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    1. Rail
    2. Infrastructure

    CCJPA's Time Savings Project speeds travel times

    June 19, 2019
    The project, which was a in coordination with Caltrans, the California State Transportation Agency and Union Pacific, shaves five minutes off a Sacramento to San Jose trip.
    Related To: Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority

    The new Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) timetable went into effect June 17, reducing the overall time it takes trains to travel the route between Sacramento and San Jose by approximately five minutes. It includes schedule changes to train and connecting bus service that will improve overall efficiency and reliability.

    While the Capitol Corridor normally updates its schedule twice a year, this change is particularly significant in that it reflects the completion of the Travel Time Savings Project, a rail infrastructure improvement project between Benicia and San Jose that was completed in December 2018 in partnership with Caltrans, the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) and Union Pacific. 

    “We are grateful to have had access to this funding opportunity to complete this important work along the Capitol Corridor route,” said Rebecca Saltzman, CCJPA Board Chair. “This project represents the first of many that we expect over the next several years to reduce travel times, improve reliability, and enhance our customer service.”

    “First and foremost, the CCJPA is committed to a safe and reliable experience for the Capitol Corridor passengers,” said David Kutrosky, Managing Director of the CCJPA, which oversees management of the 170-mile Capitol Corridor route between San Jose and Auburn. “Not only do the upgrades reduce the overall time it takes a train to travel along the entire route, but the trains have also been more efficiently scheduled, so there’s less potential for delays, thus improving on-time performance for our passengers.”

    The Travel Time Saving project was funded by CalSTA’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP), which funds transformative capital improvements that will modernize California’s intercity, commuter, urban rail, bus, and ferry transit systems to reduce greenhouse gases by reducing congestion and vehicle miles traveled throughout California. TIRCP is funded by Senate Bill 1 and through cap and trade auction proceeds and the greenhouse gas reduction fund. 

    “The 2018 State Rail Plan sets the ambitious vision to increase passenger rail ridership 11-fold by 2040,” said Kyle Gradinger, Caltrans’ Assistant Division Chief for Rail and Mass Transportation. “This project and others like it are integral in reaching this goal. Investments in reliability and efficiency such as these increase the ridership and overall attractiveness of rail and public transit.” 

    The new timetable is available on the Capitol Corridor website and will soon be available on board trains and at stations.