By Khalida Sarwari
The Campbell City Council on April 17 heard an update from a Valley Transportation Authority spokesman on high-speed rail plans and a regional agreement to fund the electrification of Caltrain.
Earlier this month, the California High-Speed Rail Authority approved a business plan for the construction of the $68 billion project that will connect San Francisco and Los Angeles in two hours and 40 minutes by 2029. The authority also approved an agreement with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to match $706 million in funds to electrify the Caltrain system and to prepare for the construction of a blended two-track high-speed and commuter-rail system.
The VTA’S commitment to the project would be $86 million, according to VTA spokesman Jim Lawson.
“What the new plan does is use existing commuter rail systems and upgrade it to deliver high-speed faster,” said Lawson.
In outlining the rail authority’s early investment strategy, Lawson discussed a recent Memorandum of Understanding between authority and several Bay Area public agencies that, along with VTA, include the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, San Francisco County Transportation Authority, San Mateo County Transportation Authority, the city of San Jose, the city and county of San Francisco, and the Transbay Joint Powers Authority. For Caltrain, the agreement results in lower operating costs, increased ridership and a more modernized system sooner, said Lawson.
In response to Councilman Jason Baker’s question about what the high-speed rail system would mean to real commuters, Lawson listed a number of advantages.
“The most immediate way is the speed in which these trains operate,” said Lawson. “They can accelerate much quicker, so it can get you to the city much quicker. They can also make more stops. There will be less noise, less pollution and when you take a deep breath when they go by, it should be a pleasant experience.”
The MOU and new business plan, both of which have yet to be approved by the state Legislature, are scheduled to go before the Caltrain and VTA boards on May 3.
Construction on the initial 300-mile section of the high-speed rail system from Fresno to the San Fernando Valley is scheduled to begin this fall.
High-speed rail plan rolls through Campbell council chambers
