Sacramento Traffic

Caltrans records reveal concerns about Bay Bridge concrete

cpiller@sacbee.com (Charles Piller) — Sun, 27 May 2012 22:01:17 +0000

A builder of the new San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge failed to disclose that a 19-foot section of concrete in the foundation of the span's signature tower had not hardened before it was tested.

Back-seat Driver: Political event gets a pass on parking tickets

tbizjak@sacbee.com (Tony Bizjak) — Sun, 27 May 2012 21:11:23 +0000

When it comes to issuing citations for parking meter violations in Sacramento, do some people get special treatment? Yes.

Tony Bizjak

It's costly, but Los Angeles is getting its rail mojo back

Sun, 27 May 2012 17:47:50 +0000

It took more than a half-century, but this megalopolis that long ago turned its back on cheap street trolleys like the Red Car in favor of car-choked concrete superhighways is finally getting its rail mojo back.

Ayanna White rides the Expo Line with son Jeremiah, 3, on her lap. While many Angelenos will like using the trains, they're not going to have a big impact on traffic, say some experts.

Highway 49 widening project includes redwood-covered sound walls

clocke@sacbee.com (Cathy Locke) — Sat, 26 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

The California Department of Transportation's effort to reduce the visual effects of a road-widening project on a mountain community is well-intended, but some area homeowners are questioning the wisdom of installing wood veneer on a roadside sound wall.

Siemens lands $73 million sale of light-rail cars

mglover@sacbee.com (Mark Glover) — Thu, 24 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Sacramento's Siemens manufacturing plant will build 18 of its S70 light-rail vehicles for TriMet in Portland, Ore., under a $73 million contract being announced today.

Rider writes about Sacramento light-rail adventures

tbizjak@sacbee.com (Tony Bizjak) — Wed, 23 May 2012 17:31:17 +0000

Brian Green is light rail's self-chosen cultural anthropologist. BlackBerry in hand, he taps out short, on-the-spot reports to his 600-plus friends on Facebook.

Brian Green chats with Colleen Haerr, left, as they commute from east of Sacramento on light rail to their jobs downtown. Green has compiled tales of his varied experiences on light-rail trains in a book, "Rail Tales: Adventures on Public Transit." "You can't make this stuff up!" he says. "I'm trying not to be a voyeur. I just love to people-watch."

Green's book includes photos like this, taken amid his light rail travels between Rosemont, where he lives, in to downtown Sacramento, where he works at the state Senate.

Brian Green's book includes photos like this, taken amid his light rail travels between Rosemont, where he lives, in to downtown Sacramento, where he works at the state Senate.

AAA estimates holiday driving will see increase in California

mglover@sacbee.com (Mark Glover) — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:20:16 +0000

AAA Northern California estimates that 4.2 million Californians plan on traveling 50 miles or more during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, a 1.5 percent increase compared with last year.

Registrations show new-vehicle increase in California

mglover@sacbee.com (Mark Glover) — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:20:09 +0000

New-vehicle registrations statewide rose nearly 18 percent in this year's first quarter compared with the year-ago period, according to the latest report released by the Sacramento-based California New Car Dealers Association.

Gas prices dip slightly in Sacramento area

mglover@sacbee.com (Mark Glover) — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:22:30 +0000

Progress in getting West Coast refineries back online pushed Sacramento-area gasoline prices slightly lower over the past week.

Bill requires custody for bringing gun into airport in California

jsanders@sacbee.com (Jim Sanders) — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:13:20 +0000

Four months after a California assemblyman was cited and released for carrying a gun into an airport, the Assembly passed legislation Monday that would require offenders to be taken into custody in such situations.

Back-seat Driver: Sacramentans love to vacation at beach

tbizjak@sacbee.com (Tony Bizjak) — Sun, 20 May 2012 20:17:32 +0000

Memorial Day weekend is ahead, and that means it's summer driving season.

Tony Bizjak

Gas price rises to $4.24 in Sacramento area

mglover@sacbee.com (Mark Glover) — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:22:20 +0000

While much of the rest of the country has been seeing relief at the gas pumps over the past two weeks, motorists in the Sacramento area and throughout the West Coast have been taking it on the chin.

A customer fills up his tank at a local gas station in Miami, Friday, May 27, 2011. With gas prices still topping the $4-a-gallon mark in much of the country and forcing holiday travelers to spend more on fill-ups this Memorial Day weekend, some are opting to to stay closer to home.(AP Photo/ Alan Diaz)

Bicycle advocates chalk up successes of Bike Month

brobertson@sacbee.com (Blair Anthony Robertson) — Thu, 17 May 2012 18:44:00 +0000

In the eight years since the "May Is Bike Month" campaign began, area cyclists have ridden millions of miles while demonstrating that bikes are, among other things, an easy solution to complex problems.

Cyclists stop at the bicyclist fueling station outside of Old Soul Coffee and Edible Pedal on Bike to Work Day in Sacramento on Thursday morning, May 17, 2012. The "Engergizer Stateion" was hosted by the Employees of the California Department of Public Health and Department of Health Care Services in the alleyway between L Street and Capitol and 17th.

A bike valet stays busy during Capitol BikeFest earlier this month at the state Capitol.

Sacto 911: Cell phone tickets written in April in California up 5,000

blindelof@sacbee.com (Bill Lindelof) — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:33:04 +0000

The number of drivers cited for using their cell phones while driving in April was up over a year earlier.

A motorist uses a cell phone while driving in Sacramento on Tuesday, August 10, 2010.

Sacramento airport applies to use private contractors for security screeners

tbizjak@sacbee.com (Tony Bizjak) — Sun, 13 May 2012 22:13:40 +0000

Sacramento International Airport wants to dump its federal security screeners and replace them with private contractors.

TSA agents Michelle Clay, left, and Tiffany Pluciennik check passenger IDs at the security checkpoint inside Sacramento International's Terminal B. The airport wants to use private contractors to conduct security checks; 16 other airports already do.

A TSA agent watches as a woman is body-scanned in the security checkpoint at Sacramento International Airport earlier this week. San Francisco's airport uses private screeners, but the TSA chooses the equipment and how it is used.

Work on major improvement projects at Heavenly likely to start in August

Sun, 13 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

The U.S. Forest Service's Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has released a draft decision for 2012 capital improvement projects at Heavenly Ski Resort.

Obama official warns California Legislature to move on high-speed rail funds

dsiders@sacbee.com (David Siders) — Fri, 11 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood warned California lawmakers Thursday not to wait until fall for a vote on high-speed rail, urging its approval in a budget vote next month.

Study: Dramatic rise in young people using cell phones while driving

blindelof@sacbee.com (Bill Lindelof) — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:09:13 +0000

A state study released today shows a dramatic rise in the numbers of young people who use cell phones while driving.

A motorist uses a cell phone while driving in Sacramento on Tuesday, August 10, 2010.

Man rescued from under Sacramento RT train in critical condition

clocke@sacbee.com (Cathy Locke and Tony Bijzak) — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:25:41 +0000

A man was taken to a local hospital in critical condition late Tuesday afternoon after he was extricated from beneath a light-rail car in downtown Sacramento.

Sacramento emergency workers raise a light-rail train Tuesday to pull out a man who somehow fell during an argument and was run over by the train, which was stopping on the K Street Mall. Service was disrupted for evening commuters.

Firefighters move the rescued man, left, who was taken to UC Davis Medical Center. Yellow tape, above, kept crowds clear of the rescue after the accident at 4:24 p.m.

Yellow tape kept crowds clear of the rescue after the accident at 4:24 p.m.

California's average cost of gasoline is $4.21

mglover@sacbee.com (Mark Glover) — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:26:04 +0000

You know things are tough when $4.21-a-gallon gas is considered an improvement.