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The Folsom South Canal Partners will be requesting that Sacramento Regional Transit add a light rail station at the Mine Shaft site, creating an opportunity for transit oriented development (TOD). The 13-acre parcel, known as the Mine Shaft because of its previous use as an entertainment venue featuring a miniature golf course, is bordered by Folsom Boulevard on the north and the canal on the south. Plans for the Mine Shaft development are consistent with those of transit oriented development: higher densities with mixed-uses including residential units. The Mine Shaft future plans also take advantage of bike and pedestrian opportunities make possible by its proximity to the canal.
A unique attribute of the Canal is that it crosses the RT light rail line at Folsom Boulevard. This creates a special opportunity for a transitoriented development (TOD) at or near the Mine Shaft property. A TOD is simply a mixed-use project that is built at walkable densities and is located adjacent to transit so that it can enhance ridership. TODs leverage the existing public investment in rail with development that is best suited to encourage pedestrian activity and transit ridership. With the Canal bordering the site, an additional transportation connection is possible, providing easy bicycle, and even bus rapid transit access via the Canal right of way. By bridging the Canal into Westborough, a TOD could access the large number of shoppers and workers at the planned commercial development there.
The Mine Shaft site is a logical location for a LRT station because it is approximately equidistant from the Sunrise and Hazel stations. An important consideration, however, is the timing of construction of such a station. While the Folsom line is scheduled to open in October 2005, there is no development today at the Mine Shaft site that would support a new station. However, a station could be built in the future when mixed-use development is built at or near the site. With only approximately 13 acres, the Mine Shaft site would not likely be able to provide enough development to support a LRT station on its own. Therefore, bridging the Canal and accessing the larger commercial development at Westborough will be critical to making a new station feasible. This puts the timing for such a station at least five years out.
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| Images of three buildings of similar structure to those proposed. |
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| Images from a similar project under development in Arizona. |
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| Overview of planned development. |
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