The Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) announced its selection as a round 1 grantee of the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience program by the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI). The $449,900 grant will help provide much-needed heat-resilient bus shelters in the Sacramento region to protect transit riders from extreme heat.

Providing Shelter

The funding will enable SacRT to deploy up to 20 heat-resilient shelters at bus stop locations that are shelter-ready with space requirements, many of which serve disadvantaged and low-income communities disproportionately affected by rising temperatures.

The Enhancing Public Health with Heat-Resilient Shelters project aligns with the SacRT’s Bus Stop Improvement Plan (BSIP) developed in collaboration with Civic Thread, a community-based organization focused on advocacy and public engagement.

The project will deploy new shelters in locations identified in the BSIP, including the county and in the cities of Citrus Heights, Folsom, Rancho Cordova, and Sacramento.

Finding the Right Shelter

SacRT will Research and design innovative shelters with a focus on heat resilience, ventilation and sun protection, partner with stakeholders and community members to align on project goals and incorporate feedback on shelter options, and produce and install shelters at pre-identified “shelter-ready” stops and conduct ridership and satisfaction evaluations post-installation to ensure these shelters meet rider needs and improve comfort.

SacRT has been recognized for their proactive approach to protecting transit-dependent communities from the challenges of extreme heat. By creating cooler, safer spaces for transit riders, SacRT aims to foster healthier, more sustainable, and inclusive communities.

The project is expected to begin during spring of 2025.