The line would run within the median of Interstate 580 (I-580), right-of-way of the first transcontinental railroad owned by Alameda County, and new right-of-way in San Joaquin County.[6] It is currently being planned by the Tri-Valley–San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority, a special-purpose district body formed for the sole purpose of its planning. Valley Link is ultimately planned to run between Dublin/Pleasanton station and the Altamont Corridor Express’s (ACE) future North Lathrop station utilizing standard-gaugezero-emissionhydrogen trainsets.[3][4] However, currently, only the initial operating phase between Dublin/Pleasanton station and Mountain House Community station near the community of Mountain House in the San Joaquin Valley, with the segment from Mountain House to North Lathrop being reserved for future planning. This segment, which includes new stations at Isabel Avenue, Southfront Road, and Mountain House, is currently undergoing engineering and environmental review and design, with construction expected to begin as early as 2025 and end as early as 2027.[5]
In 2017, citing lack of interest from the Bay Area Rapid Transit District in bringing BART service directly to Livermore, the Livermore City Council proposed a newly established local entity to undertake planning and construction of the extension,[11] which was also recommended by the California State Assembly Transportation Committee.[12] Assembly Bill 758 was signed by Governor of CaliforniaJerry Brown on October 13, 2017,[7] formally establishing the Authority.
On May 24, 2018, the BART board voted against a full rapid transit BART build or a bus rapid transit system to extend service east from Dublin/Pleasanton station.[8] This prompted the new Rail Authority to initiate planning of a new transit system.
A final feasibility report was released in October 2019. The buildout cost to North Lathrop was estimated at between $1.88 billion and $3.21 billion, with an expected start of operations between the second quarter of 2027 and the fourth quarter of 2028.[13] Scott Haggerty, one of the founders of the TVSJVRRA, noted that the popularity of the project was reflected in the volume of public comments to the feasibility report.[14] A draft environmental impact report was released in December 2020.[15] The final environmental impact report was approved by the board in May 2021, allowing the rail authority to proceed with design and continue seeking funding for the project.[16]
The developer of River Islands has offered to cover the cost of station construction in exchange for the ability to build a transit village at the site.[19]
In 2018, Stadler met with the governing board to discuss traction sources; diesel multiple unit or diesel / battery electric hybrid vehicles will likely serve the route. AECOM was contracted to perform a feasibility study for the project that same year.[20] The loading gauge of highway underpasses limits the selection of rolling stock.
By 2023, the locally preferred alternative had the line utilizing the I-580 median and Western Pacific alignment until realigning with I-580 north of the Summit Tunnel and continuing east to Mountain House.[22]
Funding
Funds previously allocated to BART to construct a Livermore extension were forfeited to this authority by July 1, 2018, amounting to at least $145 million.[8] Funding for the feasibility study was provided variously by Caltrans, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and the San Joaquin County Council of Governments.[20] By February 2019, more than $588 million had been accumulated for the project.[23] In 2020, the project gained a further $400 million from reallocated BART funds.[24]
^Chang, Gordon H.; Fisher Fishkin, Shelley, eds. (2019). The Chinese and the Iron Road; Building the Transcontinental Railroad. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. p. 291. ISBN978-1503608290.
.jpg)
