Commuter Rail Extension Alternatives Analysis - Transportation ...

CALTRAIN EXTENSION TO MONTEREY COUNTYALTERNATIVES ANALYSISEmployment growth at the proposed station sites would result mostly from a redistribution of existingemployment. Access to regional jobs and educational and entertainment opportunities would increasefor residents living near proposed stations, including environmental justice populations. As notedabove, under employment served, the proposed project will provide access to higher paying jobs inSanta Clara County/Silicon Valley, as well as jobs located in San Mateo and San Francisco counties.Currently, there is no reasonably priced public transportation between Monterey County and the SanFrancisco Bay Area. In addition to jobs, educational opportunities which provide entry level access tothese higher paying jobs will be accessible by the proposed Caltrain Extension and Express Busalternatives.Higher wages earned by Monterey County residents in the San Francisco Bay Area will likely createsecondary employment opportunities located within the Monterey Bay region.FUNDING AVAILABILITYTAMC is the local agency that distributes state and federal money for local and regional transportationprojects in Monterey County. TAMC is responsible for administering specific funding programscreated under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991. These fundingprograms have been continued under the Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century and the SafeAccountable Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA of 2003: A Legacy for Users).TAMC is responsible for distributing money for public transit, rail, local and street and road maintenance,highway, bicycle and pedestrian facilities.Table 8-40 lists the proposed capital budget for the Caltrain Extension to Monterey County project.The total estimated project cost is $99.5 million, expressed in year-of-expenditure dollars, divided as$10.4 million for the Salinas MST bus facility and $89.0 million for the rail project, including a layoverfacility and commuter parking in Salinas, a platform and parking in Castroville, a platform and parkingin Pajaro, and main line UPRR track upgrades in Gilroy and between Gilroy and Salinas. This budgetamount does not include an allowance for the purchase of Caltrain rolling stock, as sufficientpassenger capacity exists to implement both the two train and four train scenarios without need foradditional passenger coaches.Funding for the Caltrain Extension project includes the state Traffic Congestion Relief Program, theProposition 116 rail bond funds, State Transportation Improvement Program–Public TransportationAccount funds, Regional Surface Transportation Program-Interest, a federal earmark, CongestionMitigation and Air Quality Improvement funding, and contributions by local partner agencies. Aproposed application for Federal Transit Administration New Starts funding in the amount of $45million fills the gap between the available funding and the estimated total project cost.These fund sources and amounts are preliminary and are subject to change.Insofar as funds required to meet net public operating costs (i.e., subsidize transit operations andmaintenance expense), three sources of funding are anticipated. These are Local TransportationFunds, State Transit Assistance funds, and local sales tax funds. 1616A local transportation sales tax is proposed as a November 2008 ballot initiative.parsons CHAPTER 8: EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES 211