The Federal Transit Administration approved Phase 1 of the Valley Link Rail Project to enter the Project Development phase of the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program. Project supporters said it was an important step for the rail project to be eligible for federal funds.
The 26-mile first phase of the Valley Link Rail Project will connect Dublin/Pleasanton Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station in Alameda County to Mountain House station in San Joaquin County. One of the stated goals of the project is to connect the Northern California Megaregion – one of the fastest growing and economically significant areas in California – to the state rail system.
“Acceptance of Valley Link into the CIG program marks a key milestone in advancing this transformational project forward,” said Veronica Vargas, chair of the Tri-Valley – San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority Board of Directors. “This is the first, but critical step, in positioning Valley Link to compete for federal funding during a time when once-in-a generation transit funding is available on the federal level.”
Project stakeholders explain the 42-mile, seven-station Valley Link project will close a critical gap in the statewide rail system and will offer connections with BART and Altamont Corridor Express. Traffic on Interstate 580 is projected to increase by 60 percent between 2016 and 2040; Valley Link is anticipated to remove thousands of cars off neighboring interstates and provide 33,000 daily rides by 2040.
“We appreciate FTA’s approval and to now be working with them to achieve near-term mobility, accessibility, environmental and health benefits for the more than 100,000 Bay Area workers now commuting daily from their homes in the Northern San Joaquin Valley – a region recognized as one of the California’s largest areas of California Climate Investments Priority Populations for both state designated disadvantage communities and low-income communities,” said Tri-Valley – San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority Executive Director Kevin Sheridan.
