On one hand, Silicon Valley lacks effective transit and people are struck in their cars. On the other hand, the transit agency that is starved of funds plans to spend $1 billion to build a new rail line parallel to another existing rail line, serving the exact same stops.
Essentially this is a waste of the century in the Silicon Valley. May be at one point in time this kind of plan wouldn’t seem redundant, but as things change we demand a new plan from the transit agency.
Why is VTA planning to build BART next to Caltrain?
VTA planned this location as early as 1992 for several reasons.
- To locate a maintenance facility
- Position the line for further extension northward along the Caltrain line, replacing Caltrain.
- Ensure that whatever tax plan to fund this isn’t all about San Jose in order to get political support from other cities.
Background: Caltrain in 1992 barely had 20,000 daily riders. San Mateo County was also planning to extend BART from Daly City to SFO, hoping that Caltrain would reduce if not eliminate service at BART rather than heading to San Francisco. At the same time, VTA had about 173,000 riders daily.
What has changed since?
- Caltrain ridership has more than tripled for the past 25 years. Ridership stood at about 65,000 on weekdays before the COVID-19 pandemic. Traffic congestion, development in San Francisco, and the Baby Bullet service all contributed to the increase in Caltrain ridership.
- BART got extended from Daly City to SFO/Millbrae, but most Caltrain riders stay on Caltrain.
- Caltrain is proceeding with a $2 billion electrification project, which will speed up service, and increase train service at minor stops including Santa Clara.
- In November 2020, voters in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties approved Measure RR, a 1/8 percent sales tax to fund its operation. Caltrain has the financial resource to operate electric trains at BART/light rail frequency.
- Caltrain corridor is the designated corridor for the future high speed rail system between San Francisco and San Jose.
- Santa Clara is served by Amtrak and Altamont Corridor Express trains from the East Bay and the Central Valley.
- Santa Clara and San Jose Diridon stations are connected by VTA rapid bus service, featuring enhanced bus stops and signal priority.
- The City of San Jose is recommending an automated transit connection from San Jose Airport to Diridon Station instead of Santa Clara in order to directly connect with high speed rail along with BART, Caltrain, and light rail.
- Clipper, the regional fare card, allows transit riders to transfer between transit modes conveniently, and allows proper fare credit and discounts without dispensing paper transfers. Clipper card is available to purchase at every BART station. A new version of Clipper would allow smart phones be used to pay for rides.
None of these exist in 1992. Shouldn’t the plan be revisited again?
Then what about…
What can VTA do with the $1 billion saved by not building a redundant line?
- VTA can invest more to improve and expand bus service throughout the county. VTA is operating less service than in 2000 and carries fewer passengers. We don’t have the luxury of not using funds wisely.
- Invest in a rail extension westward along the Stevens Creek corridor to the Valley Fair/Santana Row/Valley Med/City College area.
- Invest in fixed transit between Caltrain/BART/HSR and San Jose Airport.
It is not just the $1 billion in construction costs, but also millions in annual operating costs as well. This redundant segment will force VTA to operate mostly empty trains. Running trains on this segment will not save VTA money, or replace any existing service (which most rail extensions do), because Caltrain and buses from further north and west still need to serve San Jose Diridon.
What is our goal?
We don’t believe VTA will change policy on its own. Some local officials believe that they’re entitled to this kind of expenditure regardless of merit. Other local officials want to “get along” so they are unwilling to raise the issue with their colleagues. We are asking the Federal Transit Administration to hold VTA accountable, and require VTA to unbundle the redundant Santa Clara segment from the rest of the Phase II project before receiving federal funds.
Also due to the focus on BART, VTA and local cities no longer develop new transit vision beyond what was presented in 2000, despite the growing demand for more higher density developments throughout Santa Clara County. The county can no longer afford to waste valuable funds on transit projects that no longer make sense.
The federal government has committed to heavily invest in Caltrain ($600 million). At the same time, VTA also seeks funding from federal government for this redundant segment. Should the federal government allow local authorities to essentially “double dip” the federal funding for the same corridor, providing competing service, despite the need for transit investment elsewhere in the region and beyond?
With the help from the federal government, VTA reluctantly split the entire BART project into two phases in 2006. The Phase I is complete and in service. If the federal government allowed VTA to build the entire project at once, less funding would be made available to buses and other transit projects including Caltrain electrification. Since 2000, VTA reduced its bus service significantly and the service cut would’ve been greater if not for the local activism and demand from the federal government.