Online Public Scoping Meeting
Welcome
South Bay Connect – Virtual Engagement
Thank you for your participation in our online Public Scoping Meeting for the proposed South Bay Connect Project! The entire session should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. We look forward to reviewing your input and continuing to work with you throughout the Project. The comment period for this meeting has closed and this meeting is now closed.
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Participant Sign-In
Sign-in so we know you attended. By doing so, you will also be added to the project contact list for future updates.
Live Chat With Project Team
Thank you! Thank you to those who participated in our live chat. Comments are no longer being received.
Three Ways to Navigate This Meeting
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Use the navigation bar to the left of your screen to revisit any part of the meeting.
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How to Participate
- Click through all slides to learn about the project and provide feedback.
- Note that we are currently within the project’s environmental scoping period where the project’s purpose and need, and potential alternative(s) are identified.
- We want to hear from you about any concerns related to project, possible alternative (s), and potential mitigation measures.
- You can provide comments at any point by clicking the “Comment” button at the top right of your screen. Once finished, please make sure to hit “Submit”.
Project Introduction
Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) and its partner agencies have begun preliminary design and environmental analysis on the South Bay Connect Project. The South Bay Connect project would create a shorter, more direct connection between Oakland and San Jose by relocating Capitol Corridor passenger rail service between the Oakland Coliseum and Newark from the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) Niles Subdivision to the UPRR Coast Subdivision. This relocation is expected to facilitate improved separation of passenger and freight rail operations in southern Alameda County and create new connections for transbay travelers between the East Bay and destinations on the Peninsula.
The Capitol Corridor offers Northern California travelers a more reliable intercity passenger rail alternative to traveling on congested corridors such as Interstates 80, 680 and 880.
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Project Partners
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Caltrans |
Union Pacific Railroad |
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Alameda County |
Metropolitan |
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City of Hayward |
Union City |
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City of Fremont |
City of Newark |
Project Benefits
South Bay Connect can provide many benefits to Capitol Corridor travelers and the larger Northern California megaregional economy and environment, including:
Reduce passenger rail travel time between Oakland and San Jose and throughout the larger Northern California megaregion to increase ridership on transit, ease congestion on the Bay Area’s stressed roadways, and reduce lengthy auto commutes.
Diversify and enhance rail network integration by reducing duplicative capital investments and differentiating Capitol Corridor’s intercity rail service from commuter rail and other transit services, including BART’s extension to San Jose.
Support economic vitality by permitting enhanced rail movement and the preservation of freight rail capacity in the Northern California market through the reduction of conflicts between freight rail operations and passenger rail service.
Improve service between megaregional markets by enhancing connections between high demand destinations, overcoming existing geographic service gaps between job centers and affordable housing on the Peninsula and the Capitol Corridor route.
Promote environmental sustainability by reducing greenhouse gas emissions as a result of potential transit ridership increase due to offering a shorter, more direct travel option with new transbay connections. A shift from cars to transit could lower vehicle miles traveled on area freeways and reduce emissions.
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Station Evaluation
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CCJPA and their project partners identified and evaluated several station options through an early screening process to understand feasible location solutions for South Bay Connect. These station study areas included:
Ardenwood at State Route 84 and the Coast Subdivision tracks
Hayward at State Route 92 and the Coast Subdivision tracks
Newark Junction (where Dumbarton Rail Corridor and Niles Subdivision crosses Coast Subdivision)
Based on established criteria, Ardenwood was identified as the most feasible station location to serve communities and to create seamless connections with transbay bus routes. A detailed station design will be developed through project planning.
Evaluation Results
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Environmental Requirements
Environmental Resource Areas
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The proposed new service route and station alternatives will be analyzed in a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The EIR will assess potential environmental impacts of the project on the physical, human and natural environment.
To identify potential impacts and establish clear mitigations, the environmental analysis will look at a wide range of resource areas including:
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Agency Involvement
Key activities during the environmental planning include close coordination with regulatory agencies including, but not limited to:
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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) |
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) |
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CA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) |
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Bay Conservation & Development Commission (BCDC) |
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San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board (SFRWQCB) |
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State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) |
Measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate any potential adverse impacts will be identified in the EIR. A Draft EIR will be prepared and made available for public comment. Comments will be addressed in the Final EIR, which will be approved by the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Board, the governing entity of CCJPA.
Environmental Process
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Along with close coordination with project partners and regulatory agencies, local and regional community stakeholders, as well as the general public, also play key roles in the environmental planning process through ongoing participation and providing timely input. This valuable engagement helps define the best alternative to meet diverse regional transportation needs.
Public Comment Periods
There are three key public comment periods identified within the CEQA process where the public is asked to review information and provide formal input. These public comment periods occur:
- Early during project scoping
- At the draft environmental document stage
- At the final environmental document stage prior to a project decision
Along with these key input milestones, CCJPA will proactively communicate and engage the public throughout the planning of South Bay Connect.
California Environmental Quality Act Process
Explore the steps of the CEQA process below. Please note: While the interested public will be engaged throughout the CEQA process, the yellow highlighted steps represent the formal Public Comment periods.
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Key Environmental Concerns
While the proposed project will analyze the full suite of environmental issues, a couple of potential areas stand out.
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Station Closures
The relocation would result in discontinuing Capitol Corridor service at existing stations in the Cities of Fremont and Hayward.
- Hayward Station: DISCONTINUED
- Fremont Station: DISCONTINUED
While the new route will include at least one new station location, the change in location will impact riders.
- Ardenwood Station: NEW STATION
Operational Changes
Moving Capitol Corridor passenger rail services to the Coast Subdivision would separate it from a significant amount of freight rail traffic and improve operations for both uses of the railroad. However, this change is expected to impact hours of rail operation along the existing route on Niles Subdivision, as well as increase in trains on the Coast Subdivision, which could impact adjacent property owners, residents and the traveling public at road/rail crossings.
CCJPA will be analyzing potential impacts as a result of the project around the existing and proposed future routes. These impacts and any identified mitigation measures will be highlighted within the draft environmental document.
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Public Scoping Comment Period
As part of the environmental process, responsible and trustee agencies, involved federal agencies, interest groups and members of the public are invited to submit comments during the Public Scoping Period on the environmental review and proposed project.
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45-Day Comment Period
A 45-day scoping comment period has been established for the project between June 29 and August 13, 2020. During this time, interested parties are asked to review project information through this online public meeting forum as well as the project website and provide comments.
Comments were received until 5 p.m. Pacific Time on August 13, 2020 via the following options:
E-Mail sent to:
Letter sent to:
Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
Attention: South Bay Connect
300 Lakeside Drive
14th Floor East
Oakland, CA 94612
Online comment card:
Click “Leave a Comment” button in upper-right corner
Voicemail recording:
Call (510) 244-3667 to leave a voicemail message.
Stay Informed
Project Resources and Next Steps
Thank you for your interest and input in the South Bay Connect project. All input received during the Public Scoping Period will be shared with the project team to support project development.
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Share Your Thoughts
We are interested in your feedback on the environmental issues, potential alternatives and mitigation measures for the proposed project. If you haven’t already submitted a comment, please do so by clicking the comment button in the top right corner of your screen, typing a question or comment in the area provided, and hitting submit. We appreciate your input!
Project Contact Information
To stay informed or sign-up to receive updates, visit the South Bay Connect website at www.southbayconnect.com. For additional information or questions, please contact (510) 244-3667 or info@southbayconnect.com.
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