Caltrain Modernization Program Update

Palo Alto City Council Rail CommitteeAugust 10, 2012

Presentation Topics

1. State Legislature Update

2. Next Steps for the Peninsula

3. Blended System Planning Analysis Update

4. Discussion

State Legislature Update

Green Light for HSR & Blended System• Bay Area State Assembly and Senate support

– Elaine Alquist, D-San Jose– Tom Ammiano, D- San Francisco– Jim Beall, D-San Jose– Nora Campos, D-San Jose– Paul Fong, D-Mountain View– Rich Gordon, D-Menlo Park– Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo– Mark Leno, D-San Francisco– Fiona Ma, D-San Francisco– Leland Yee, D-San Francisco

SB 1029• Appropriates $705 million for Caltrain Modernization

– $600 million from Prop 1A (HSR)– $105 million from Prop 1A (Connectivity)

• Funds available for:– “blended system improvements consistent with the MOU” and– “shall not be used to expand the system to a dedicated four-track system”

• Bonds sold and allocated to project by State Controller

Next Steps for the Peninsula

Project Delivery Focus• Early Investment (2019)

– Define outreach/decision-making structure and process– Advanced Signal System

Advance design from “Critical” to “Final”

– Electrification & Electric Vehicles Update / Recirculate Caltrain EA/EIR Define project delivery approach/team

• Blended System (2029)– Complete current planning studies– Schedule for completing planning process

Blended System Planning Update

Blended System Planning Process

Decision-Making Matrix

Blended System Alternatives

Design & Environmental Review

Infrastructure Need Revenue / CostFleet Need

Capacity Analysis

Service Plan Options

Grade Crossing & Traffic Analysis

Service Plan / Operations Considerations

Blended SystemService Plan/Operations Considerations Analysis

Purpose / Goals

• Consider service / operations variables not included in capacity analysis

• Requested by stakeholders

• Inform development of service plan options

Scope of Work

Passing Track Options

Options Locations

4 Tracks – Northern Milepost 5 to 15.2 (Bayshore to Millbrae stations)

4 Tracks - Full Midline Milepost 18.1 to 27.2 (Hayward Park to Redwood City stations)

4 Tracks - Short Midline Milepost 18.1 to 24.2 (Hayward Park to Whipple Ave.)

4 Tracks - Southern Milepost 33.8 to 41.6 (San Antonio to Lawrence station)

3 Tracks Milepost 18.1 and 33.7(Hayward Park to California Ave. )

Simulation Model Results

• 4 Track Options

• 3 Track Option–Model: high performance–Practice: further evaluation

Operational Performance Ranking

High: Full Midline

Medium: Short Midline & Southern

Low : Northern

Decision Matrix (work in progress)

Passing Track Options

Considerations

Operations E & C ROW Cost City / County

4 Tracks - Northern

4 Tracks - Full Midline

4 Tracks - Short Midline

4 Tracks - Southern

3 Tracks

Blended SystemGrade Crossing & Traffic Analysis

• 40 at-grade crossings

• Identify relationship between:– Train service levels– Gate down time– Local traffic

• Analyze future scenarios (2035):– Impacts from Caltrain versus future growth– Difference between service plan options

• Improvement recommendations

Study Purpose & Goals

Key Tasks and Status

Discussion