California State Rail Plan 2007-08 to 2017-18

2007-08 – 2017-18 California State Rail PlanImprove Air Quality, Conserve Fuel, and Contribute to Efficient andEnvironmentally Superior Land Use – Rail service contributes to improved airquality by reducing vehicle miles traveled and vehicle emissions. It reduces fuelconsumption, thereby helping to limit dependence on scarce petroleum resources.It also helps to reduce the need for highway construction which can contribute toinefficient land use patterns which often causes the loss of economically,environmentally, and historically valuable land.Figure 1C5,000,000Annual Ridership for Amtrak California ServiceAnnual Ridership4,500,0004,000,0003,500,0003,000,0002,500,0002,000,0001,500,0001,000,000500,000Capitol CorridorSan JoaquinsPacific Surfliners01996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06State Fiscal YearINTERCITY RAIL IS A KEY COMPONENT OFCALIFORNIA’S VISION FOR TRANSPORTATIONIntercity rail is an important component of the transportation system and itsexpansion enhances transportation mobility. Ridership on the state-supportedintercity rail system continues to expand. In the five year period from 1996 to2001 ridership on the three state supported systems rose 32.5 percent whileCalifornia’s population increased by 8.8 percent. From 2001 to 2006 ridershipincreased 35 percent while the State’s population rose by 7.1 percent. Servicelevels also increased during this period (Figure 1C). With additional service,which will be substantially funded by Proposition 1B, even more opportunitieswill arise to expand ridership.10