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The future Valley Link commuter light rail line will be managed by the same operator as the Altamont Corridor Express train service after the Tri-Valley/San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority and San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) reached an agreement last month.
Calling the deal “advantageous for the Valley Link project,” the Regional Rail Authority Board of Directors voted unanimously at its December meeting to task SJRRC — ACE’s governing body — with managing the operation of future Valley Link service between the Tri-Valley and San Joaquin Valley.
Officials cited SJRRC’s “exemplary safety record in managing the operations of both the ACE commuter rail service for over 20 years and the Amtrak San Joaquins for over seven years” among their reasons for supporting the memorandum of understanding.
Under the terms of the memorandum of understanding, the Regional Rail Authority Board will remain owner of Valley Link service and be responsible for “all governance and project funding, policies, planning, development, implementation and service decisions.”
Outgoing board chair Scott Haggerty, who recently retired from public service, said in a statement, “One of the reasons that I am excited about this, having served on the ACE board for 24 years, is that there is a trust factor knowing that ACE is one of the premier rail lines in the state of California, if not the entire United States.”
“Entering into the agreement at this early point in the project enables SJRRC to provide input into project development and achieve safe, efficient and cost effective operations,” Haggerty said.
Assuming Haggerty’s old position for now is Tracy City Councilmember Veronica Vargas, who previously served as board vice-chair since the agency started in 2018.
“It’s incredible how much we’ve accomplished in such a short time frame,” Vargas said. “My goal is to keep this project moving on the same trajectory and to get service up and running at the soonest possible date.”
Vargas added she’s “ready for the challenge” of leading in the coming year, and “fighting for an equitable share of funding to support immediate economic recovery while simultaneously planning for and working toward a long-term future for our project.”
Also recently named the 2021 vice chair of the League of Cities Transportation, Communications and Public Works Policy Committee, Vargas will take over for the remainder of Haggerty’s term through the end of 2021.
A new vice-chair will be elected at the next Regional Rail Authority board meeting.
As for the Valley Link project itself — which is expected to carry about 33,000 daily passengers in 2040, and create 22,000 jobs during the construction phase and 400 permanent jobs — the deadline for public comment on the draft environmental impact report is a couple weeks away.
Residents have until Jan. 21 by 5 p.m. to submit their comments and responses to the document. Send comments to drafteircomments@valleylinkrail.com (be sure to include “Valley Link DEIR” in the subject heading, or via mail to:
Tri-Valley – San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority
Attn: Valley Link Draft EIR
1362 Rutan Court, Suite 100
Livermore 94551