Tuesday, August 17, 2010
A bit more detail on California's application (by way of the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority)
Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) officials hope to land $57.2 million in FY2010 High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) funds to improve track infrastructure between Roseville, Calif., and Donner Summit, Calif., and between the California cities of Fremont and Newark.
The projects — which were included in
Caltrans’ $582 million funding application submitted to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Aug. 6 — would enable CCJPA to increase train service to Placer County and improve service reliability in Alameda County, according to an Aug. 16 prepared statement.
Union Pacific Railroad “supports both projects” and would commit $10.3 million of its own resources to the $51.1 million Roseville-Reno Project, CCJPA officials said.
The Fremont-Newark Project includes the extension of the platform at the Fremont/Centerville Depot, which would allow for improved schedule coordination of the Capitol Corridor and ACE train service.
“Our applications to the FRA indicate that both the CCJPA and [UP] have $14.3 million in funding and resources lined up to comply with FRA’s funding match requirement,” CCJPA Chair Jim Holmes said in a prepared statement.
Added UP Vice President of Public Affairs Scott Moore: “The proposed Roseville-to- Donner Summit improvements are in addition to work Union Pacific funded in 2009 to raise tunnel clearances over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. By working with the CCJPA, we can leverage private dollars with public funds to achieve mutual benefits.”
Amtrak, which operates train services that use UP-owned tracks in northern California, also “strongly supports” the projects, said Amtrak Assistant Vice President of Policy and Development Patrick Merrill.
Under the FY2010 appropriations grant program, the FRA will provide $2.1 billion in HSR grants and an additional $245 million for individual construction projects within an HSR corridor. The agency expects to announce grant awards for the separate $2.1 billion and $245 million in FY2010 appropriations by Sept. 30.
