Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority

Last updated

Valley Link
Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority Logo.png
Overview
StatusIn planning
OwnerTri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority
Locale Tri-Valley / San Joaquin County
Termini
Stations7 (+2 planned)
Website https://www.valleylinkrail.com/
Service
TypeHybrid rail
Services1
Operator(s) San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission
Depot(s)Hansen Road Operations and Maintenance Facility
Rolling stock Electro-diesel multiple unit
History
Planned opening2028 (2028)
Technical
Line length42 mi (68 km)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Route map

Contents

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future phase to
North Lathrop
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Mountain House layover facility
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Mountain House
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BSicon STRc2.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon CONT3.svg
BSicon STRc2.svg
BSicon xKRZ3+1u.svg
BSicon STRc4.svg
BSicon STR2+1.svg
BSicon STRc34.svg
BSicon lGIPl.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon xKRZ2+4u.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon RP4c2.svg
BSicon lhSTRc2e.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon RP43+1.svg
BSicon lhSTR3+1.svg
BSicon STR+4.svg
BSicon RP4+1yvRP2.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon RP4c4.svg
BSicon lhSTRc4e.svg
BSicon CONTf@F.svg
BSicon vRP2BHF.svg
BSicon exBHF.svg
Southfront Road
BSicon vRP2BHF.svg
BSicon exBHF.svg
Isabel
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BSicon vRP2BHF.svg
BSicon exINT.svg
Dublin/Pleasanton
Bart-logo.svg
BSicon MFADEf.svg
BSicon uCONTf@F.svg
BSicon vRP2.svg

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, known as Valley Link, between broad-gauge Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and standard-gauge Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) services, in Northern California. [1]

In its initial phase, Valley Link is a planned 42 miles (68 km) rail project to connect the existing end-of-track Dublin/Pleasanton BART station with the ACE North Lathrop station, using standard-gauge electro-diesel multiple unit vehicles.

History

Summit tunnel at Altamont Pass, Western Pacific Railroad (1862-1870), by Thomas Houseworth & Co. Looking out of the tunnel at Livermore Pass, Alameda County, Western Pacific Railroad, by Thomas Houseworth & Co..jpg
Summit tunnel at Altamont Pass, Western Pacific Railroad (1862–1870), by Thomas Houseworth & Co.

About 12 miles (19 km) of the First transcontinental railroad right of way through the Tri-Valley and Altamont Pass, originally established in 1869 by the old Western Pacific Railroad, was deeded to Alameda County by Southern Pacific Railroad in 1984. This historic 1869 route featured a Summit Tunnel, 1,200 feet (370 m) long, blasted and dug by Chinese laborers. [2] The Altamont Commuter Express commuter rail service, which began between Stockton and San Jose in 1998, uses the other Union Pacific right of way that goes over Altamont Pass, established in 1908.

The Western Pacific Railroad (1862-1870) right of way (center and right) through the Altamont Pass. Alameda County acquired line in 1984. The route of the Altamont Corridor Express is the track higher in elevation on the left. Western Pacific on Southern Pacific trackage in Altamont Pass, CA in April 1982 (30495390142).jpg
The Western Pacific Railroad (1862–1870) right of way (center and right) through the Altamont Pass. Alameda County acquired line in 1984. The route of the Altamont Corridor Express is the track higher in elevation on the left.

A similar plan to run diesel multiple unit trains across Altamont Pass was proposed by BART in 2003, though it comprised a larger service area (continuing north along the Iron Horse Regional Trail, a former Southern Pacific right-of-way). [3]

In 2017, citing lack of interest from the Bay Area Rapid Transit District in bringing BART service directly to Livermore, the Livermore City Council proposed a newly established local entity to undertake planning and construction of the extension, [4] which was also recommended by the California State Assembly Transportation Committee. [5] 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 east from Dublin/Pleasanton station. [6] This prompted the new Rail Authority to initiate planning of a new transit system.

A final feasibility report was released in October 2019. The buildout cost to North Lathrop was estimated at between $1.88 billion and $3.21 billion, with an expected start of operations between the second quarter of 2027 and the fourth quarter of 2028. [7] Scott Haggerty, one of the founders of the TVSJVRRA, noted that the popularity of the project was reflected in the volume of public comments to the feasibility report. [8] A draft environmental impact report was released in December 2020. [9] The final environmental impact report was approved by the board in May 2021, allowing the rail authority to proceed with design and continue seeking funding for the project. [10]

Rail service

Valley Link 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 initially run 42 miles (68 km) from the ACE North Lathrop station to the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station with stops in the Tracy area and potential transfer stations with ACE at Greenville Road in Livermore and North Lathrop. [11] Weekday service would connect to every other BART train at Dublin/Pleasanton. [12]

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. [13]

In 2018, Stadler met with the governing board to discuss traction sources; diesel multiple unit or diesel / battery electric hybrid vehicles will likely serve the route. AECOM was contracted to perform a feasibility study for the project that same year. [14] The loading gauge of highway underpasses limits the selection of rolling stock.

The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission agreed to operate the service in 2020. [15]

By 2023, the locally preferred alternative had the line utilizing the I-580 median and Western Pacific alignment until realigning with I-580 north of the Summit Tunnel and continuing east to Mountain House. [16]

Funding

Funds previously allocated to BART to construct a Livermore extension were forfeited to this authority by July 1, 2018, [6] amounting to at least $145 million. [6] Funding for the feasibility study was provided variously by Caltrans, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and the San Joaquin County Council of Governments. [14] By February 2019, more than $588 million had been accumulated for the project. [17] In 2020, the project gained a further $400 million from reallocated BART funds. [18]

Stations

Trains will terminate at Dublin/Pleasanton station, seen here in 2017, and connect to Bay Area Rapid Transit trains. Dublin Pleasanton station from garage, May 2018.JPG
Trains will terminate at Dublin/Pleasanton station, seen here in 2017, and connect to Bay Area Rapid Transit trains.

The following are initial planned stations along the route: [16]

StationLocationConnections
Mountain House Tracy
Southfront Road Livermore
Isabel
Dublin/Pleasanton Dublin/Pleasanton Bart-logo.svg BART
Aiga bus trans.svg Amtrak Thruway, County Connection, RTD, StanRTA, WHEELS

Further phases are planned to extend the line north to Lathrop and Stockton. Infill stations at Ellis and Grant Line Road may be added in the future.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Livermore, California</span> City in California, United States

Livermore is a city in Alameda County, California. With a 2020 population of 87,955, Livermore is the most populous city in the Tri-Valley, giving its name to the Livermore Valley. It is located on the eastern edge of California's San Francisco Bay Area, making it the easternmost city in the area. The current mayor is John Marchand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracy, California</span> City in California, United States

Tracy is the second most populated city in San Joaquin County, California, United States. The population was 93,000 at the 2020 census. Tracy is located inside a geographic triangle formed by Interstate 205 on the north side of the city, Interstate 5 to the east, and Interstate 580 to the southwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tri-Valley</span> Area of the East Bay

The Tri-Valley area is grouping of three valleys in the East Bay region of California's Bay Area. The three valleys are Amador Valley, San Ramon Valley, and Livermore Valley. The Tri-Valley encompasses the cities of Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton and San Ramon, the town of Danville and the CDPs of Alamo, Blackhawk and Diablo. The area is known for its Mediterranean climate, wineries, and nature. It is primarily suburban in character. The United States Census Bureau defines an urban area centered in the cities of Livermore, Pleasanton, and Dublin with a 2020 population of 240,381, ranked 167th in the United States in terms of population. The total population of the area is estimated to be 361,000. It offers more affordable living accommodations than the cities of San Francisco and San Jose.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Altamont Corridor Express</span> Commuter rail service in California

The Altamont Corridor Express is a commuter rail service in California, connecting Stockton and San Jose during peak hours only. ACE is named for the Altamont Pass, through which it runs. Service is managed by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, and operations are contracted to Herzog Transit Services. The 86-mile (138 km) route includes ten stops, with travel time about 2 hours and 12 minutes end-to-end. In 2022, the line had a ridership of 389,100, or about 2,500 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2023. ACE uses Bombardier BiLevel Coaches, MPI F40PH-3C locomotives, and Siemens Charger locomotives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wheels (California)</span>

Wheels is a public bus service in the Tri-Valley region (southeast Alameda County) of the San Francisco Bay Area in California, United States. It is operated by the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (LAVTA). Wheels operates local and limited-stop service in Dublin, Pleasanton, and Livermore, with limited service into Contra Costa County along Interstate 680. The LAVTA was formed in 1985; service began in Dublin and Pleasanton in 1986. In 1987, it took over the 1978-opened Rideo service in Livermore. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 1,019,400, or about 4,500 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Altamont Pass</span> Mountain pass through the Diablo Range in Northern California

Altamont Pass, formerly Livermore Pass, is a low mountain pass in the Diablo Range of Northern California between Livermore in the Livermore Valley and Tracy in the San Joaquin Valley. The name is actually applied to two distinct but nearby crossings of the range. The lower of the two, at an elevation of 741 ft (226 m), carries two railroad rights-of-way (ROWs) and Altamont Pass Road, part of the old Lincoln Highway and the original alignment of US 50 before it was bypassed c. 1937. The bypass route travels over the higher summit, at 1,009 ft (308 m), and now carries Interstate 580, a major regional highway heavily congested by Central Valley suburbanization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Bay</span> Eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area, California, US

The East Bay is the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area and includes cities along the eastern shores of the San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay. The region has grown to include inland communities in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. With a population of roughly 2.5 million in 2010, it is the most populous subregion in the Bay Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron Horse Regional Trail</span> Multi-use trail in East Bay, California

The Iron Horse Regional Trail is a rail trail for pedestrians, horse riders and bicycles in the East Bay Area in California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dublin/Pleasanton station</span> Rapid transit station in Pleasanton, California, US

Dublin/Pleasanton station is a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station on the border of Dublin and Pleasanton in California. It is the eastern terminus of the Blue Line. It is also a major bus terminal served by six providers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of rail transportation in California</span>

The establishment of America's transcontinental rail lines securely linked California to the rest of the country, and the far-reaching transportation systems that grew out of them during the century that followed contributed to the state's social, political, and economic development. When California was admitted as a state to the United States in 1850, and for nearly two decades thereafter, it was in many ways isolated, an outpost on the Pacific, until the first transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Clara Transit Center</span> Train station in Santa Clara, California, U.S.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pleasanton station</span> Train station in Pleasanton, California, U.S.

Pleasanton station is a train station in Pleasanton, California served by Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) trains. It is located northwest of downtown Pleasanton adjacent to the Alameda County Fairgrounds. The station has a single side platform on the single track of the Union Pacific Railroad Oakland Subdivision.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Livermore station</span> Train stop for Altamont Commuter Express

Livermore is a train station in downtown Livermore, California.

Throughout the history of Bay Area Rapid Transit, there have been plans to extend service to other areas.

eBART Diesel LRT system going from Antioch to Pittsburg/Bay Point

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracy Transit Center</span> Bus station in Tracy, California, U.S.

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Southfront Road is a planned railway station in Livermore, California. It is a stop on the planned Valley Link system. Rush hour short turn Valley Link trains would operate from here to Dublin/Pleasanton. Service is expected to start as early as 2028.

Isabel station is a planned railway station in Livermore, California. It is expected to open in 2028 as a stop for Valley Link. The station's parking lot and bus bays are located on the north side of East Airway Boulevard while the platforms and rails are located in the median strip of Interstate 580 just east of Isabel Avenue.

References

  1. 1 2 "AB-758 Transportation: Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority" . Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  2. Chang, Gordon H.; Fisher Fishkin, Shelley, eds. (2019). The Chinese and the Iron Road; Building the Transcontinental Railroad. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. p. 291. ISBN   978-1503608290.
  3. Cabanatuan, Michael (June 13, 2003). "BART ponders eastern extensions / Planned routes call for unfamiliar trains". SF Gate.
  4. Angela Ruggiero, Angela Ruggiero (April 11, 2017). "Livermore says BART board doesn't care, wants local control". Vallejo Times-Herald. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  5. Matthews, Sam (April 28, 2017). "Closer to a BART connection". Tracy Press. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 Baldassari, Erin (May 24, 2018). "BART rejects Livermore expansion; mayor vows rail connection". East Bay Times. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  7. "Valley Link Final Feasibility Report" (PDF). Dropbox. Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  8. "Valley Link Feasibility Report approved by Tri-Valley – San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority Board". Mass Transit. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  9. "Environmental report drafted for Valley Link passenger-rail project". Progressive Railroading. December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  10. "Valley Link Board approves environmental report for rail project". masstransitmag.com. May 13, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  11. Matthews, Sam (July 27, 2018). "Light rail system selects downtown station". Tracy Press. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  12. "Project Concept". ACE to BART. Tri-Valley - San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  13. Wyatt, Dennis (June 23, 2018). "VALLEY'S 1ST TRANSIT VILLAGE?". Mantecca Bulletin. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  14. 1 2 McNicoll, Ron (June 21, 2018). "Rail to BART Completes Study Funding". The Independent. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  15. Wyatt, Dennis (February 12, 2021). "Rail Commute". Turlock Journal. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  16. 1 2 "Adoption of a Locally Preferred Alternative for Evaluation in National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Clearance" (PDF). Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority. April 12, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  17. Matthews, Sam (February 15, 2019). "High-speed rail bombshell may be good news for Valley Link". Tracy Press. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  18. "Funds reallocated to Valley Link Project". Mass Transit. September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2020.{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)