Source: United States Senator for California – Dianne Feinstein
Washington—Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla (both D-Calif.) today called on the Department of Transportation to boost federal funding for the Caltrain Peninsula Corridor Electrification project, the state’s first electrified commuter rail system that will run between San Francisco and San Jose.
“With additional resources to complete the project, more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs will be sustained and created during the next several years,” the senators wrote in a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Additionally, when the Caltrain corridor becomes entirely zero-emission, it will reduce 110 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions every day and take nearly one million vehicle miles off Bay Area roads.”
Full text of the letter is available here and follows:
January 28, 2022
The Honorable Pete Buttigieg
Secretary
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
Dear Secretary Buttigieg,
We write to express our support for additional federal funding for the Caltrain Peninsula Corridor Electrification project, which will be California’s first electrified commuter rail system, spanning 51 miles between San Francisco and San Jose. As we make historic investments in our nation’s infrastructure, the project embodies the Administration’s priorities to support clean transportation, mitigate climate change impacts, and create good-paying jobs.
The project is transformational and will modernize the 150-year-old rail corridor, replacing 75 percent of the existing aging diesel fleet with high-performance electric trains and laying the foundation for the State’s future high-speed rail system. The project, which is set to begin passenger service in 2024, has already created thousands of jobs in California and contributed to job creation in 36 states. With additional resources to complete the project, more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs will be sustained and created during the next several years. Additionally, when the Caltrain corridor becomes entirely zero-emission, it will reduce 110 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions every day and take nearly one million vehicle miles off Bay Area roads.
The project’s total cost is $2.44 billion, with more than 58 percent funded through State and local sources. We are grateful for contributions from federal sources, including funding from the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant Program. Recently, Caltrain identified a $410 million funding gap due to delays and cost increases arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, unforeseen site conditions, and resolution of commercial disputes with the contractor on the signal system scope and outstanding change orders. Securing supplemental federal funds has therefore become imperative as local funds need to be prioritized for operations and maintaining a safe system. We believe that dedicating funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law would help Caltrain address this gap and deliver a significant project for the nation.
Thank you for your attention to our request. We look forward to working with you to ensure sufficient federal funding for the delivery of the Caltrain Peninsula Corridor Electrification project.
Sincerely,
Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator
Alex Padilla
United States Senator
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