California State Rail Plan 2007-08 to 2017-18

Chapter XVI – Major Freight IssuesPUBLIC/PRIVATE SECTOR COORDINATIONCoordination between Caltrans, various Metropolitan Planning Organizations(MPO), Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (RTPA), TransportationCommissions, Tribal organizations, environmental organizations, private shippers,logistics firms, trucking firms, warehousing and distribution centers, the railroads,intercity rail organizations, and all stakeholders is critical to achieving a trulyintegrated and optimal freight rail system in California.In Southern California, SCAG, SANDAG, SANBAG, RCTC, Gateway CitiesCOG, other various cities, counties, the Ports of Los Angles, Long Beach,San Diego, Hueneme, the BNSF and UP Railroads, various short line railroads,shippers, community groups and others all influence freight rail in that region.In the California Central Valley, KernCOG, Fresno COG, StanCOG, SJCOG,Central Valley cities, counties, RTPAs, the BNSF, UP, and short line railroads, theagriculture industry, the Port of Oakland, SACOG and other similar stakeholdersinfluence this region.In the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California, MTC, SACOG, the Portof Oakland, shippers, trucking firms, railroads, environmental organizations andsimilar stakeholders influence this region.As one can readily see with regard to California, coordination between freight railand goods movement stakeholders both public and private is extremely complexand dynamic. As a result of this coordination awareness of freight rail and goodsmovement issues has reached an apex.Many projects and studies (appendix item) have come from this coordination butfreight rail generally only gets funding if it is part of a passenger rail project,currently through the Caltrans Division of Rail. With the passing of theProposition 1B Transportation Bond package, freight rail projects could be fundedseparately, but might also include a lesser passenger benefit.235