NEWS RELEASE October 26, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Dan Regan (916-874-7056) Communications & Media Officer Rio Linda/Elverta Bike Trail Extension: M St. to Elverta Road ~Project Completion & Ribbon Cutting – October 28th @ 10 A.M.~ Sacramento CA – The Sacramento County Department of Transportation (SACDOT) is hosting a ribbon cutting event to celebrate construction completion for a project that has turned a historic, unused rail line into a beautiful bikeway for Rio Linda and Elverta residents and users of the regional bikeway system. The new bikeway project extends the Sacramento Northern Bikeway from M Street to Elverta Road. The extended bikeway is built in a right-of-way area that was once part of the Sacramento Northern Railroad. Information about the ribbon cutting event is as follows: Date/Time Saturday, October 28 @ 10:00 A.M. Location Sacramento Northern Depot Visitor Center 6730 Front Street, Rio Linda Speakers Supervisor Roger Dickinson (District 1) Theron Roschen, Chief, Department of Transportation Bob Bastian, County Parks Commission & Rio Linda Historical Society According to Tom Zlotkowski, Director of the Department of Transportation, “This project provides many benefits for Rio Linda and Elverta residents: additional recreational facilities for cyclists, runners, walkers and equestrians; better continuity and connections to locations adjacent to the bikeway; a park-like setting for bikeway users; and, safer routes to schools. In addition, this project builds on the extensive bikeway (MORE) system that already exists in Sacramento. We are also revisiting some historical roots in transportation by turning a once vital, now unused, rail line into a rails-to-trails type facility. SACDOT is pleased to move forward with this bikeway project for the Rio Linda and Elverta communities.” The project included construction of 1.8 miles of Class I bikeway and landscaping enhancements within the former Sacramento Northern Railroad (SNRR) right-of-way in Rio Linda. The existing Sacramento Northern Bikeway is now extended from M Street to Elverta Road. Project enhancements include: * Improved access to bicycling and walking facilities. * Paved and marked pathways from the bikeway to numerous locations in the community including the Elverta Joint Union Elementary school. * A number of new features at the Elverta Road end of the project including a shade shelter with benches, a drinking foundation and ADA accessible parking stalls. * Benches were installed at various locations along the bikeway for people to sit and enjoy the scenery. * Three new drinking fountains along the bikeway. * Gateway structures were installed along the trail to identify communities the bike trail is passing through. * New landscaping was installed in many areas of the bikeway extension. This includes the planting of about 750 trees (including 480 oaks), and accent planting at various cross-streets. SACDOT staff also coordinated a community tree planting on September 9, as part of this project. This bikeway extension project cost $2.1 million to build and was covered by federal and local transportation funding sources. Teichert Construction was contracted by the County to construct the project. (MORE) The extension of the Sacramento Northern Bikeway to Elverta Road is consistent with the Sacramento City & County Bikeway Master Plan which calls for on-street and off-street bikeway improvements throughout Sacramento County. This bikeway extension provides a regional link between the Rio Linda and Elverta communities and the American River Parkway. Now that this project is completed, it is much easier for cyclists to travel to downtown Sacramento (approximately 10 miles). The project also contributes to improved air quality by encouraging cycling and walking as an alternative to motor vehicle use. In addition to the Sacramento Northern Bikeway Extension project, SACDOT also partnered with the Rio Linda & Elverta Recreation and Park District to build the Sacramento Northern Depot Visitor Center in 2004. SACDOT successfully sponsored an application for federal funding on behalf of the District for design and construction of the visitor center. The visitor center was constructed on the site of the former Rio Linda Sacramento Northern Train Depot Station and is an almost exact reproduction of the original facility. The center provides the public, as well as users of the bikeway, with restrooms, benches, picnic tables, drinking fountains and contains meeting/activity facilities and serves as an interpretive center for Sacramento Northern Rail Road memorabilia. Overall project costs for the visitor center were $900,000, with $650,000 going towards construction of the facility. Please contact Dan Regan (Communications & Media Officer) at 874-7056 or regand@saccounty.net, if you have any additional questions. Visuals to Support Story: As part of the ribbon cutting ceremony there will be a ceremonial bike ride along the new bikeway extension. Community members are encouraged to bring a bike and helmet to the event and participate in the ride. ### Press Releases/SNB Release – Ribbon Cutting Sacramento Northern Bikeway Extension Page 3 of 3 Municipal Services Agency Department of Transportation Tom Zlotkowski, Director County of Sacramento Terry Schutten, County Executive Cheryl Creson, Agency Administrator Design & Planning: 906 G Street, Suite 510, Sacramento, CA 95814 . Phone: 916-874-6291 . Fax: 916-874-7831 Operations & Maintenance: 4100 Traffic Way, Sacramento, CA 95827 . Phone: 916-875-5123 . Fax: 916-875-5363 www.sacdot.com