Council Applauds State Grant to Complete Caltrain Electrification

This week the State of California awarded $367 million to Caltrain to complete its electrification project that will fully electrify the passenger rail service connecting San Francisco, Silicon Valley and San Jose. The Bay Area Council was an early and active proponent for electrifying Caltrain and helped assemble the original package of federal, state and regional funding for the project, which has faced numerous funding challenges and more recently supply chain constraints and COVID-related delays. With all the funding now in place, fully electric service is due to begin in 2024.

The Council reignited its advocacy to push this project over the finish line and we are gratified that our work as part of a strong coalition paid off this week. The funding award comes from California’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) and rounds out the funding gap after Caltrain also secured federal funding as part of the omnibus spending bill that Congress passed in December. When complete, Caltrain will be the first electric commuter railroad in the country, providing safety, efficiency, equity, and air quality benefits for the thousands of commuters who travel along its 77-mile corridor. The Council congratulates Caltrain on securing this funding to complete this transformative project for our region. To engage in the Council’s transportation work, please contact Vice President Emily Loper.