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Concepts

Exploration of Concepts - Identifying Travel Solutions for a Better Future

After initial data gathering, technical studies and stakeholder input, Link21 began development of high-level concepts in early 2022. The building blocks of Link21 concepts include: markets, service, train technology, and infrastructure. Each concept has a new train crossing between Oakland and San Francisco, new and improved stations, enhanced service, and potential infrastructure needed to accommodate that service. 

Exploration has included several rounds of analysis and stakeholder/public input on concepts for two different train technologies in the crossing: standard-gauge (Regional Rail) or broad-gauge (BART). 

Concept assessment is guided by the Link21 Business Case, a framework that established the problem statement, Link21 vision, program and goal objectives and evaluation criteria. In this early stage of planning, the focus area is the Strategic Case that seeks to determine how each concept with specific train technology and associated service improvements advance Link21’s Goals and Objectives.

Analysis findings have demonstrated that each train technology offers similarities and differences to be taken into consideration. These findings are helping Link21 identify options that will help transform the train system within the Megaregion - creating improved service and community connections as envisioned by the California State Rail Plan, Plan Bay Area 2050, and Link21. The Program is nearing a decision on which train technology in the crossing will move forward for further study. As part of that focused planning, concept options will be further explored, including track alignments and station improvements to identify a Proposed Project to advance into the next phase of work, Environmental Review. 

Example Concept Maps to Help Understand Trade-offs 

Below are two sample high-level maps that visually represent the existing and potential future planned infrastructure for the train system with proposed improvement options as part of Link21. See additional concept maps at the bottom of this page. 

Example: Standard-gauge (Regional Rail) in the Crossing

Standard-gauge tracks will connect Regional Rail service on the San Francisco Peninsula to the East Bay and larger Megaregion for the first time including:

  • New Urban | Metro service at new & designated existing stations that only offer Intercity | Express service today
  • Improved travel times & more direct megaregional trips

Standard-gauge in the crossing creates opportunities for a better transfer between BART and Regional Rail in Oakland and allows two different service types and multiple operators to use the new crossing. 

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Concept Map - standard gauge Regional Rail
Example: Broad-gauge (BART) in the Crossing 

BART-gauge tracks in the new crossing will provide more service within the existing BART network including:

  • New stations with Urban | Metro service & improved Urban | Metro service at existing stations
  • Increased frequency of service on East Bay BART lines
  • New Oakland transfer between BART & Regional Rail near Jack London Square

Broad-gauge in the crossing increases the number of trains that run throughout the existing BART system and would allow trains to use either crossing which provides service redundancy and reduced future crowding as the Megaregion population continues to grow. 

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Concept Map - Broad Gauge BART

 

What We've Learned – ​BART and Regional Rail Service Can Work Better Together with Link21

Regardless of which technology is in the crossing, Link21 could:

  • Meet travel demand with a single two track crossing between San Francisco & Oakland by 2050
  • Allow for uninterrupted transbay rail service if one crossing goes out of service​
  • Improve service reliability and transbay redundancy with a new crossing​
  • Enable increased train frequency that can grow ridership — must be balanced with operating costs & larger fleet​
  • Provide benefits to priority populations across the network in different ways
  • Reduce traffic on Bay Bridge (one of most congested corridors in Northern California)
  • Create improved / new transfers between BART and Regional Rail service to save travel time​
  • Provide additional urban | metro service ​(like BART today frequent and fast, timely)
  • Enable Extended Hours on BART ​(Requires policy decision/action by BART Board)​ 

Findings Demonstrate Train Technology Trade-offs

A considerable amount of analysis and evaluation has been conducted to compare what you get with each train technology - standard-gauge (Regional Rail) or broad-gauge (BART) in the crossing. The two train technologies offer distinct services and have been designed to serve different markets. There are many factors to consider that differentiate the benefits provided by standard-gauge and broad-gauge technology.  

Promote Equity and Livability by Providing Travel Benefits to Priority Populations

Both train technologies provide equitable outcomes and improve livability with a majority of benefits going to priority populations including enhanced access to community resources, jobs, and new trips for low-income households. 

Standard-gauge (Regional Rail) in the crossing:

Benefits

  • Provides service benefits to large concentrations of Priority Populations located along existing and planned regional rail corridors within the Megaregion

Broad-gauge (BART) in the crossing:

Benefits

  • Service benefits throughout BART network, providing benefits to Priority Populations within BART’s service area

A majority share of benefits provided by either technology – between 50-63% – go to priority populations, comfortably exceeding the federal Justice40 requirement.  

While both technologies could offer benefits to populations that are transit dependent through increased service, it is important to understand that standard-gauge (Regional Rail) may require improvements at the existing tracks, which could impact communities adjacent to the tracks. This would require mitigation to address these potential impacts. 

Transform the Passenger Experience by Expanding & Improving Travel Options

Both technologies come with trade-offs in the ways a new crossing will improve connectivity with direct (no transfer) trips, better transfers between systems, and reduced travel times which all could greatly improve the passenger experience.

Standard-gauge (Regional Rail) in the crossing:

Offers longer-distance riders a chance to take a new megaregional trip by train faster and without transfers.

Benefits

  • More direct service (one-seat rides)/travel time savings for megaregional trips to San Francisco and the Peninsula​
  • Travel time savings for inner-East Bay / Transbay trips (between Richmond and Salesforce Transit Center)​
  • Improves Regional Rail reliability with separation of freight from passenger trains in central Oakland​

Broad-gauge (BART) in the crossing:

Offers an increased number of trains throughout the existing BART system.

Benefits

  • Increases frequency of East Bay BART lines
  • Improves reliability with alternative route to existing Transbay Tube
  • New transfers to Regional Rail in San Francisco’s Mission Bay and in central Oakland

Megaregional Connections

A critical difference between train technologies is their ability to provide megaregional connectivity – a key challenge Link21 seeks to address. Most importantly, megaregional connectivity is one of the most consistently mentioned benefits that the public wants from Link21.

  • Standard-gauge (Regional Rail) connects megaregional destinations and improves both local and regional travel by bringing Urban | Metro service to stations that only have Intercity | Express today
  • Broad-gauge (BART) primarily serves local and regional travel enhancing the existing BART Urban | Metro service to existing markets with limited impact on megaregional travel.

Direct Connections

While both greatly increase the number of new direct connections between destinations (one-seat ride without transfers), they each provide very different benefits.

Example Trip

An example trip between Sacramento and San Francisco would be direct with standard-gauge (Regional Rail) in the crossing as compared to the same trip with broad-gauge (BART) in the crossing requiring a transfer between train systems.

Travel Time Savings

A new crossing with Link21 will save travel time and give riders time back in their day to do what they want to do.

  • Standard-gauge (Regional Rail) improves travel time significantly along existing rail corridors for long distance trips within the Megaregion and for medium distance trips between the inner East Bay and the Peninsula.
  • Broad-gauge (BART) offers reduced wait times for most East Bay BART stations because of greater train frequencies.

There are a number of sample trips shown that demonstrate travel times savings offered with each train technology.

Transform the Passenger Experienceby Connecting Systems and Leveraging Investments

Train technologies differ in their ability to provide interoperability and operational benefits to improve local/megaregional train travel. However, they both enable redundancy for riders within the crossing through service by different operators and amplify the mutual benefits of other planned rail projects and investments.

Standard-gauge (Regional Rail) in the crossing:

Allows interoperability of multiple service operators to potentially use the new crossing.

Benefits

  • Provides interoperability and convenient access across the Bay from multiple service providers including Caltrain riders (via the Portal to Salesforce Transit Center) crossing to the East Bay and Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin intercity riders reaching San Francisco/ the Peninsula.
  • Creates a more integrated Regional Rail system and provides additional redundancy across the Bay
  • Leverages existing, planned and potential future regional rail improvements and connections ​(example: Caltrain electrification, Sacramento Valley Station, Portal, High-speed Rail, and Capitol Corridor Vision Plan)

Board-gauge (BART) in the crossing:

Only allows BART service to use new crossing. 

Benefits

  • Offers more frequent BART service and convenient transfers between BART and Valley Link (at Dublin/Pleasanton Station) 
  • Provides additional redundancy at Oakland Wye section (a congested area for both freight and passenger rail)
  • Leverages existing, planned and potential future BART improvements and connections (example: Silicon Valley BART Extension and Valley Link)

Amplifying Rail Investments

Partner agencies across the Megaregion are investing in rail infrastructure and service improvements to meet the evolving needs of riders and to help meet the Statewide vision for future rail service. Projects that share the same technology as the crossing result in mutually improved train service, increased frequencies, and ridership.

Support Economic Opportunity and Global Competitivenessby Enhancing Access to Housing and Jobs

As the 5th largest megaregional economy in the country, maintaining an efficient transportation network as we grow and evolve is critical in sustaining competitiveness and spurring economic vitality. A reliable rail network that moves goods and people to connect residents with jobs, businesses with employees, students with educational institutions, and everyone to necessary goods, services, and recreation is essential to maintaining our quality of life.

Standard-gauge (Regional Rail) in the crossing:

Benefits

  • Improved megaregional access to jobs/housing in SF and the Peninsula
  • Expands connectivity between job centers and less expensive housing

Broad-gauge (BART) in the crossing:

Benefits

  • Improved access to jobs with increased frequency of BART service​
  • Potential connectivity to jobs and housing at Mission Bay and SOMA in San Francisco

Both technologies improve access of populations within a half mile to stations, and both increase the number of jobs accessible within a one-hour commute. For the general population, the average person has access to about 45,000 more jobs within a one-hour commute, while in priority population areas, the average person has access to about 80,000 more jobs within a one-hour commute.

Improved Access to Stations

Link21 will create opportunity for more residents to ride trains for travel by increasing access to stations. Analysis of concepts demonstrate that:

  • Standard-gauge provides approximately 37,000 people access to stations within ½ mile
  • Broad-gauge provides approximately 28,000 people access to stations within ½ mile
Deliverability and Financial Considerations: Opportunities and Challenges for Implementation

There are several considerations that will continue to be assessed as the program moves forward but are not driving the decision of train technology in the crossing today. Some areas that will be more refined as the Project is further defined include ridership opportunities and cost. These, along with funding source availability and future governance will continue to be identified as Link21 advances.

Standard-gauge (Regional Rail) in the crossing:

Benefits

  • Potential new daily riders range with early evaluation from approximately​ 90K to 115K
  • Leverages more funding and financing options (Federal Railroad Administration funding)​
  • Is an important component within California State ​Rail Plan

Broad-gauge (BART) in the crossing:

Benefits

  • Potential new daily riders range with early evaluation from approximately 110K to 130K
  • More established federal funding process
  • Likely does not require new governance

Evolving Considerations:

Ridership:

  • Potential new ridership generated by either technology will depend on station locations, service levels, and market served
  • Ridership will continue to evolve as the Project is defined

Cost:

  • Initial cost estimates for Link21 based on 1-2% design show that the new crossing is comparable in costs: $18-$30B.
  • Where costs will differ is in the need for additional infrastructure:

    • Standard-gauge = $15-25B estimate – higher cost due to limited historical investments
    • road-gauge = $5-10B estimate

    NOTE: Some improvement investments could be delivered by other agencies

Funding:

  • Link21 will require local/state/federal funding which can be highly competitive
    • Standard-gauge has opportunity to secure funding from both the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
      • FRA has new Corridor Identification & Development Program that creates a pipeline of projects for prioritized funding - $102B in rail funding
      • Link21 is identified as part of one of six corridors within the State’s Corridor Identification Program sponsored by the FRA
    • Broad-gauge is limited to FTA funding and could compete with other BART funding needs

Governance:

  • Standard-gauge requires increased interagency involvement and new governance
    • Example: Host railroad engagement on changes proposed within their ​right-of-way (Union Pacific Railroad, Caltrain)

More About Link21 Concepts

Concepts demonstrate new tracks (thick lines) connecting to existing tracks (thin lines), transfer opportunities, new potential stations, and improved existing stations. Each concept allows for a variety of service improvements to transform future train travel.

Select a draft concept

Standard-gauge (Regional Rail) Train Technology in the Crossing
Broad-gauge (BART) Train Technology in the Crossing
Concept A Regional Rail Salesforce Transit Center via Alameda

Service Benefits

  • Offers both Urban | Metro and Intercity | Express service on Regional Rail tracks
  • Includes a Central Oakland connection to BART resulting in additional travel time savings between communities along the Capitol Corridor route from the Sacramento Area to East Bay and Downtown San Francisco
  • Creates new train connection in West Oakland (transfer between Regional Rail & multiple BART lines
  • Provides new access to train service in Alameda
  • Serves the Salesforce Transit Center, offering riders an easy trip to the Peninsula/Silicon Valley