FTA sends FFGA notice for BART’s Transbay Corridor Core Capacity Program to Congress for review

Aug. 7, 2020

The requested $1.17 billion grant would help fund a project to bring new rail cars, a modern signaling system and a facility expansion to increase capacity of the Transbay Corridor.

Mischa Wanek-Libman

A new BART car; the authority is adding 306 new cars to provide additional capacity as part of its Transbay Corridor Core Capacity Program.

Funding for the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Transbay Corridor Core Capacity Project took a significant step forward with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) sending a mandated 30-day review notice to Congress stating its intent to award a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) to the transit agency.

The news of BART’s potential grant follows the FTA giving Congress notice of its intent to award an FFGA through the Capital Investment Grants Program to the Metropolitan Council in Minnesota for the Southwest Light Rail Project earlier this week.

Based on the project’s FTA profile, BART requested approximately $1.17 billion through the CIG Program, which represents 43.2 percent of the Transbay Corridor Core Capacity Project’s $2.7 billion cost.

The project will increase capacity in the Transbay Corridor between the city of Oakland and downtown San Francisco and consists of four main elements:

306 additional railcars to provide the trains needed to increase capacity.
A new Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) system that will allow more trains per hour through the Transbay Tube.
The construction of a new storage yard on BART-owned property at the Hayward Maintenance Complex to accommodate the additional rail cars.
The construction of five new substations in San Francisco and the East Bay to enhance the electrical system that will power the corridor’s trains.

“Though the 30-day congressional review is still needed for us to realize the funding we’re seeking, this is a huge step forward in BART’s long-term efforts to expand Transbay capacity to meet the future needs of the Bay Area,” said BART General Manager Bob Powers. “I want to personally thank Secretary Elaine Chao and FTA Acting Administrator Jane Williams and numerous FTA staff.”

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.

She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.