BayRail Alliance
BayRail general meeting
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CaltrainBayRail Alliance endorses MTC's San Francisco/Silicon Valley Corridor strategyInformation about the MTC's High Speed Rail strategy. June 24, 2009 Will Kempton, Director California Department of Transportation 1120 N St, PO Box 942873 Sacramento, CA 94273-0001 Dear Mr. Kempton: For more than 25 years, BayRail Alliance has been a strong supporter of Caltrain service improvements on the Peninsula. We are also proud for our advocacy efforts on high speed rail especially during the early part of the decade. We are writing to express our full support of the San Francisco/Silicon Valley Corridor Investment Strategy recommended by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. We support MTC's strategy because it is the best approach to fulfill the promise made to voters through last year's Proposition 1A and the intent set forth in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. BayRail applauds decision by TJPA to move Transbay train box project forwardOn June 11, The Transbay Joint Powers Authority voted unanimously to direct the architects to prepare plans for the train box as part of Phase 1 of the Transbay Transit Center project. The Phase 1 of the project includes the removal of the current terminal and the construction of a new terminal on the current site. Prior to this proposal, TJPA planned to build the train box after the above-ground bus terminal is completed, largely due to funding constraints. However, the recent passage of the Prop 1A High Speed Rail bond and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided new funding opportunities to move this critical project forward. San Mateo Daily Journal - Public: Don't cut weekend Caltrain tripsMay 28, 2009, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/41596 Public: Don't cut weekend Caltrain trips Caltrain Community Meetings: Possible Fare Increase/Service SuspensionsTime/date: 6 p.m., Wednesday, May 27 Source: http://www.caltrain.com/news_2009_05_18_community_meetings.html Caltrain will hold three community meetings to receive public comments about proposed fare increases and service suspensions. The following proposals will be considered:
Caltrain is facing a projected $10.1 million deficit for Fiscal Year 2010. One-time funding sources that have been used to bridge deficits for the last seven years are largely depleted. Another key funding source, State Transit Assistance, has been eliminated for the next few years. This puts an additional strain on Caltrain’s partners – the City and County of San Francisco, San Mateo County Transit District and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority – who each rely on STA funds for their transit operations. In addition, the deepening recession and job losses are beginning to negatively impact Caltrain ridership and revenues. March showed the first monthly ridership decline in many years. The meetings will take place at 6 p.m., Wednesday, May 27 at the following locations:
Two public hearings will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, June 4, at the Caltrain Administrative Office, 1250 San Carlos Ave., San Carlos, on the proposed changes and a declaration of fiscal emergency. A fiscal emergency is called if an agency is projected to have negative working capital within one year. Comments will be accepted up until the public hearings. To comment, attend one of the community meetings or public hearings, send e-mail to changes@caltrain.com, send regular mail to District Secretary, Caltrain, P.O. Box 3006, San Carlos, CA 94070-1306, or call 1.800.660.4287 (TDD for hearing impaired only 650.508.6448). Stop the downward spiral...Save CaltrainOn May 7, the Caltrain JPB scheduled two public hearings on possible fare and service changes as well as to declare a fiscal emergency. Caltrain is facing a projected $10.1 million deficit for the next fiscal year which starts this July. Over the years, the introduction of Baby Bullet service and other one-time measures managed to get Caltrain through several years of structural deficits, but it appears they've run out of one-time measures. However, raising fares and/or cutting service would be a dire hit to the positive momentum of the last several years. BayRail Alliance believes that major changes are needed to address the structural deficits. Without major changes, Caltrain's plan to cut service and raise fares could be the beginning of a downward spiral. Caltrain in troubleMay 4, 2009 Published Saturday, May 2, 2009, by the Peninsula Daily Caltrain gets Ticket Vending MachinesCaltrain installs ticket vending machines and switches to a "proof-of-payment" system, fulfilling one of BayRail Alliance's original goals for Caltrain. As a result, fare evasion decreases and Caltrain collects more revenue.
Feb 19, 2009 BayRail General Meeting - Caltrain electificationFeb 19, 2009 BayRail General Meeting - Caltrain electification Time/date: Want to know the current progress on electrification? Come to the BayRail Alliance general meeting next Thursday and find out! Location: Transbay Transit Center Program groundbreaking eventTime/date: December 10, 2008 11:00am Source: Groundbreaking of the Transbay Transit Center program A groundbreaking moment for CaliforniaPlease join honored guest Mayor Gavin Newson and the Transbay Joint Powers Authority for a very special groundbreaking event to celebrate the commencement of the Transbay Transit Center Program. December 10, 2008 11:00am Beale and Howard streets San Francisco, CA 94105 Construction of a temporary Transbay Terminal will commence soon. Once the temporary terminal is built, existing terminal will be torn down and be replaced by a new multimodal terminal. The new terminal will eventually become a new home for Caltrain and the California High Speed Rail. Getting the Caltrain downtown extension built was one of BayRail Alliance's primary goals in the early 1980's. This project has survived near-death on several occasions, pulling through because of the hard work and personal sacrifices of advocates to keep it alive against severe obstacles. We owe a previous and current generation of activists a debt of gratitude for the progress that this project is made. BayRail Alliance meeting Dec 4What steps do we need to take now to get Caltrain electrified? Come to the BayRail Alliance general meeting this Thursday Time/date: What steps do we need to take now to get Caltrain electrified? Come to the BayRail Alliance general meeting this Thursday and find out! Location: 
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