Title
Approval of Preliminary Design and Certification of the Subsequent Environmental Impact Report for the Two Rivers Trail Phase III Project (T15225400)
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FileID
File ID: 2026-00359
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Location
Location: South bank of the American River, in the River District and Sutter’s Landing Park, District 4
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Recommendation
Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution: 1) certifying the Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) and adopting the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) for the Project; and 2) approving the preliminary design plan for the Two Rivers Trail Phase III Project (T15225400).
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Contact
Contact: Adam Randolph, Senior Engineer, (916) 808-7803, arandolph@cityofsacramento.org; Jesse Gothan, Supervising Engineer, (916) 808-6897, jgothan@cityofsacramento.org; Ofelia Avalos, Engineering Manager, (916) 808-5054, oavalos@cityofsacramento.org; Department of Public Works
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Presenter
Presenter: None
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Attachments
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Resolution
3-Exhibit A - Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
4-Preliminary Plans
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Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: The Two Rivers Trail Phase III Project will provide the final link in the Two Rivers Trail system within Sutter’s Landing Park. The project will include a trail gap closure at the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) Crossing on the eastern boundary of Sutter’s Landing Park. It will also extend the trail within Sutter’s Landing Park at 28th Street West, approximately one mile to join the Sacramento Northern Trail. In addition, the project will explore alternatives to cross State Route 160 to connect with the Two Rivers Trail Phase I Project (K19003000).
On February 4, 2020, the City Council adopted Resolution 2020-0045 to certify the Two Rivers Trail Phase II (K15125000) Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which included a trail connection west of 28th Street crossing through Sutter’s Landing Park, across the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, and connecting to the Sacramento Northern Trail.
Staff refined the alternatives from the 2020 EIR and augmented them to include a near-term project which includes a loop trail within Sutter’s Landing Park; a near-term project which connects the Sacramento Northern Trail to the 12th Street Class IV Bikeway; and longer-term projects that involve environmental review and clearance to build an overhead structure over the railroad and an undercrossing of Caltrans State Route 160.
City staff completed a preliminary engineering plan of the proposed trail and has prepared a Subsequent EIR (SEIR) analyzing and addressing potential environmental impacts beyond what have already been addressed in the 2020 EIR. City Council approval of preliminary engineering plans and adoption of the SEIR is required to begin the right-of-way and final design phases.
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PolicyConsiderations
Policy Considerations: The actions requested herein are consistent with the City’s goals of creating walkable and bikeable communities and enhancing overall livability. Specific goals the project addresses are as follows:
M-1.11: Increase Bicycling and Walking. The City shall strive to increase bicycling and walking citywide so that it can meet its equity, reduced vehicle miles traveled, and sustainability goals;
M-1.17: Improve Bicycling Connectivity. The City shall plan and seek funding for a continuous, low-stress bikeway network consisting of bicycling-friendly facilities that connect neighborhoods with destinations and activity centers throughout the city;
M-1.18: Bicycling Safety. When designing projects, the City shall prioritize designs that strengthen the protection of people bicycling such as improvements that increase visibility of bicyclists, increase bikeway widths, raise bikeways, design safer intersection crossings and turns, and separate bikeways from driving traffic wherever feasible;
M-1.19: Walking Safety. When designing projects, the City shall prioritize designs that encourage walking and improve walking safety best practice designs and considerations for efficiencies in walking;
LUP-2.2 Interconnected City. The City should establish a network of interconnected activity centers, corridors, parks, and neighborhoods that promote walking, bicycling, and mass transit use as viable alternatives to private vehicles;
YPRO-1.15 Path Connections. The City shall maintain existing and pursue new connections to local and regional shared-use paths, especially when connecting to public parkland;
YPRO-1.17 - Waterway Recreation and Access: The City shall work with regional partners, State agencies, non-profit and community groups, private landowners, and land developers to manage, preserve, improve, and enhance use and access to the Sacramento and American River Parkways, urban waterways and riparian corridors to increase public access for active and passive recreation and habitat values;
YPRO-1.18 Integrated Parks and Recreation System. The City shall continue to provide an integrated system of parks, open space areas, and recreational facilities that are safe, connect diverse communities, acknowledge neighborhood context, protect and provide access to nature, integrate with adjacent developments, and make efficient use of land and open space.
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EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: None.
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EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations: On February 4, 2020, the City Council certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) and adopted Findings of Fact and the associated Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the Two Rivers Trail Phase II Project (K15125000) (Resolution No. 2020-0045).
The Two Rivers Trail Phase III Project advances the City’s long-term vision for a continuous riverfront trail by completing the remaining segment evaluated conceptually in the Phase II EIR (SCH# 2018102058). The Project also expands upon the Phase II analysis to include interim connections to the River District with Phase III improvements and long-term, future phased trail improvements.
During environmental review, staff determined that the project changes warranted preparation of a SEIR pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15162. A SEIR is appropriate when substantial updates or modifications to a previously analyzed project could:
• Introduce new potentially significant impacts;
• Increase the severity of previously identified impacts; or
• Reflect changes in the circumstances under which the project would occur.
The introduction of new facilities, including the pedestrian overcrossing of the UPRR and the trail undercrossing of State Route 160 resulted in new or refined impacts related to aesthetics, biological resources, cultural resources, hazardous materials, and tribal cultural resources. These impacts were fully evaluated in the Two Rivers Trail Phase II SEIR. All new or increased impacts were reduced to a less than significant level through implementation of mitigation measures. As a result, no significant and unavoidable impacts were identified for the updated Two Rivers Trail Phase III Project. The analysis in SEIR demonstrates that through implementation of the Two Rivers Trail Phase III Project mitigation measures, all of the potentially significant impacts associated with the proposed project would be reduced to a less than significant level. The Two Rivers Trail Phase III Project Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program incorporate the project changes and updated mitigation measures from the previously certified Phase II EIR Findings of Fact. The previously certified Phase II EIR Statement of Overriding Considerations continue to satisfy CEQA requirements for the Phase III project.
The Two Rivers Trail Phase III Final SEIR can be found at:
www.cityofsacramento.gov/community-development/planning/environmental/impact-reports
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Sustainability
Sustainability: The proposed project supports City Council’s sustainability priorities. The transportation sector accounts for 57% of community-wide greenhouse gas emissions, the largest single sector in the community. The City’s Climate Action Plan includes several implementation measures to reduce vehicle trips. The project would increase active transportation, reduce vehicular trips, and help ensure more efficient vehicular flow. These actions will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help improve local air quality.
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Commission/Committee Action
Commission/Committee Action: The Two Rivers Trail Phase III Project was presented as a discussion item to the Active Transportation Commission on August 15, 2024 and June 12, 2025. The project was presented to the Disabilities Advisory Commission (DAC) as a discussion item on June 4, 2025.
Concerns over both accessibility as well as safety of pedestrians and cyclists have been incorporated into the design concept for the trail.
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RationaleforRecommendation
Rationale for Recommendation: To complete this phase of the Two Rivers Trail and proceed with final design and right-of-way activities, City Council approval of the preliminary plans and of the SEIR for the Two Rivers Trail is required.
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FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: The recommendations in this report do not result in any financial impacts to the City. The Two Rivers Trail Phase III (T15225400) is fully funded through the final design phase with state and local funds.
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LocalBusinessEnterprise
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
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