Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority

The Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority is a special-purpose district body formed for the sole purpose of providing a public transit connection between the disparate Bay Area Rapid Transit and Altamont Corridor Express services.[1]

History

The First Transcontinental Railroad right of way was deeded to Alameda County by Southern Pacific Railroad in 1984. Altamont Commuter Express commuter rail service began between Stockton and San Jose in 1996 using the Union Pacific right of way over Altamont Pass.

A similar plan to run diesel multiple unit trains across Altamont Pass was proposed by BART in 2003, though it comprised a different service area (continuing north along the Iron Horse Regional Trail).[2]

In 2017, citing lack of interest in bringing BART service directly to Livermore from the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, the Livermore City Council proposed a newly established local entity to undertake planning and construction of the extension,[3] which was also recommended by the California State Assembly Transportation Committee.[4] Assembly Bill 758 was signed by Governor of California Jerry Brown on October 13, 2017,[1] formally establishing the Authority.

On May 24 2018, the BART board voted against a full rapid transit BART build or a bus rapid transit system to extend service from Dublin/Pleasanton station.[5]

According to AB 758, a feasibility study for service must be prepared before June 2019.[6]

Rail service

Valley Rail
 Stockton
 Lathrop/Manteca
Phase 2
Phase 1
 River Islands
 Tracy Transit Station
 Ellis Historical Station
 Mountain House
San Joaquin County
Alameda County
Altamont Pass through
the Diablo Range
 Greenville Road
Altamont Corridor Express
 Isabel
 Dublin/Pleasanton
Bay Area Rapid Transit
BART
to Daly City

Valley Rail[7] is a plan to utilize diesel multiple units or electric multiple units along the former First Transcontinental Railroad right-of-way through the Altamont Pass and in the Interstate 580 median through the city of Livermore. Trains would run from River Islands at Lathrop to the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station with several stops in Tracy with ACE interchanges provided at Greenfield Road and North Lathrop.[8] Weekday service would run on 30 minute headways and connect to every other BART train at Dublin/Pleasanton.[9]

The developer of River Islands has offered to cover the cost of station construction in exchange for the ability to build a transit village at the site.[10]

In 2018, Stadler met with the governing board to discuss traction sources – diesel multiple unit or diesel / battery electric hybrid will likely serve the route. AECOM was contracted to perform a feasibility study for the project that same year.[7]

A further extension could bring service to Stockton via a new route along the Interstate 5 right of way.

Funding

Funds previously allocated to BART to construct a Livermore extension were forfeited to this authority by July 1, 2018,[5] amounting to at least $145 million.[5] Funding for the feasibility study was provided variously by CalTrans, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and the San Joaquin County Council of Government.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 "AB-758 Transportation: Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority". Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  2. ↑ Cabanatuan, Michael (June 13, 2003). "BART ponders eastern extensions / Planned routes call for unfamiliar trains". SF Gate.
  3. ↑ Angela Ruggiero, Angela Ruggiero (11 April 2017). "Livermore says BART board doesn't care, wants local control". Vallejo Times-Herald. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  4. ↑ Matthews, Sam (28 April 2017). "Closer to a BART connection". Tracy Press. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 Baldassari, Erin (24 May 2018). "BART rejects Livermore expansion; mayor vows rail connection". East Bay Times. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  6. ↑ Matthews, Sam (9 March 2018). "The wheres and hows of local light rail". Tracy Press. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 McNicoll, Ron (21 June 2018). "Rail to BART Completes Study Funding". The Independent. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  8. ↑ Matthews, Sam (27 July 2018). "Light rail system selects downtown station". Tracy Press. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  9. ↑ "Project Concept". ACE to BART. Tri-Valley - San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  10. ↑ Wyatt, Dennis (23 June 2018). "VALLEY'S 1ST TRANSIT VILLAGE?". Mantecca Bulletin. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
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