.