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CHAMBER PRESENTS - CALIFORNIA HIGH SPEED RAIL

The Chamber Transportation and Housing Committee hosted a Quarterly Membership Luncheon provided by DPR on February 14th. The highlights of the program were presentations on California High Speed Rail (CHSR), Caltrains 2025 Plan and project proposed to rebuild the San Francisco Transit Center (Transbay Terminal). Our distinguished panel of speakers were the Honorable Judge Quentin Kopp, Chair CHSR Authority Board, Honorable Jim Hartnett, Chair Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain) and Honorable Jerry Hill, Chair Transbay Joint Powers Board Authority. The latest actions by these agencies and how they are working together was presented to the luncheon attendees.

Judge Kopp provided information on the proposed statewide CHSR which when completed will cover over 700 miles of California connecting major population centers and points in between. Initial service is planned between San Francisco along the Caltrain Corridor to San Jose then south to Gilroy following a route down the Central Valley to Palmdale then on to Los Angeles and Anaheim. Later planned extensions to Sacramento and San Diego would provide additional service. The CHSR trains would be providing trips from San Francisco to Los Angeles in just over two and half hours.

The CHSR Authority is completing a final draft EIR Showing the preferred routing alignment from the Central Valley to the Bay Area to be via the Pacheco Pass and up the Peninsula Caltrain Corridor from San Jose to San Francisco. Judge Kopp indicated that the voters of California will have an opportunity to approve a CHSR Bond in next November for $9.95 billion. He indicated this is a critical time for moving the project ahead and passage of the Bond is critical this year. He anticipates funding also to come from Federal and private partnerships.

CHSR was reported to have many positive environmental benefits saving up to 22 million barrels of oil per year, reducing air pollutants statewide relieving our airports and reducing vehicle trips. It is estimated that about 100 million passengers annually will utilize the system by 2030. Judge Kopp strongly suggested it is time for the United States to upgrade its passenger rail to European and other worldwide fast train systems!

Jim Hartnett provided an overview of the plans to upgrade Caltrain, our regional commuter rail to a new Federal RailwayAdministration standard with lighter electrified train sets with a positive train control system.Caltrain's plans include an overhead power delivery system to the trains. Jim indicated that the Caltrain Baby Bullet express service has been very well received by commuters and has provided needed operating income but Caltrain still needs an ongoing regular funding source for the future. Electrification of Caltrain depends on future funding but it is anticipated to be operational by 2016.

Chair Hartnett indicated that 85% of weekday peak riders on Caltrain are commuters. He indicated that most are ³choice riders² as they have cars but elect to take the train for a variety of reasons to save money, relax, help the environment or more productive use of time. He indicated that Caltrain in all of its planning includes possible use of the Caltrain Corridor with CHSR. Caltrain hopes to be the first national demonstration project for an electrified lighter train system. He also noted that the CHSR and Caltrain are compatible with the proposed electrification program underway.

Jerry Hill provided a presentation on the replacement of the San Francisco Transbay Terminal with a new multi modal transit center serving regional bus service, Caltrain and CHSR. The project cost is estimated at $3.5 billion of which $2.5 billion in funding has been identified. This improvement would be a major upgrade over the existing outdated facility. The new facility will be the San Francisco Transit Center when completed with a major high rise office building as part of the project. Chair Hill indicated that the trains would arrive at the new transit center through underground tunnels. BART access will be provided to the new terminal through a short walkway tunnel. The estimated opening is 2018. In the end all three presentations allowed luncheon guests to see the high level of activity underway for these projects.

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