Capitol Corridor Service Expansion Program Program Environmental Assessment (EA)

BART Boardroom PresentationOctober 26, 2010

Capitol Corridor Route Map

Background• Capitol Corridor is one of the State’s three Intercity

Passenger Rail systems• Capitol Corridor service is managed by the Capitol

Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA)• Capitol Corridor (3rd busiest route in the Amtrak system) is an

important regional and inter-regional transportation alternative reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality

• Capitol Corridor operates on Union Pacific’s rail system

The CCJPA Board

• The CCJPA is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of 16 elected officials from six member agencies along the 170-mile Capitol Corridor rail route– PLACER COUNTY TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AGENCY

(PCTPA)– SOLANO TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (STA)– YOLO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT (YCTD)– SACRAMENTO REGIONAL TRANSIT DISTRICT (SAC RT)– SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT DISTRICT (BART)– SANTA CLARA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (VTA)

Presentation Outline• Discuss current program of projects to support

service expansion plans• Identify phasing plan to implement planned track

improvements to achieve service expansion plans• Discuss the environmental documentation process

with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)• Describe the CCJPA’s Program Environmental

Assessment (EA) and discuss the summary of impacts, if any

• Answer questions

State Rail Plan (FY 2007/08 - 2017/18)

and CCJPA Vision Plan

• Frequency: Expanding service incrementally– Auburn – Sacramento: 4 round trips (currently 1)– Roseville – Sacramento: 10 round trips (currently 1)– Oakland – Sacramento: 18 round trips (currently 16)– San Jose – Sacramento: 16 round trips (currently 7)

• Travel Time: Reduce average travel time by 12 percent (past and future reductions coming)

• Reliability: Standard of 90% or better for on-time performance (currently 93% - tops in the nation)

FRA HSIPR Funding – Requirements

• FRA administers the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

• High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Program – a five-year capital grant program to fund high speed and intercity passenger rail

• To be eligible for HSIPR funding– Complete a Service Development Plan– Complete a full HSIPR application– Complete Tier 1 Environmental Review – i.e., this Program EA

• If awarded funding, subsequent projects must go through detailed project level (Tier 2) Environmental Review

NEPA Program EA

• The Program EA evaluates the potential environmental effects of implementing an increase in Capitol Corridor Intercity Passenger Rail service as follows:– From 1 to 2 daily round-trips between Auburn and

Sacramento– From 7 to 11 daily round-trips between Oakland and San Jose

• The Program EA provides information that can be used to evaluate program alternatives when preparing project level Categorical Exemption or Environmental Assessments.

Why, What, and How?

• Why must a program environmental document be completed ?– FRA requires a Program NEPA document before awarding

service program funding• What level of program documentation is required?

– FRA indicated that for limited corridor development a Program EA is appropriate

• How should the public be involved in the Program EA?– FRA consulted with CCJPA to structure a public involvement

process (document circulation, public meetings)

Project Number Project Name

Anticipated Project-Level NEPA

Environmental Document

Rail Network Location

Capacity Improvements and Service Increases

1 Reno Railyard to Sacramento Track Capacity Enhancement Project CE

Martinez Subdivision/ Roseville Subdivision

From one to two daily round trips (Auburn to Sacramento).

2 San Pablo to Oakland Restore Existing Third Track to Mainline Project CE Niles Subdivision Reliability/not capacity

3 Hayward Double Track (Elmhurst to Industrial Parkway) CE Niles Subdivision

From 7 to 11 daily round trips collectively. Incrementally, reliability projects with an interim capacity of several projects to increase to 9 daily round trips.

4 Newark-Albrae Siding Connection including South Switching Lead Extension for Newark Yard EA Coast Subdivision

5 CP Coast-Rte 237 (Gold Street) Double Track Project CE Coast Subdivision

6 Change of route alignment from the UPRR Niles Subdivision to the UPRR Oakland Subdivision (Industrial Parkway to Shinn) EA Oakland

Subdivision

7Union City Station and Track Work Improvements on the UPRR Oakland Subdivision (including reconnection with UPRR Niles Subdivision near Shinn Street crossing)

EA* Oakland Subdivision

8 Fremont Full Platform Extension (on Track 2) CE Niles Subdivision

9

9ANiles Canyon Railroad Mainline Track Upgrade (New Niles Wye to Former SP Main at CP-Hearst) and Radum Second Main Track Upgrade on UPRR Oakland Subdivision (near Pleasanton)

CENiles Subdivision/ Oakland Subdivision

9B Add Third Main Track on Niles Subdivision between Niles Junction and Newark Junction (in Fremont) or between Shinn Connection and Newark Junction CE

Niles Subdivision/Oakland Subdivision

10 San Jose Diridon Station Track and Platform Upgrade CE** Caltrain Track 11 Fourth Track Project CE Caltrain Track

* The study area of Project 7 is analyzed under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in the Union City Intermodal Station EIR, which was adopted in February 2006 by the City Council of Union City.

** This project has been cleared under CEQA and NEPA.

Projects in/around Fremont and Niles

Program EA adheres to CEQ regulations and FRA Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts

Resource Area Program EA SectionAir quality Section 4.5Water quality Section 4.9Noise and vibration Section 4.4Solid waste disposal N/AEcological systems Section4.8Impacts on wetlands areas Section 4.8Impacts on endangered species or wildlife Section 4.8Flood hazards and floodplain management Section 4.9Coastal zone management N/AUse of energy resources Section 4.6Use of other natural resources (e.g., water, minerals, or timber) N/AAesthetic and design quality impacts Section 4.7Possible barriers to the elderly and handicapped Section 4.15Land use, existing and planned Section 4.2Impacts on the socioeconomic environment Section 4.15Environmental Justice Section 4.15Public health Section 4.14Public safety, including any impacts due to hazardous materials Sections 4.13 and 4.14Recreational opportunities Section 4.10Use of 4(f)-protected properties Section 4.10Impacts on transportation Section 4.3Locations of archaeological or architectural cultural resources Section 4.11Construction period impacts Within each section

Program Benefits• Additional service frequency– One additional Auburn frequency (1 to 2)– Four additional to/from San Jose frequencies (7 to 11)

• Direct Benefits– Improvements in ridership - incremental about 12%– Improvements in revenue (offsetting State subsidy) –

incremental about 14%• Indirect Benefits– Reduction in greenhouse emissions– Reduction in projected highway congestion

Projects on the Map• FY 2010 HSIPR

Application– Project 1: Donner Pass– Project 4: Newark-

Albrae Siding– Project 8: Fremont

Platform• Future HSIPR funding– Remaining projects

based on HSIPR funding levels and coordination with California request

Rail: East Bay and Beyond

Coast Subdivision

Niles Subdivision

Oakland Subdivision

Port of Oakland

Freight traffic to/from the Port of Oakland heads primarily northeast to the Roseville Yard (north of Sacramento), or via the Central Valley by the Altamont Pass route. Secondary usage goes south along a coastal route

Fremont Amtrak Station

Niles/Fremont: Current Routing and Traffic

Passenger Rail Traffic (daily trains)

Capitol Corridor (yellow line) 14

ACE (blue line) 6

Freight Rail Traffic (green line - UPRR levels are estimated)

Niles Subdivision (North of Niles Junction) 6

Oakland Subdivision (Altamont Pass route) 10

Niles Subdivision (Centerville area) 11

Fremont Amtrak Station

Niles/Fremont: Project 9A Routing and Traffic

Project 9A can work under either an Oakland Subdivision or Niles Subdivision alignment for Capitol Corridor service

Rail: Routing under Project 9APort of Oakland

Passenger Rail Traffic (daily trains) Existing Planned

Capitol Corridor (yellow line) 14 22

ACE (blue line) 6 6

Freight Rail Traffic (green line - UPRR levels are estimated)

Niles Subdivision (North of Niles Junction) 6 ->12 ??

Oakland Subdivision/Niles Canyon (Altamont Pass route) 10 ??

Niles Subdivision (Centerville area) 11->5 ??

Freight traffic to/from the Altamont route could go over an upgraded Niles Canyon route (keeping Niles Canyon Railway whole and able to operate) thus reducing the need to accommodate freight traffic growth through Centerville. This allows capacity for increased Capitol Corridor service.

Rail: Routing under Project 9BPort of Oakland

Freight traffic to/from the Altamont route could be increased by triple tracking through Centerville. In addition to freight growth, this allows capacity for increased Capitol Corridor service. This option is operationally worse for all concerned.

Passenger Rail Traffic (daily trains) Existing Planned

Capitol Corridor (yellow line) 14 22

ACE (blue line) 6 6

Freight Rail Traffic (green line - UPRR levels are estimated)

Niles Subdivision (North of Niles Junction) 6 ??

Oakland Subdivision (Altamont Pass route) 10 ??

Niles Subdivision (Centerville area) 11 ??

Program Schedule• Projects will be implemented based on funding availability

– FRA – HSIPR now in 2nd year of 5 years (FY 2010 request is pending)– State – Funding dependent on State budget

• Apply for funding in each remaining HSIPR year (FY 2011-2013)

• If funded steadily, projects will commence in FY 2011 and be completed in FY 2016 or FY 2017

• Capitol Corridor service expansion will be incremental as projects are completed

• Freight train growth is expected to increase independently of the improvements

No Action Alternative

• Not implementing the program is impact-free to all resource categories except air quality– Under the No Action alternative for Air Quality,

the project benefits to reduce in CO2 and general traffic congestion relief will not occur

Action Alternative – Implement Program EA

• Across all resource categories, there are either– No impacts– Minimal impacts that can be fully mitigated

• Approved Program EA will be used to advance specific projects incrementally as part of an application(s) for federal or state capital grants

Passenger-Freight Rail Partnership

• CCJPA’s plan is to partner with UPRR to accrue public benefit from its investments

• Added Capitol Corridor trains• Reduced truck traffic and greenhouse gas emissions

Summary• Program EA identified either no impacts, no impacts

with mitigation, or benefits• Detailed project level environmental review will

commence once we receive any FRA HSIPR funding• The CCJPA will be engaged with the communities

along the route and agencies as CCJPA looks to advance the Capitol Corridor Service Expansion Plan

THANK YOU