CAPITOL CORRIDOR BREAKS GROUND ON BAHIA PROJECT
NEW CROSSOVER NEAR BENICIA WILL IMPROVE TRAIN SERVICE
Oakland, CA July 30, 2008 – Officials from Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA), Union Pacific (UPRR), Solano Transportation Authority, Caltrans and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission broke ground today on the new Bahia Crossover Project, a rail project that will improve the flow of trains over the Suisun-Martinez area. The ceremony signified CCJPA’s commitment to work with its partners to expeditiously put $4.75 of million Proposition 1B and $2.75 million of Bay Area Regional Measure 2 transportation dollars into the ground within 90 days of allocation.
“The Bahia Crossover Project represents how entities with the same vision can quickly accomplish a goal that benefits riders, the economy and the environment,” CCJPA Chair Forrest Williams said.
The Project UPRR has designed a rail crossover that will improve train service, meet reliability standards, and reduce delays that occur in the Benicia area by 50 percent. The crossover is a 100-foot passing track that alleviates train congestion when more than one train is in the area. Delays occur when passenger trains are held to accommodate freight and other passenger trains. With the new crossover in place, the average wait time will be reduced from 20 minutes to 10 minutes, resulting in improved service for our riders. UPRR plans to accelerate construction in order to complete the project by November 2008.