The Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program provides grants from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for "transformative capital improvements to modernize California’s intercity, commuter, and urban rail systems, and bus and ferry transit systems, to significantly reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, vehicle miles traveled, and congestion." The California State Transportation Agency published the 2020 call for projects on October 18, 2019 with an application deadline of January 16, 2020.
The members of the Coast Rail Coordinating Council are the regional transportation planning agencies in Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. The mission of the Council is to improve the frequency, speed, reliability, and ease of use of passenger trains on the coastal route between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Members of the Council are proposing to submit a grant application for state Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program funds for a package of improvements to include some or all of the following elements that support the goals and objectives of the State Rail Plan:
- Payments to Union Pacific to increase track access rights or outright purchase of the Coast Corridor mainline tracks from Moorpark (Ventura County) to Gilroy or San Jose;
- Equipment to operate future coast rail passenger service;
- Service-related infrastructure improvements;
- Service improvements for Ventura and Santa Barbara counties for improved peak hour rail service;
- Rail/transit network connectivity improvements between San Luis Obispo and Salinas; and
- Station improvements in Monterey County at Pajaro/Watsonville, Castroville, King City, and/or Soledad.
Staff recommends supporting this grant proposal, which is consistent with the Transportation Agency's long-standing support for increased passenger rail service to Salinas and for increased service along the Coast main line which will also serve stations in Soledad and King City.