Oakland, CA – An $88 million program for track and station improvements to support additional Capitol Corridor trains between Oakland and San Jose will begin Friday, September 27 with an official groundbreaking ceremony at Amtrak’s Jack London Square Station in Oakland.
When completed, more passenger and freight trains will operate between Oakland and San Jose, with increased reliability and reduced travel time, thereby improving the attractiveness of Capitol Corridor trains as an alternative to the congested I-880 corridor. Other benefits include taking trucks off the highways by allowing more freight train throughput, improving air quality, and contributing to the overall improvement in quality of life for Californians in the Bay Area.
The construction project will span 45 miles and include added tracks and upgraded infrastructure along the Capitol Corridor between Oakland and San Jose, plus added parking and access improvements at the existing Fremont, Great America/Santa Clara, and Emeryville stations.
In addition, this construction program includes a future Capitol Corridor Station at the Oakland Coliseum, that will have an intermodal connection to BART trains and serve Oakland International Airport through AirBART shuttle buses and the future BART Oakland Airport Connector.
The $88 million program is financed through the Governor’s Traffic Congestion Relief Program (TCRP), California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and funds from local cities and communities.
Expected to participate in the September 27 program, to begin at 2:08 p.m. (upon arrival of Capitol Corridor Train 537) are:
- The Honorable Maria Contreras-Sweet, Secretary, California Business, Transportation & Housing Agency (KEYNOTE)
- The Honorable Jerry Brown, Mayor, City of Oakland
- The Honorable Tom Blalock, Chair, Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
- Jeff Morales, Director, California Department of Transportation
- David Gunn, President, Amtrak
- Tom Mulligan, Director of Passenger Operations, Union Pacific
Some of the speakers will arrive in Oakland from Sacramento aboard Capitol Corridor Train 537.
