California Governor Jerry Brown has signed Assembly Bill 1889 (AB1889) into law, which allows Caltrain, the provider of commuter rail service along the San Francisco Peninsula, to receive Prop 1A funding for its Modernization Program.
Prop 1A, which was committed in the 2012 budget process, will provide the bond funding to finance the state’s High Speed Rail Project, including early investments in the book end projects that will connect High Speed Rail in the north and the south. AB 1889 also clarifies that Caltrain’s electrification project is “suitable and ready” for investment and that the investment in the system is consistent with the Authority’s current business plan.
Caltrain’s project will electrify the system between San Francisco and the Tamien Station in San Jose. It will also convert Caltrain’s diesel-based system to Electric Multiple Units (EMUs), reducing diesel emissions in this corridor by 96 percent by 2040.
Caltrain’s Executive Director Jim Hartnett stated, “The passage of AB 1889 is another important milestone towards the successful completion of an electrified Caltrain corridor. This bill will play an important role in bringing Caltrain’s system into the 21st century.”
Caltrain awarded a design build contract to Balfour-Beatty for the project. Stadler Inc. was awarded the contract for providing new electric vehicles. The first phase of electrification installation work is expected to commence in 2017.
“Our transportation infrastructure has many needs and AB 1889 will allow Caltrain to address one of those needs by moving forward with electrification of their system, providing both short and long-term benefits,” said California State Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Kevin Mullin. "The Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project can't come soon enough for the communities on the Peninsula who have been looking for solutions to traffic congestion."
"While the list of benefits is lengthy, this project will provide a cleaner, faster, quieter rail system, take cars off our roads significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhance the quality of life for residents in this region," added Mullin.
The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) announced that Caltrain Modernization would receive one of 14 grants awarded to projects that focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the state’s public transportation infrastructure.