Valley Link
Overview
StatusIn planning
OwnerTri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority
LocaleTri-Valley / San Joaquin County
Termini
Stations7 (+2 planned)
Websitehttps://www.valleylinkrail.com/
Service
TypeHybrid rail
Services1
Operator(s)San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission
Depot(s)Hansen Road Operations and Maintenance Facility
Rolling stockElectro-diesel multiple unit
History
Planned opening2028 (2028)
Technical
Line length42 mi (68 km)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Route map
future phase to
North Lathrop
Mountain House layover facility
 Mountain House
San Joaquin County
Alameda County
Altamont Corridor Express
Altamont Pass through
the Diablo Range
I-580 (1961).svg I-580
Altamont Corridor Express
 Southfront Road
 Isabel
 Dublin/Pleasanton
Bay Area Rapid Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit
to Daly City

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.

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.

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.

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

Station Location Connections
Mountain House Tracy
Southfront Road Livermore
Isabel
Dublin/Pleasanton Dublin/Pleasanton Bay Area Rapid Transit BART
Bus transport 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.

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)
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