Earlier this month, the Caltrain board certified the final environmental impact report for the electrification project. With this action, Caltrain is one step closer to begin construction and concludes the environmental clearance process that began in 2001.

I believe that Caltrain should’ve been electrified when it was first proposed about 30 years ago. At that time, the project faced funding challenge, as well as question about Caltrain’s future in light of the plan to extend BART to SFO/Millbrae. Today, with record Caltrain ridership, increasing traffic congestion, and growing demand for mixed-use developments along the rail corridor, it is more urgent than ever for Caltrain to electrify. Continue reading No on “filibuster” over Caltrain electrification →

Last month, Caltrain presented a proposal on mobile ticketing to its Citizens Advisory Committee. Here’s a brief summary of the presentation from the meeting minutes: Continue reading Caltrain mobile ticketing →

The talk in town after the construction of the Bay Bridge East Span is another transbay tube. The concept, along with another bridge, has been studied about 14 years ago. Some of the ideas that are being thrown around is to have a second BART tube reach South of Market, head up toward Union Square, extend to the west on Geary, and perhaps turn south on 19th Ave. Others have suggested that the 2nd tube should be standard gauge as an extension of Caltrain from Transbay terminal. Continue reading 2nd Transbay Tube? →

I wish to submit a few comments for the EIR:

Having dedicated lanes for buses is a significant investment, not only in dollar terms, but so is the amount of space on the roadway. On the other hand, the proposal for dedicated lanes would maintain local bus service operating in mixed traffic.

Under the dedicated lanes scenarios, an option that should be evaluated is to add additional stops and eliminate local curbside 22 route. A single tier service scenario would result in service similar to the corridors served by light rail along 1st Street and Capitol Avenue. Stations should be about 1/2 mile apart. For this project, it may mean double the number of the stops as currently proposed.
Continue reading Comments submitted for the VTA’s El Camino BRT EIR →