Commuter Rail Extension Alternatives Analysis - Transportation ...

CALTRAIN EXTENSION TO MONTEREY COUNTYALTERNATIVES ANALYSISTable 2-7Altamont Commuter Express Rider Boarding PatternsStationAMWestbound4/4/2000 7/25/2001 4/24/2006PMEastboundAMWestboundPMEastboundAMWestboundPMEastboundStockton 7% — 9% — 14% —Lathrop 18 — 28 — 31 —Tracy 19 — 23 — 25 —Vasco 9 — 7 2 6 2Livermore 10 1 8 1 7 1Pleasanton 29 3 16 6 13 17Fremont 8 8 9 8 5 18Great America — 72 — 52 — 52Santa Clara — — — 17 — —San Jose Diridon — 14 — 14 — 10Not returning by ACE — 2 — — — —645188AA-014ACE Expansion PlansACE recently expanded its commuter rail service between the San Joaquin Valley and the SantaClara Valley. Beginning on Monday, August 28, 2006, a fourth train was added which departsStockton Monday through Friday at 9:30 a.m. making all stops en route to San Jose and arrivingthere at 11:40 a.m. Returning, this new train departs San Jose at 12:05 p.m. and arrives back inStockton at 2:15 p.m.Funding for this new service comes in part from Caltrans to help absorb congestion from motor trafficon I-205 during a 3-year construction project to widen that facility. Funding also comes from Amtrakwhose passengers connecting to and from the San Joaquin trains #711 and #716 will be carried onthis new train.ACE believes that the added convenience of this additional service will enable their customers to getto work later when necessary, or return home sooner for important appointments. It will allow newcustomers the opportunity to make shopping trips to Pleasanton or San Jose, or spend the day at amuseum or Paramount’s Great America.The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission originally established a requirement that ACE ridershipreach 85 percent capacity prior to initiating the fourth train. Ridership is currently at 65 percent ofavailable capacity and an additional daily 500 passengers eacy way are needed to reach the 85percent of capacity threshold. However, a unique opportunity presented itself for a partnershipbetween ACE, Caltrans District 10, and the San Joaquin Intercity Rail Service for the initiation fo thefourth train much earlier than anticipated.In this collaborative effort, it became apparent that a midday (fourth) ACE train might satisfy severalpurposes:parsons CHAPTER 2: EXISTING AND FORECAST CONDITIONS 45