On Wednesday, November 18, 2015, the proposed project to build a third main track between Sacramento and Roseville moved one step closer to reality. At the Suisun City Hall Council Chambers, the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) Board of Directors certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and approved the project. The next step for CCJPA is to finalize the Environmental Assessment (EA) for approval by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
The project will not only provide more connections and improved mobility within the Sacramento mega region, but it will also create critical links to the San Francisco Bay Area for those who work and play in the Bay. As communities east of Sacramento continue to grow, and Downtown Sacramento revitalizes and evolves into a premiere destination, the need for alternative travel options that move more people while reducing freeway congestion will increase dramatically.
“Capitol Corridor rail service has enjoyed tremendous popularity with our residents even though it only has one round trip per day. This project gives us the opportunity to build on that momentum and make passenger rail travel really blossom,” said Celia McAdam of the Placer County Transportation Planning Agency (PCTPA). “As we watch the exciting revitalization of Downtown Roseville with the Sierra College campus and Downtown Sacramento with the rail yards project, residents all over the region will benefit greatly from increased train frequency. This project is a long time coming.”
The enhanced service will offer more flexibility in schedule, providing convenience to existing riders and helping to attract new ones. By adding another track, Union Pacific will maintain their freight operations, while CCJPA can increase Capitol Corridor service. This will benefit the environment by lowering the region’s greenhouse gas emissions and also drive sustainable economic development in the region.
“It has always been a top priority of the CCJPA Board of Directors to increase service levels to Placer County beyond the one round trip today and the addition of a new third track will help us achieve that goal,” said CCJPA Board Chair Gail Murray.” The completion of the Third Track Project will allow CCJPA to add up to 10 daily Capitol Corridor round trip trains, giving riders in Roseville and Placer County more choices for travel to Sacramento and the Bay Area.”
The Third Track Project is just one of many key regional transit initiatives aimed at keeping the growing community mobile and also improves the operating performance and efficiency of the Capitol Corridor, already the third busiest intercity passenger rail service in the United States.
For More Details
The Final EIR and other project documents can be viewed or downloaded from the project’s website. In addition, interested parties may also review a copy of the final documents at various public counter locations. For more information, please visit the project website at www.capitolcorridor.org/SacRoseville.
About CCJPA
CCJPA, known as the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority, is a partnership among six transit agencies and two metropolitan planning organizations that share administration and management of the 170-mile corridor along with 17 stations. CCJPA partners with Amtrak, UPRR, Caltrans and the communities it serves to provide cost-effective intercity passenger rail to the counties of Placer, Sacramento, Yolo, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, San Francisco and Santa Clara.
For more information about Capitol Corridor and CCJPA, visit capitolcorridor.org or call (877) 974-3322. Also, stay connected with us through Facebook at facebook.com/CapitolCorridor and Twitter @CapitolCorridor.
Contact for this project:
Jim Allison
Manager of Planning
Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
info@sactoroseville3rdtrack.com
(510) 464-6994
# # #