Cars pack Sacramento's Fab 40s for Christmas night holiday lights viewing
SACRAMENTO — By Christmas night, most people have reached their holiday destination and there's nearly no traffic on the roads — except in one very specific spot in Sacramento where cars have been bumper to bumper ever since the sun went down.
Car after car was causing Christmas-time gridlock as crowds went out to see the brightly lit homes in Sacramento's Fab 40s neighborhood, which is a holiday tradition for many people.
The neighborhood located on streets numbered in the 40s between J Street and Folsom Boulevard goes all out with holiday decorations. The thousands of lights attract a lot of families driving by in cars and other vehicles like horse carriages and tuk tuk.
Many homeowners appreciate seeing all the people pass by.
"I think it's great," said Lisa Harney, who lives in the area. "Everybody's very festive. They're very grateful. They're very passionate. It's wonderful."
However, Harney said that one of her neighbors recently sold their home because of the annual crowds.
"They moved," she said. "They can't stand it. It's too much traffic, too many people. It hasn't been fun for them."
Backups can get so bad at times that they show up in red on Caltrans traffic maps — and there are some other problems with having so many people pass through the neighborhood.
"We're a little disappointed they bring in their trash and they throw things everywhere," Harney said.
For now, these homeowners continue the Christmastime tradition, bringing a little extra joy to the world one yard at a time.
The city councilmember who represents the neighborhood said that he's aware of some of the complaints and said people should be respectful by not blocking driveways and not leaving any litter behind.