Title
Presentation by Link21 on the New Regional Rail/Transbay Rail Crossing Project. (Planning, Building and Transportation 20962740)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Link21 is sponsored by the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) and the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (Capitol Corridor) to transform the passenger rail network serving the 21-county Northern California Megaregion, which includes the greater San Francisco Bay Area, the Monterey Bay area, the Sacramento area, and the Northern San Joaquin Valley. At the core of Link21 is a new transbay rail crossing project between Oakland and San Francisco as either regional rail or BART technology. Currently, the Link21 project is in the Concept Identification phase with Project Selection expected to begin next year and Project Delivery to begin in 2028.
BACKGROUND
The City of Alameda (City) supports a rail station in Alameda as part of Link21 - the new regional rail and transbay rail crossing project between San Francisco and Oakland. In 2013, Mayor Marie Gilmore formally requested BART to consider a transbay BART crossing to Alameda and to include Alameda in its planning efforts. As part of the City’s Transportation Choices Plan outreach effort in 2015, the City conducted a statistically significant public opinion survey to gauge attitudes, and two-thirds of respondents (65 percent) indicated they strongly support (47 percent) or support somewhat (18 percent) a BART station in Alameda. Consequently, the Transportation Choices Plan (2018) included “BART to Alameda” as one of the long-term projects.
Link21 is sponsored by BART and Capitol Corridor to transform the passenger rail network serving the 21-county Northern California Megaregion, which includes the greater San Francisco Bay Area, the Monterey Bay area, the Sacramento area, and the Northern San Joaquin Valley. A key project of Link21 is a new transbay rail crossing project between Oakland and San Francisco as either regional rail or BART technology. In addition to the new transbay rail crossing, Link21 will include other projects to improve the reliability, frequency, capacity, and hours of service for Northern California's rail network. Link 21 is considered an “anchor” program in the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC) 2050 Plan Bay Area 2050.
DISCUSSION
Link21 staff regularly present status reports at the Transportation Commission with meetings in July 2020, September 2021 and in March 2023. Link21 staff will continue to present regular status reports at the Transportation Commission and to City Council at key milestones. Previously, Link21 staff highlighted work to date on the early exploratory phase of the project with a market analysis and a business case framework. Link21 project information is available on the webpage here: <https://link21program.org/en>.
No decisions have been made on rail technology, alignments or service, as Link21 is in the early conceptual stages. Exhibits 1 and 2 show Link21’s latest monthly report and presentation, which highlight fall 2022 community engagement activities as well as example concepts with maps. The Link21 milestones include finalizing a project concept and alignment, environmental clearance, design and then construction. In spring 2024, Link21 is expected to advance a project concept including technology. Construction is expected in 2040.
The City is an eager partner and City staff expresses strong support of the Link21 regional rail project. San Francisco and Oakland are the two highest destinations for Alameda residents commuting to work. A fixed rail transit service that runs frequently would provide a viable travel alternative for not only these two high demand destinations but beyond to the greater San Francisco Bay Area and the Sacramento region. The City is part of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, and BART has authority to levy property taxes to help pay for BART service.
City staff believe that the best possible locations for a new Alameda BART station would be on the west end of Alameda or at Alameda Point. In support of the City’s two designated Priority Development Areas (Naval Air Station Alameda and Northern Waterfront), these potential locations would support construction of an underground, urban-style rail station similar to Downtown Berkeley or Oakland. The west end locations also provide the best opportunities for development of supportive, mixed use, higher density, transit, pedestrian, and bicycle-oriented development in the immediate vicinity of the new station.
ALTERNATIVES
City Council to discuss the current concept identification phase and other future phases and related Link 21 items.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact from the discussion.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
The Link21 Project is consistent with the General Plan (2021) and makes progress towards implementing the City’s Transportation Choices Plan (2018). The Transportation Choices Plan lists “BART to Alameda” as a long-term project.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. This action is not a project pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21065 and CEQA Guidelines section 15378.
The Link21 project is still in the conceptual stages and will have a separate environmental review process, which is expected to occur as part of the project selection phase starting next year with expected completion in 2028.
CLIMATE IMPACT
Since vehicle miles traveled in Alameda is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Alameda, City staff is expecting that the Link21 Project would have a positive climate impact. Link21 will make it easier to take public transit, and to reduce congestion and idling motor vehicles.
RECOMMENDATION
Receive a Presentation from Link21 on the New Regional Rail/Transbay Rail Crossing Project Update.
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew Thomas, Director of Planning, Building and Transportation
By,
Gail Payne, Senior Transportation Coordinator
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Monthly Report - January 2023