2007-2008 Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury Report Dumbarton Rail Bridge Project – Do We Need It?

Conclusions 4

• CL1 Page 4
  Projected project costs for the DRC project have doubled since receiving voter approval in 2000 on Measure A and RM2 in 2004. Currently, there are no additional funds committed or available to fund the increased project costs nor any plans to obtain them.
• CL2 Page 4
  The DRC has yet to obtain a right of way from UPRR, which jeopardizes a significant portion of the project.
• CL3 Page 4
  There is serious doubt about the cost versus benefit of this project to county residents. The original assumptions of improved commuter delay times and high ridership have proven not to be correct.
• CL4 Page 3
  The original assumptions for the county’s participation in the DRC project are not valid, and the voters of the county and the VTA should question the county’s participation in this regional project. The original projected cost of $300 million has doubled. With the overall project costs doubling in the last four years, the original VTA commitment of $44 million could double to $88 million. The benefit of this expenditure to the County is questionable. The timetable of completion by 2012 is not going to be met. Without additional funds that have yet to be identified and approved, the project would have to consider a reduced scope that would mean only partial project completion. Full completion of the project is in jeopardy if agreement with the UPRR for the right of way is not obtained. Another assumption, that the DRC would improve commuter traffic delay times across the Dumbarton Bridge, has proven to be incorrect. The latest study conducted in 2005 does not support that conclusion. Although the Regional Transit Plan estimates that regional population will increase by 1.5 million by 2025, the San Francisco Bay Area Regional Rail Plan 2007 report said that the Dumbarton Rail Corridor would have low to moderate ridership potential. 3 Findings and Recommendations Findings were reviewed with the subject agencies. Finding 1 Projected project costs for the DRC project have doubled since receiving voter approval in 2000 on Measure A and RM2 in 2004. Currently, there are no additional funds committed or available to fund the increased project costs nor any plans to obtain them. Recommendation 1 The VTA Board of Directors should not proceed with additional funding until the current alternatives analysis is complete. Finding 2 The DRC has yet to obtain a right of way from UPRR, which jeopardizes a significant portion of the project. Recommendation 2 The VTA should not expend any additional funds on this project until this issue is resolved by the DRC. Finding 3 There is serious doubt about the cost versus benefit of this project to county residents. The original assumptions of improved commuter delay times and high ridership have proven not to be correct. Recommendation 3a The VTA should evaluate the MTC data and use the 2007 Regional Rail Plan as part of its overall decision to continue participation. Recommendation 3b The VTA should evaluate the County’s $44 million commitment to the overall project in terms of benefit received. 4 Key References Documents Calthorpe Associates Memorandum. MTC Resolution 3434 TOD Policy Evaluation and Recommendations Tasks 6B, 6C, &6E, May 26, 2005. Dumbarton Rail Advisory Committee. Minutes, October 23, 2007. HTNB Corporation. Dumbarton Rail Corridor, Environmental Phase 1 Alternatives Analysis and Project Purpose and Need, Volume 1 – Final Report, March 2006. Dumbarton Rail Policy Advisory Committee, Memorandum. Status of Discussion with the UPRR, January 16, 2007. Funding Agreement between Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and San Mateo County Transportation Authority for Final Design (PS&E or Plans, Specifications, and Estimates) Phase of DRC Project, October 2007. Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Alternatives Evaluation – Regional Rail without High Speed Rail, July 23, 2007. Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Congested Freeway Locations – Morning and Evening Commutes, 2005. Santa Clara County 2003-2004 Civil Grand Jury, Final Report. “Inquiry Into the Board Structure and Financial Management of the Valley Transportation Authority,” June 2004. Santa Clara County Ballot Measure A, June 2000. Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, Memorandum. Budget Allocation and Authorization to Enter into a Cooperative Agreement for the Dumbarton Rail Corridor Project, February 21, 2007. Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. Organizational and Financial Assessment Executive Report, March 2007. Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. Valley Transportation Plan 2030 (VTP 2030), February 2005. HTNB Corporation. Summary of the Dumbarton Rail Corridor Project Study Report, May 2004. Regional Measure 2, Regional Relief Plan - Ballot Measure and Statute, July 2004. 5 Documents - continued Regional Rail Plan for the San Francisco Bay Area, Revised Draft Report, September 2007. Regional Measure 2, Regional Traffic Relief Plan, Attachment C, MTC Resolution No. 3647, Revised: 07/25/07-C. Union Pacific Railroad Company, Letter. Oakland-San Jose Track Improvements – Phase 1, February 23, 2000. Interviews December 13, 2007 Member, Dumbarton Rail Citizens Advisory Panel January 31, 2008 General Manager, VTA February 12, 2008 Former Member, Dumbarton Rail Policy Advisory Committee and VTA Board of Directors February 19, 2008 Member, Dumbarton Rail Policy Advisory Committee and VTA Board of Directors March 4, 2008 Project Manager, DRC Project 6 PASSED and ADOPTED by the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury on this 8th day of May, 2008. Raymond A. Blockie, Jr. Foreperson Tim Cuneo Foreperson pro tem Kathryn C. Philp Secretary 7

No Responses Found 1

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.