The agency wants to increase service and extend its infrastructure to move Caltrain from a commuter rail system to an integrated urban transit network.
Erin Baldassari reports on new expansion plans for Caltrain in the San Francisco Bay Area as the region anticipates significant population growth in the future and the need for a more extensive transit network. "Caltrain’s vision contemplates BART-like 'show-up and go' service, whisking passengers from San Francisco to Gilroy on trains that run at least every 15 minutes all day long."
Caltrain expects that increasing service frequently and capacity would boost ridership from 65,000 daily riders to 180,000. This would give commuters more travel options and decrease traffic congestion and pollution in the region, say advocates. The agency is also looking at a slew of capital projects, along with the addition of electric trains, which operate faster than diesel trains.
But, says Baldassari, the price tag for these upgrades is high, including $90 million a year in operating subsidies. Possible funding sources include a multicounty sales tax increase and a regional transportation funding measure.
"The region is only going to continue to grow, said Adina Levin, the co-founder of Friends of Caltrain, a transit advocacy organization. So why not aim high, she said, even if the vision isn’t ultimately achieved due to factors outside of Caltrain’s control, such as the fate of high-speed rail."
FULL STORY: Caltrain has an ambitious plan to run BART-like service. Here’s what it will mean for Bay Area traffic
Compromise Reached to Save Caltrain
The saga of the three-county sales tax upon which the future of Caltrain depends is now in the hands of voters.
Caltrain on the Rocks as Sales Tax Measure Fails
Advocates are concerned about the possibility of Caltrain entirely shutting down—less than a year after the commuter rail line seemed positioned for a massive expansion of service.
Plan to Save Caltrain Emerges
Elected officials in San Francisco and Santa Clara counties have produced a counter proposal after killing a proposed sales tax last week.
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San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
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Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research