There was recently a fine example of the 1%’ers disrupting life here in Sacramento. Not the Wall Street types that the Occupy movement has been going after for the past few years but still individuals, nonetheless, who made life harder for the average person here in our city for a day—marathoners. specifically, the participants in the 31st Annual California International Marathon.
According to the announcer at the event’s finish line at the State Capitol, people who have finished a marathon make up less than 1% of the world’s population. So it was for this relatively small number of people going for a 26.2 mile jog that working people’s ability to get to work or do shopping in the downtown area was compromised. If you want a specific example of this inconvenience, speak with the employees who were scheduled to open the Subway at the corner of 8th and J Street on the morning of the event. They have a story to share with you as to the inconvenience caused by the marathon.
The biggest reason that these employees and others were late for their jobs and for the inconveniencing of those who wanted to shop was the blocking off of several PUBLIC roads for the use of a nominally privately sponsored event, not to mention the disruption of multiple public transportation routes for this private event.
Here are a listing of the disruptions of the Sac RT system during the event:
Effective Sunday, December 8, 2013, Bus Service will be Disrupted Between 7 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Due to the 31st Annual California International Marathon (CIM)
Sunday, December 8, the 31st annual California International Marathon will cause prolonged closures of streets in RT’s service area. Light rail will not be affected.
The following routes will be affected as CIM runners race from the city of Folsom to downtown Sacramento between 7 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.: 15, 21, 23, 26, 30, 38, 51, 67, 68, 80, 82, 86, 87 and 88
Route 15 will detour via 8th Street; right on N Street, right on 9th Street, right on P Street, right on 5th Street, right on J Street, right on 8th Street, right on K Street and right on 8th Street. There is no service on 8th Street between K and N streets.
Route 21 will not operate between Sunrise Boulevard/Winding Way and Sunrise Boulevard/Trinity River Drive. Passengers traveling between Sunrise Boulevard/Winding Way and Sunrise Boulevard/Trinity River Drive must take Route 1 and light rail to board Route 21 at either the Sunrise Mall Transit Center or the Mather Field/Mills light rail station.
Route 23 will not operate between San Juan Avenue/Winding Way and El Camino Avenue/Garfield Avenue. During the detour, passengers can board the bus on Garfield Avenue and on Winding Way.
Route 26 will operate between Fulton Avenue/Northrop Avenue and the University/65th Street light rail station via the freeway. Passengers traveling from the University/65th Street light rail station to State University Drive East/College Town Drive are encouraged to use Route 30 to the CSUS Transit Center, which will pick up and drop off passengers in the Route 82 bus space at the University/65th Street light rail station.
Route 30 will not operate on J Street between 28th Street and the CSUS Transit Center, on Alhambra Boulevard, and on L Street east of 7th Street.
Route 38 will not operate on L Street between 10th and 5th streets. Passengers are encouraged to board on L Street at 4th Street. In addition, Route 38 service will not serve J Street at 8th Street, or on 9th Street between J and N streets. Passengers are encouraged to board the bus on 7th Street.
Routes 51 will not operate on 8th Street between O and K streets.
Routes 67 and 68 will not operate on 29th Street between G and P streets or on 30th Street between G and Q streets.
Route 80 passengers traveling southbound to La Riviera Drive or Watt/Manlove light rail station are encouraged to transfer to Routes 26, 82 or 87 at the Hurley Avenue bus stop in front of the Shell gas station and take it to the University/65th Street light rail station and take light rail (Gold Line) to the Watt/Manlove light rail station and transfer back to the Route 80.
Route 80 passengers traveling northbound are encouraged to take light rail (Gold Line) from the Watt/Manlove light rail station to the University/65th Street light rail station and transfer to Routes 26, 82 or 87 to travel to the Hurley Avenue bus stop and transfer to Route 80 by the Valero gas station.
Route 82 will operate non-stop between Northrop Avenue/Howe Avenue and the University/65th Street light rail station using the freeway. Route 30 will operate between the University/65th Street light rail station and the CSUS Transit Center. It will pick up and drop off passengers in the Route 82 bus space.
Routes 86 and 88 passengers who normally board at the bus stops on 9th and K streets or L and 9th streets will need to board the buses at 7th and K streets.
Route 87 will operate non-stop between Howe Avenue/Hurley Way and the University/65th Street light rail station via the freeway. Passengers traveling from the University/65th Street light rail station to CSUS are encouraged to use Route 30 to CSUS, which will pick up and drop off passengers in the Route 82 bus space at the University/65th Street light rail stations.
Finally, for all the pretense offered by your legislators and state government officials of being “representatives of the people” and “working for the interest of the common man”, they most certainly didn’t frown upon the creation of a VIP area on the balcony of a public office building overlooking finish line of the race. It would be interesting to see whom among elected representatives and state officials took advantage of this view. I wonder if those who did would be willing to go on the record to say that they did. Not many, I bet, would be willing.
sacramentopress.com/2013/12/11/opinion-one-percenters-take-over-the-streets-in-sacramento
I am Puddin' 