CALTRAIN ELECTRIFICATION CLEARS MAJOR PLANNING HURDLE

A major milestone in improving Caltrain service was reached this week (Jan. 5) as the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the planned electrification of the Caltrain corridor from San Francisco to San Jose, in effect taking a big step forward towards implementing the project. The FEIR analyzed the impacts of the electrification project on the environment and surrounding community, which included potential impacts related to noise, traffic, visual aesthetics, and other issues. An electrification project will vastly expand capacity to accommodate future ridership growth, alleviate traffic congestion by 619,000 vehicle miles daily, and drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region. A 2012 Bay Area Council Economic Institute study also found that the project would further drive economic growth in the corridor, generating $2.5 billion in economic benefits and supporting the creation of nearly 10,000 jobs.

Electrification of this critical mass transit system has been among the Bay Area Council’s signature policy priorities, as we successfully worked to secure funding for the project and more recently formed the Caltrain Commuter Coalition to drive these improvements forward. To engage in our transportation policy work, contact VP of Public Policy Michael Cunningham.