SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA: Transit/Transportation News

[fflint]

Yes, there was a 2006 proposal to extend Caltrain from Gilroy to Watsonville, Castroville, and Salinas. The plan relied on beefing up Watsonville's connection by bus with Santa Cruz; Salinas is already well-connected with Monterey by their local transit agency. There was no money for the extension, however. Indeed, Caltrain still has no dedicated source of funding and that looms on the horizon as a huge problem for current service levels.

[yakumoto]

Santa Cruz is very well connected already via the Highway 17 bus, though it does have a problem with crowding. Watsonville and Salinas are currently scheduled to get rail service in the near future (at least its in the budget anyway) with two round trip Capitol Corridor trains going past San Jose to Salinas.

[San Frangelino]

According to Wikipedia, Caltrain also has more riders than the entire Metrolink Commuter System here in So Cal.
Caltrain =42,345 weekday riders
Metrolink = 41,000 weekday riders

[mthd]

Originally Posted by San Frangelino

According to Wikipedia, Caltrain also has more riders than the entire Metrolink Commuter System here in So Cal.
Caltrain =42,345 weekday riders
Metrolink = 41,000 weekday riders

the latest figures for Caltrain ridership are 47,060 riders per day....

http://www.caltrain.com/Assets/__Age...ger+Counts.pdf

[blackcat23]

Not the least bit surprising. Metrolink has a poor level of service due to anemic funding..

Also, almost all of Metrolink's routes feed into Downtown LA. While Downtown is the largest employment center in the Los Angeles area, that only amounts to about 2.5% of the jobs in LA.

[Chase Unperson]

Read the WSJ article about the central subway. Amazing that it will cost 100,000,000 for every 0.1 miles. It is a shame that things cost so much. I wonder in today's dollars what the 137 of underground miles in the NYC subway would cost per 0.1 miles.

[fflint]

I'm looking forward to riding the Central Subway. I think it will be a real game-changer not just for South of Market, but for the entire T-Third corridor.

[easy as pie]

if only it went to north beach and north point right off....

it has always been pretty clear that the t and central subway is part of a scheme to support the bayview/hunter's point/candlestick point/mission bay redevelopment projects more than anything else. just like laying down that sort of infrastructure was an obvious precursor to the planned pedestrian-scale developments down there.

[fflint]

Well, sure--it's not a "scheme" so much as a long-term plan begun in the 1980s. Bring in the rail line and other new infrastructure, then build up the severely underutilized lands between Mission Creek and India Basin, revitalize the Bayview, Candlestick, etc.

Agreed I wish it was going to North Beach (and the Wharf) right from the start. I do believe that will happen, and in our lifetimes.

[ltsmotorsport]

One can only hope it'll be sooner rather than later. That area needs improved transit service badly.

Speaking of corridors in serious need of transit enhancements, is there anything new to report on Geary?

[mthd]

Originally Posted by fflint

...
Agreed I wish it was going to North Beach (and the Wharf) right from the start. I do believe that will happen, and in our lifetimes.

sadly i think that will depend on whether the "lifetimes" of certain other individuals are short or long.

[fflint]

Originally Posted by ltsmotorsport

One can only hope it'll be sooner rather than later. That area needs improved transit service badly.

Improvement really is needed--like most people, I find it annoying and difficult to get to North Beach after the workday is done, both by transit and by bike. Not middle-of-nowhere difficult, but not easy by city standards considering it's such a vibrant area at night.

Speaking of corridors in serious need of transit enhancements, is there anything new to report on Geary?

Still being "studied" by the SFCTA--Stupid Fucks Can't Tackle Anything. Sorry, that was just mean. But seriously.

[bayrider]

Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I overheard some people talking at school about a company that received a contract to build a few dozen green/all electric buses with a 250mile range in SF. Wanted to know if anyone knows about this and what the name of that company is.

[CharlesCO]

I had a transportation-related question...so the Caldecott Tunnel's fourth bore is well under way, and it's scheduled to be completed next year. That means that the 24 will then be 4 continuous lanes from 580 to 680, and most of it (including the fourth bore project) was paid using federal funds. Does this mean that the entire freeway, now that it is up to freeway standards, will be renamed 980 for its entire length? I know it's a somewhat silly question, but it would be a rather notable change for Oakland, Orinda, and Lafayette if the freeway were to be elevated to full interstate recognition.

[fflint]

Originally Posted by bayrider

Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I overheard some people talking at school about a company that received a contract to build a few dozen green/all electric buses with a 250mile range in SF. Wanted to know if anyone knows about this and what the name of that company is.

Hmm, I'm not sure. SF currently has 344 all-electric trolleybuses plying 16 routes that carry over 200,000 riders each day. Because the power source is hydro, they are zero-emissions vehicles.


Steve Rhodes on flickr

[fflint]

Originally Posted by CharlesCO

I had a transportation-related question...so the Caldecott Tunnel's fourth bore is well under way, and it's scheduled to be completed next year. That means that the 24 will then be 4 continuous lanes from 580 to 680, and most of it (including the fourth bore project) was paid using federal funds. Does this mean that the entire freeway, now that it is up to freeway standards, will be renamed 980 for its entire length? I know it's a somewhat silly question, but it would be a rather notable change for Oakland, Orinda, and Lafayette if the freeway were to be elevated to full interstate recognition.

I don't know of any such proposal. Keep in mind that it's not just about recognition or naming, but more critically, who pays for upkeep!

[rawocd]

Originally Posted by CharlesCO

I had a transportation-related question...so the Caldecott Tunnel's fourth bore is well under way, and it's scheduled to be completed next year. That means that the 24 will then be 4 continuous lanes from 580 to 680, and most of it (including the fourth bore project) was paid using federal funds. Does this mean that the entire freeway, now that it is up to freeway standards, will be renamed 980 for its entire length? I know it's a somewhat silly question, but it would be a rather notable change for Oakland, Orinda, and Lafayette if the freeway were to be elevated to full interstate recognition.

Unlikely that this will change. As Fflint pointed out its more than standards, but exits on 24 through Oakland between MacArthur BART and the Tunnel are likely not up to interstate standards.

[ltsmotorsport]

I actually wish Oakland would be brave and take out 980 almost entirely (between 880 and 27th), similar to the central freeway in SF. Just use the on/off ramps at 27th Street to get on the the freeway system from downtown, and use 880 for any through traffic. Only two connector ramps (SB 580 to 880 and NB 880 to 580) would be needed for the new route from what I recall. Would really help reconnect central Oakland and hopefully benefit both West Oakland and downtown equally.

An infill BART station right over 27th wouldn't be so bad either.

[northbay]

SMART update:

Stacy & Witbeck/Herzog lay down new sub-grade for passing track near College Avenue in Santa Rosa.





https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...8397555&type=1

SMART seeks funding for San Rafael to Larkspur train segment


The south end of the Cal Park Hill Tunnel bicycle/pedestrian path photographed from the Larkspur side of the tunnel. SMART declares this part of the segment its Òpreferred alternative,Ó opening up the door to get federal dollars to build the extension. (IJ archive photo/Frankie Frost) Frankie Frost


In this IJ archive photo, a pedestrian enters the south end of the Cal Park Hill Tunnel. SMART declares this part of the segment its Òpreferred alternative,Ó opening up the door to get federal dollars to build the extension. (IJ archive photo/Frankie Frost) Frankie Frost


In this IJ archive photo, a pedestrian walks north in the Cal Park Hill Tunnel. SMART declares this part of the segment its Òpreferred alternative,Ó opening up the door to get federal dollars to build the extension. (IJ archive photo/Frankie Frost) Frankie Frost

By Mark Prado
Marin Independent Journal
Posted: 05/20/2013 05:47:32 PM PDT

An extension of the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit commuter train service from San Rafael to Larkspur is slowly moving to the fore as officials open the door to seek federal funding for the work.

The rail agency will submit a letter to the Federal Transportation Administration requesting entry into its "Small Starts" program. The program funds new projects as well as extensions to commuter rail, light rail, heavy rail, bus rapid transit, street cars and ferries.

...

A rail connection to Larkspur Landing and Golden Gate Ferry service to take commuters into San Francisco has been a SMART objective since its inception. When voters in Sonoma and Marin counties approved a quarter-cent sales tax in 2008, the project was for train service from Cloverdale to Larkspur.

But the downturn in the economy left the project without full funding and the ability to borrow the needed money to complete all the work as promised. Now the project is being phased, and a $360 million San Rafael-to-Santa Rosa line is under construction and expected to be operational by early 2016.

When the SMART board met last week it approved a resolution designating the San Rafael to Larkspur link as its "preferred alternative," a move needed to start a process that could land it millions of dollars to build the 2.2-mile segment. Secretary of Transportation Ray Lahood recommended SMART make that designation in order to be eligible for more federal funding.

...

The agency is doing an analysis to determine just how much it will cost to build the extension, according to SMART officials. Work has already been done on a key stretch south of San Rafael. In December 2010 the revamped Cal Park Hill Tunnel, an 1,100-foot tube, was opened at a cost of $28 million with the costs split between the county and SMART. The tunnel, which is 30 feet wide and 25 feet tall, has been divided, part dedicated to the rail right of way, the other to bicycle and pedestrian use.

"I think it shows SMART's commitment to getting the train to Larkspur," SMART General Manager Farhad Mansourian said.

In 2009, SMART received $427,000 from Congress for an alternatives analysis, which it completed. In 2010, the agency received a second earmark for $2.5 million for technical, environmental and engineering design on the San Rafael-to-Larkspur segment.

Now SMART will use that money to complete required environmental studies, as well as engineering and design for the segment, as it positions itself to get federal money.

"The SMART board has always been committed to Larkspur," Mansourian said, adding efforts are also under way to find a way to extend service north of Santa Rosa, to Cloverdale. "We want to be ready when the money becomes available. Doing the work ahead of time gets us in better position."

Contact Mark Prado via email at mprado@marinij.com

http://www.marinij.com/larkspurcorte...-train-segment

[llamaorama]

So is that a dual use ped/rail tunnel? Nifty