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5/17/2021
The Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority Board last week approved the final environmental impact report (FEIR) for the Valley Link commuter-rail project.
The vote, along with other associated board actions, will allow the rail authority to proceed with continued design work while seeking funding for the construction and implementation of the project, a 42-mile, seven-station rail service that will connect California's Central Valley with the Dublin/Pleasanton Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station.
The FEIR finds that the project will result in the reduction of approximately 141 million vehicle miles traveled per year by 2040, which will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The first Valley Link trains could be placed into service in 2028.
"The project will bring congestion relief to more than 97,900 commuters traveling daily over the Altamont Pass," said Tracy Mayor Pro Tem Veronica Vargas, who serves as the chair of the Valley Link Board.
The board also approved a mitigation monitoring Plan for the project that includes a range of measures aimed at minimizing potential environmental impacts.
The project will provide 74 daily round trips and is expected to carry more than 33,000 daily riders by 2040.