The Monterey County Rail Extension Project extends passenger rail service from Santa Clara County south to Salinas. TAMC is pursuing a phased implementation of the Project. Phase 1, known as the Kick Start Project, includes Salinas train station circulation improvements, a train layover facility in Salinas, and track improvements at the Gilroy station and between Salinas and Gilroy. The Kick Start Project is proceeding with construction of Package 1, improvements at the Salinas train station. The layover facility (Package 2) and track improvements (Package 3) are ready for final design, pending comments from Union Pacific Railroad.
Package 1: Salinas Station Improvements
TAMC hired Monterey Peninsula Engineering (MPE) for construction of Package 1, MNS Engineers as Construction Managers on the project, and HDR Engineering to provide design support during construction. In March and April 2020, the construction team continued to make progress constructing the Lincoln Avenue Extension and associated parking improvements. The construction work is now 44% complete per the budget and 65% percent complete per the schedule.
Responding to COVID-19 has been a top priority for MPE. As of March 31, they added extra porta-potties and hand-wash stations on site and included social distancing into their safety briefings. As of April 3, the Monterey County Health Department issued a new order which gives new parameters for determining whether a construction project can be considered "essential". TAMC Counsel determined that proceeding with the completion of stage 1 complies with the order, but that MPE should then wait to start stage 2 pending a new order from the Health Department. Attached online is a map showing the improvements that are in stages 1 and 2. The staging was done to ensure access throughout construction to existing on-site uses such as the train station.
Package 2: Salinas Layover Facility
On December 4, 2019, the Transportation Agency Board approved Resolutions of Necessity on portions of four parcels and one full parcel needed for the Salinas layover facility. TAMC staff continues to oversee the right-of-way consulting team of AR/WS and Meyers Nave to further negotiations and finalize the acquisitions. A closed session with a full update was on the April TAMC Board agenda.
Package 3: Gilroy Station & Track Improvements, Operations Scenarios
On March 17, 2020, Caltrain held a stakeholder advisory call to discuss next steps on the Business Plan. The presentation is available online as a web attachment. The Salinas extension is mentioned on slide 86, stating that two roundtrips to Salinas are subject to further planning and agreement by both Caltrain and Union Pacific. On April 15, TAMC and Caltrain staff met to discuss Caltrain's feasibility study evaluating the parameters of extending service from Gilroy to Salinas and to determine next steps toward a memorandum of understanding or similar agreement. Staff agreed to finalize the feasibility study, which will be provided to this Committee upon receipt, and to set up a meeting between Caltrain and Caltrans to discuss liability and insurance coverage questions. Caltrain is experiencing significant (95%) ridership impacts from the shelter-in-place orders, cause for a significant financial crisis for the rail operator, as it largely depends on fare revenue to support ongoing operations and maintenance costs. Caltrain continues to provide essential rail operations, albeit at a reduced frequency (42 round trips, down from 92).
On April 13, TAMC staff participated in the Northern California megaregional rail working group meeting, which included updates on Caltrans and California State Transportation Agency rail coordination efforts, the 2022 State Rail Plan, state rail fleet management plan, new transbay crossing project, and the integrated ticketing effort.
On April 22, the TAMC Board approved a new contract with HDR Engineering to complete the final design of Package 2 and 3, pending approval by the Independent Office of Audits and Investigations.
The Central Coast Highway 1 Climate Resiliency Study held its second public outreach meeting on February 27 and its third stakeholder meeting on April 14, and at this point they have found that re-routing the rails through Elkhorn Slough (about a mile of tracks) is not necessary for habitat reasons and that the railroad berm actually provides benefits to the environment that converting the tracks to a trestle would not provide. Possible elevation options in light of sea level rise include a levee system. TAMC's Network Integration Study's analysis of infrastructure capacity shows that double-tracking through the slough would not be required to support even the most ambitious level of rail service.
Staff will provide a verbal update on all activities at the meeting.