100 replies to this topic

[CNJRoss]

Progressive Railroading, 2/9:
 

Caltrain challenges GOP call to block grant for electrification project

 

Caltrain is working with the San Francisco Bay Area's congressional delegation and local employers to oppose calls to block federal funding for the railroad's electrification project.

The project, which calls for electrifying Caltrain's corridor from San Francisco to San Jose, Calif., hinges on the execution of a nearly $650 million grant, Caltrain Executive Director Jim Hartnett said in a statement.

Republican lawmakers representing California in Congress late last month asked President Donald Trump's administration to block the grant for the program, which would lay the foundation for eventual high-speed rail service between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

San Francisco Chronicle, 2/12:
 

High-speed rail taking shape even as opponents seek to kill it

 

 

FRESNO — For many Californians, the plan to run high-speed trains between San Francisco and Los Angeles remains in the realm of fantasy. The project is short on cash, behind schedule and in the crosshairs of Republicans in Congress who’ve asked the Trump administration to hold back federal support for a key piece of the rail line.

 

SNIP

 

Shortly after President Trump took office, California’s 14 Republican members of Congress, including House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield, sent a letter to the Department of Transportation, urging it to halt federal grant money for electrification of Caltrain’s Bay Area corridor, which will be used by high-speed trains, until the project is audited.

 

Money from Washington is crucial for high-speed rail, which might not survive with state and private financing alone.

Trump’s position on the subject remains unclear. He recently called left-leaning California “out of control” and threatened to withhold unspecified funds, but he told a group of airline executives Thursday that he was surprised by the lack of fast trains in the country.

 

More here.

 

Note:  I posted this here with the recent related articles concerning funding for the Caltrain Electrification Project which is inextricably related to the CHSRA project.  This article is related to both projects.

-Ross

[CNJRoss]

Caltrain news release:

 

Caltrain Electrification Grant Deferred

 

February 17, 2017

 

Today, Caltrain received word from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) that a decision on whether to execute the pending $647 million Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) for the Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project (PCEP) will be deferred until the Administration develops the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Budget.

 

The contracts that have been awarded to complete the PCEP require that a Notice to Proceed be issued prior to March 1. Deferral of the decision to execute the FFGA will prevent Caltrain from issuing the notice by this date and may jeopardize the viability of the project itself.

 

Electrification will be the most transformative effort ever undertaken on the Caltrain Corridor. The project offers unique economic, environmental and mobility benefits that will have an impact across the country. Federal investment in this project will help create over 9,600 jobs in the Bay Area and spread throughout the nation in places like Salt Lake City, UT, Jacksonville, FL; Richmond, VA; Hudson, WI; Littleton, CO and more.  It will create over $2.5 billion in economic value and address one of the region’s principal barriers to economic growth by eliminating over 619,000 daily vehicle miles from the region’s roadways.

 

Caltrain is evaluating options for maintaining a viable project in the face of uncertainty about the timing of FFGA approval and the question about whether it will be approved at all.

 

In September, Caltrain issued a Limited Notice to Proceed to its contractors to advance design and pre-construction efforts. This work is nearly complete and approval of this Federal funding would match nearly $1.3 billion in secured local, state and regional investment, and allow construction to begin.

 

For two years, Caltrain worked closely with Federal officials to complete a thorough evaluation of the project including intensive engineering assessments and financial vetting. Following this evaluation, the project was rated very positively and recommended for approval by career professional staff still employed with that agency. Today, that 30-day period is complete, and the project has met all of the statutory requirements needed to qualify for an FFGA.

 

“Clearly, the FTA’s evaluation demonstrates that this Federal investment should be made based on the merits of the project, and we expect that the USDOT will continue with a fair process.” said Caltrain Chief Communications Officer Seamus Murphy. “We are poised to deliver mobility benefits that the region has been anticipating for over two decades, and across the country, workers are anticipating the thousands of jobs that this project will create. Caltrain is thankful for the hundreds of riders, employers and communities that have expressed support for the project. We will continue to work with our Congressional delegation, stakeholders and funding partners to support whatever actions are needed to provide our communities with the transit system they deserve.”

 

The Electrification Project is an opportunity to increase the capacity of the system and transform the way Bay Area experiences transit. Caltrain is already the mobility option of choice for over 65,000 daily riders. By connecting communities with more service to more stations and reducing travel times, electrification will make Caltrain even more attractive, equipping the system to accommodate more riders and providing significant relief to drivers on busy local streets and roads and increasingly congested freeways.

 

Background
​Caltrain has been planning for the electrification project since the 1990s and the PCEP has received broad support from the business community, labor and environmental groups, regional transportation advocacy groups, local, state, and federal elected officials. 

 

In September 2016, Caltrain awarded two contracts:

1. to a contractor to install the infrastructure to electrify the corridor

2. to a contractor to build and deliver high-performance electric commuter rail trains.  

    

A Limited Notice to Proceed (LNTP) has been issued to those contractors to advance design of the project. A Full Notice to Proceed (NTP) must be issued by March 1, 2017, in order to maintain the terms of the contracts and avoid costly penalties and project delays. Before an NTP can be issued, PCEP must receive the $647 million Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Core Capacity grant program.

 

Caltrain has secured all local, regional, state, and Federal non-Core Capacity funds for the project. The only funding that is needed is $647m from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Core Capacity program.

 

Over the last two years, Caltrain and the other PCEP funding partners have worked with FTA to meet all of the Core Capacity FFGA requirements to secure the $647m grant.  The project has already received $73m in previous appropriated Core Capacity funds and the FFGA would allow Caltrain to access those funds in addition to future Core Capacity funds. 

 

The Project’s path forward is contingent on the FTA FFGA. In order to maintain the terms of the contracts and avoid costly penalties and project delays, the FFGA must be signed by March 1, 2017.

 

Link to FAQs about the project: http://www.caltrain.com/Assets/Caltrain+Modernization+Program/Electrification+Documents/PCEP+FAQ.pdf

 

Link to the jobs that will be created by this project: http://www.caltrain.com/Assets/Caltrain+Modernization+Program/PCEPJobAcrossUSApdf.pdf 

 

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[CNJRoss]

The Hill, Washington, DC 2/21:
 

California agency urges Trump to allow funds for commuter rail project

 

 

A California transit agency is ratcheting up pressure on President Trump to unblock federal funding for an electrification project, which suffered a major setback last week after its grant money was put on hold.

 

In a petition to the White House, Caltrain is urging the administration to reverse course on its decision to halt $647 million worth of grant money for the transit agency until at least the fiscal 2018 budget. California officials say the delay could have a major impact on the economy and jobs in the region.

 

“You have said infrastructure and jobs will be a keystone of your administration. When you spoke with Silicon Valley leaders you praised their innovation and said ‘anything we can do to help this go along, we’re going to be there for you,’” the petition says.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

Caltrain news release:

 

Caltrain Reaches Agreement with Contractors to Extend March 1 Deadline

 

February 27, 2017

 

Move provides the Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project with flexibility needed to survive deferred decision on Federal Grant

 

Today Caltrain announced that it has negotiated an extension of the deadline for contractors to begin construction of the Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project while the agency awaits a decision from the Federal Transit Administration about the execution of a $647 million funding agreement.

The contractors agreed to extend the deadline for four months, from March 1 to June 30.  Last week, FTA announced that execution of the grant would be delayed until the President makes decisions about the availability of funds in the Administration’s upcoming budget proposal to Congress. The extension is needed to preserve the electrification project’s contracts during this time. 

The extension does not come without cost implications. Buying additional time from the contractors will likely require the utilization of up to $20 million in project contingency that otherwise would have been available for construction related expenses in the future. The sooner the grant agreement is executed, the smaller the impact will be to the project’s contingency.

Caltrain has been working with the FTA since 2009 to ensure that the project meets all of the rigorous statutory and regulatory requirements of the Core Capacity competitive discretionary program. The project was rated highly after thorough evaluation including ridership studies, design assessments, financial analyses and cost benefit evaluations by the FTA and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). Caltrain, as the project sponsor, also has significant local financial support for this project, demonstrated by the project’s substantial leveraging of local, state and regional funds.  The federal Core Capacity request makes up only 32 percent of the total project cost.

Caltrain officials expressed their gratitude to their primary modernization contractors for providing additional time and flexibility to manage the unforeseen delay.

“Every project that has achieved these milestones has received an executed Full Funding Grant Agreement and we don’t expect that this project will be any different,” said Caltrain Executive Director Jim Hartnett. “By agreeing to an extension, Caltrain’s contractors have demonstrated their commitment to preserving this unique opportunity to deliver unprecedented improvements to an aging commuter rail system that serves 65,000 riders every day and a project that will put thousands of Americans to work throughout the country.”

In September 2016, Caltrain awarded contracts to Balfour Beatty for construction of the corridor’s electrification infrastructure, and to Stadler US, Inc. for the manufacture and delivery of high-performance electric commuter rail trains that will increase the system’s ridership capacity and connect Peninsula communities with more frequent service and improved travel times. The contractors have advanced the project’s design and were scheduled to begin construction before FTA announced the delay.

“Caltrain has demonstrated an incredible commitment to the project by navigating these unusual and unique circumstances,” said Balfour Beatty CEO Ray Bond. “The nationwide scope of this project’s merits and benefits has kept this vision alive for over two decades and we are proud to be able to help preserve the opportunity to realize those benefits.” 

“This project will not only transform the aging diesel system into a modern and efficient electric commuter rail system better serving the needs of the region but it will also be the driving force for the creation of a new railcar production facility in the US, that will employ several hundred workers,” said Martin Ritter, Stadler US CEO. “We are excited to keep this project moving forward and appreciate the partnerships with the federal and local investors to ensure that this project, the jobs and plans to build new a facility are realized.”

Caltrain cautioned that additional extensions may not be possible. “Our contractors have agreed to delay construction for the maximum amount of time possible,” said Hartnett. “Delaying a decision on Federal funding beyond June 30 will be the same as rejecting the grant.”

###

 

[CNJRoss]

Los Angeles Times, 3/1:
 

Gov. Brown asks Trump to reverse course and let California have rail funds

 

 

Gov. Jerry Brown has asked the Trump administration to reverse itself on a key decision to withhold a $647-million grant for a state passenger rail project, a request that comes two weeks after other California Democrats waded into the fray.

 

In a letter this week to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Brown asserted that on its merits the grant is “an open and shut case.”

 

The Transportation Department notified the state on Feb. 18 that it was deferring the grant, which is intended to pay for a 50-mile electrical power system that both the Caltrain commuter rail system and the future high-speed rail system would use from San Jose to San Francisco.

 

The grant, which normally might move through the federal channels with little notice, became politically charged through its association with the controversial bullet train project.

 

 

All 14 of California’s Republican members of the House asked Chao to hold up the grant until an audit could be conducted of the state’s troubled high-speed rail project’s finances.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

Caltrain news release:

 

Major Employers Join Caltrain Executive Director Jim Hartnett in Washington D.C. to Advocate for Caltrain Electrification

March 12, 2017

 

Supporters encouraged by Trump Administration Announcement that infrastructure investment will focus on nation’s most ready-to-go projects

 

After spending the week meeting with key decision-makers in Washington, D.C., Caltrain’s executive director is optimistic that the agency’s Electrification Project is exactly the kind of investment that the Trump Administration is hoping to move forward with as part of their focus in infrastructure investment.

 “Since we’ve been here, we have met with supporters from both sides of the aisle who understand that when it comes to investing in infrastructure, this project checks all of the boxes,” said Caltrain Executive Director Jim Hartnett. “Caltrain electrification upgrades service on an existing system that serves the country’s fastest growing companies, the rest of the funding is already lined up, it creates thousands of jobs nationwide, and if the goal is to focus on projects that are ready to go, we aren’t just shovel ready, our shovels are in the ground waiting for the OK from Washington to turn some dirt.”

Before construction can start, Caltrain needs approval of a $647 million funding commitment from the Federal Transit Administration to match $1.3 billion that has already been secured from other sources. The federal grant was expected to be approved last month, but the newly-seated Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao delayed the decision until the Administration releases its budget recommendations to Congress later this spring.

Despite the delay, the Trump Administration announced this week that they intend to prioritize Federal investment for projects that can begin construction within 90-days of receiving the funds.

“Caltrain has already awarded contracts to complete the project and is prepared to issue a notice to proceed with construction immediately after the federal grant agreement is signed,” said Hartnett.

The delay has resulted in great concern among Bay Area businesses and riders who depend on Caltrain to support the economy of Silicon Valley and beyond. Caltrain’s efforts are supported by dozens of private sector employers that depend on Caltrain to provide their employees with a faster commute alternative in the wake of increasing congestion on the region’s highways. Representatives from these employers including Facebook, Google, Genentech and Stanford, joined Caltrain on the trip to Washington to advocate for approval of the federal investment.

Caltrain and the agency’s partners have been working diligently to ensure the federal delay does not hinder the project’s future, but it has presented tremendous additional challenges. Last week, Caltrain negotiated an extension of the deadline for contractors to begin construction, while the agency awaits the federal decision about the execution of the funding agreement. The contractors agreed to extend the deadline for four months, from March 1 to June 30. 

“I have personally invited the Secretary of Transportation to come to San Carlos to see this project first-hand and hear from the companies and communities that depend upon this work to keep the economy rolling,” said Hartnett.  “Moving forward with this decision will not only benefit Caltrain riders, but it will also benefit the thousands of American workers standing by to build the project.”

Leaders from throughout California, including Governor Jerry Brown have all expressed their support for advancing the project.  As Governor Brown has stated “It's ready to go, it's an obvious project, if you're not for that, you're not for infrastructure. That's a no brainer. It speeds it up, takes cars off the road, reduces the noise, it cleans up the air, it's based on American renewable energy."

To learn more about the Electrification Project, click HERE.

###

 

[CNJRoss]

AP via The Mercury-News, San Jose, CA 3/22:
 

Judge allows California high-speed rail funding to continue

 

 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A judge rejected opponents’ latest attempt to stall California’s $64 billion high-speed rail project Wednesday, but will consider their arguments before the state issues voter-approved bonds next month.

 

Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Raymond Cadei ruled against a temporary restraining order sought by Kings County and other opponents. He set an April 19 hearing to consider a preliminary injunction, one day before the state anticipates selling a portion of the nearly $10 billion in bonds that voters approved in 2008.

 

An opponents’ lawsuit challenges AB1889, which was signed into law last year by high-speed rail proponent Gov. Jerry Brown. It changed previous laws to allow high-speed rail bonds to be spent to electrify 55 miles of track from south of San Jose to San Francisco.

 

Continue here.

[CNJRoss]

The Sacramento (CA) Bee, 3/24:
 

House Republicans launch a petty attack on a smart rail project

 

 

By the Editorial Board

 

Gov. Jerry Brown this week urged House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to free $650 million for an important commuter rail project on the San Francisco Peninsula. Now, 121 Silicon Valley leaders are making their pitch.

 

“The economic importance of electrifying CalTrain cannot be overstated,” the Silicon Valley Leadership Group said in the letter signed by executives from Google, eBay, Seagate, the San Francisco 49ers and scores of other companies to President Donald Trump and Chao, his transportation secretary.

 

The idea behind all public works projects, CalTrain included, is straightforward: We collectively pitch in to pay for work that benefits large numbers of people. Too often, however, funding falls victim to politics, as residents of the San Francisco Peninsula have found.

 

There’s much to commend the project to electrify what now is a diesel commuter train that chugs from San Jose to San Francisco. The standing-room only train carries 65,000 people a day now. It would carry 110,000 once the electrification and other improvements are completed.

 

Continue here.

[Sloan]

 

 

US approves $650M for San Francisco Bay Area train system

 

The Trump administration announced Monday that it will fully fund a $650 million federal grant for electrification of a San Francisco Bay Area train system that also would help California's high-speed rail project.

 

http://www.sacbee.co...e151974577.html

Edited by Sloan, 23 May 2017 - 08:20 AM.