Governor Newsom Signs Valley Link Legislation

Livermore CA

29 September, 2021

8:35 AM

Description

Press release from Tri-Valley – San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority: Sept. 29, 2021 On Wednesday, September 22, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 548 into law. SB548 designates the Tri-Valley – San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority (Authority) as a Rail Transit District, exempting the Authority from various provisions related to regulation by counties and cities regarding building, zoning, and related matters. The legislation also clarifies that the Authority can operate Valley Link – the passenger rail service it is planning, developing and delivering. Finally, the legislation establishes that the Valley Link project may be planned to connect with the ACE rail system at its most optimal location. SB 548 was unanimously approved by both the Senate and Assembly before moving to the Governor for consideration. Veronica Vargas, Mayor Pro Tem in the City of Tracy and Chair of the Authority Board said, "I want to thank lead author State Senator Susan Eggman for introducing this important legislation and for all of her efforts that ensured its passage. I also want to thank co-authors State Senator Glazer and Assemblymembers Rebecca Bauer-Kahan and Carlos Villapudua for their efforts. The legislation will enable fast and efficient project delivery for an urgently needed project that will fundamentally change the lives of more than 98,000 Bay Area workers who now commute daily through the Altamont Pass." Vargas further stated, "These 'super commuters' are spending up to 90 minutes each way as they travel from affordable housing in San Joaquin County to prevailing wage jobs throughout the Bay Area. This hurts our environment. It hurts our economy. And, this hurts our communities and our families." Melissa Hernandez, Mayor of Dublin, who serves as Vice Chair of the Authority Board said, "This is truly a significant step toward streamlining project delivery. Valley Link will not only connect people to work but also create jobs – an estimated 22,000 during construction, and when operational, support 400 jobs per year. It is vital to our economy given the recovery needs we are now facing." Valley Link is a passenger rail project that will close a critical gap by connecting residents in the San Joaquin Valley to the Bay Area BART system – linking nearly 500 miles of commuter and intercity rail with more than 130 stations throughout the Northern California Megaregion. The project will meet an urgent need to connect housing and people to high paying, prevailing wage jobs throughout the Bay Area. The project's 74 daily round trips will serve an estimated 33,000 daily riders in 2040 – a reduction of 141 million vehicle miles traveled per year and up to 42,650 metric tons of GHG emissions. It will equitably serve communities and households with some of the state's highest poverty rates – and provide a vital near-term link to the state's emerging high speed rail system and expansive Bay Area rail network. This press release was produced by Tri-Valley – San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority. The views expressed here are the author's own.