by Jerry Feitelberg

SACRAMENTO–Sacramento City attorneys and Sacramento Kings attorneys argued in the Sacramento Superior Court of Judge Timothy Frawley saying that the traffic impact report that plaintiff lawyers who are making claim that there will be well over 17,500 fans in downtown to the higher number of 31,000 plus would be rarer in size. The 31,000 count assesed by attorney’s representing groups concerned about environmental traffic issues say that on non-game nights concerts, ice shows, boxing, WFC, and any other event could draw the 31,000 mark.

Extra seats could be sold where standing room and outside perimiters of the Kings Arena could have concert goers inflate the usual 17,500 that would attend Kings games. Frawley heard closing arguments in lawsuits that were filed by two seperate environment groups. The final decision of the lawsuit is expected in less than 30 days from now.

Frawley contended that most parts of the lawsuits arguing about unruly fans, pollution,fan riots and use of public subsidies by the city had been for the most part thrown out. Former Caltrans director Adrianna Saltonstall whose lawsuit about traffic conditions in downtown was allowed to stay in the fight. Saltonstall said that the city failed to include “enforceable performance standards” that would assist the Kings new arena traffic management in the planning to reduce traffic in downtown.

Most retailers have already moved out of the center portion of the Downtown Plaza and the end parts of the plaza are occupied by Starbucks, Macy’s and Forever 21 on one end and 24 Hour Fitness and Sketchers shoes at the other end of the plaza. It just so happens one of the Kings co-owners Mark Mastrov is the founder of 24 Hour Fitness and his store at the plaza will remain in place.

If Saltonstall’s arguement is found relevant by Frawley the Kings very well might have to revisit it’s traffic obligations if the environmental impact report or the outlines of the California Environmental Quality Act are not met the Kings then would have to develop a budget to satisfy the CEQA standards and spend more dollars to work with Arena Traffic Management in making street access and freeway traffic conditions practical for fans arriving at the arena for events.

Studies have shown by the city’s arena traffic analysis that traffic one hour before events coming from either I-5 North or South off ramps at Third and J Streets would suffer congestion anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour before events. The Kings attorneys said that the team have put $500,000 into studies that would construct a street car plan that would run past the arena by the cities of West Sacramento and Sacramento.

Caltrans officials have concluded that a new street car line going past the arena and into downtown would reduce traffic on the I-5 corridors and the estimated cost of construction from start to finish on such a project would run $130 million. The Kings and City attorneys are studying a financing plan for such a street car project. The approval of the traffic measurement plan by the Sacramento City Council left out one issue after the final drafts were approved and that was paid police officers at the foot of the I-5 ramp at J Street directing traffic.

With Frawley throwing out most of the arguments made by the plaintiff’s attorneys challenging the traffic conditions the Kings and the City will have to tighten down the traffic congestion issues before games and events. City Attorney Shaye Diveley of Mayer Nave said that the oversight on the traffic documents do not affect the traffic’s enforceability.

Sacramento for Shared Prosperity attorney’s Kelly Smith and Don Mooney begged to differ stating that the oversight into the plan could make it more difficult to enforce the traffic mitigation plan. Mooney had called the oversight “fishy” and that the true count for events would be more than the 17,500 that the Kings claim but there would be a outdoor plaza that could fill up to 12,000 fans, and a room for standing only for 2,000 fans.

Jerry Feitelberg is covering the arena developments for the Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

photo credit: google images