The California State Transportation Agency today announced 7 recipients for $51.9 million in State Rail Assistance program funding. These projects, which have a total value of $136 million when including funding from other sources, are focused investments by the state to improve commuter and intercity rail service across the state, reduce air pollution and ease traffic congestion. The funds are made possible by the passage of Senate Bill 1.
“SB 1 is about rebuilding California and keeping the state on the move, I am pleased to announce this investment of $51.9 million to rail operators that move 110,000 Californians between work and home every day, said California State Transportation Agency Secretary Brian Kelly. “ These funds will expand service, modernize equipment and rebuild stations and tracks. SB 1 rebuilds California.”
State Rail Assistance provides California’s commuter and intercity rail agencies with dependable supplemental revenue that they can use to improve rail service in various ways, including:
- Operations funding for expanded service;
- Increased customer amenities such as discounted tickets;
- Capital investments such as new and cleaner-emissions rolling stock to increase capacity and reduce emissions, and;
- Track and station investments that can reduce travel times, delays, improve accessibility and enhance the customer experience.
Today’s projects awarded include:
- Funding for Saturday service for the Altamont Corridor Express
- Increased weekday and weekend service for the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit system
- Vehicle rehabilitation, signal modernization and bike parking improvements for Caltrain
- Signal and track modernization to improve speed and reliability for Metrolink and Amtrak trains arriving and departing Los Angeles Union Station
- New Tier IV, clean locomotives that will provide a faster and more reliable trip for passengers on the Coaster corridor in San Diego
- Station and railroad corridor improvements for Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor service
- San Luis Obispo platform improvements, siding extension, transit transfer improvements to LA Metro, and corridor optimization for Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner route
Senate Bill 1 created the State Rail Assistance Program by directing a portion of new revenue specifically to intercity rail and commuter rail. The majority of program funding is directed by statutory formula to rail operators.
A complete list of projects can be found here. (PDF)
Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the landmark transportation infrastructure bill signed by Governor Brown in April, will provide $7.6 billion in new transit funding over the next decade. For complete details on SB 1 visit http://www.rebuildingca.ca.gov/.