California releases draft plan for new statewide rail network

The plan, which was released by Caltrans on Oct. 11, outlines an investment strategy for the state’s passenger rail network, which is also being touted as a way to enhance goods movement.    The California Dept. of Transportation has released the public draft of the California State Rail Plan document, which sets the stage for what Caltrans says will be “new and better rail, and multimodal and community connections in the state for the next 20 years and beyond.”
   The plan, which was released Oct. 11, deals primarily with passenger rail, but also outlines an investment strategy for the state’s rail network that’s being touted as a way to enhance goods movement.
   The document’s chapter on freight rail investment, rather than identifying a comprehensive list of projects, describes categories of investments that Caltrans has said can advance the state’s vision for a rail network.
   In the next five years, addressing existing trade corridor bottlenecks is the top priority, Caltrans said in the chapter on freight rail.
   “These improvements will greatly increase the reliability and efficiency of the entire statewide rail network, and can be implemented in this time frame,” the 249-page rail plan reads in part, without going in depth into any current or pending projects.
   The mid-term horizon year of 2027 prioritizes investing in shared corridors and dedicated trade corridor capacity, according to the plan, with investments needing to be identified through strategic implementation planning with freight and passenger rail providers.
   “Improving shared corridors will improve the functionality of the entire system for passenger mobility and economic growth,” the document states.
   The long-term vision year, 2040, would see the expansion of all the short- and mid-term improvements, according to the plan.
   The strategy pinpoints six major areas “of need and opportunity” for freight rail in California: trade corridor improvements; economic development and short lines; grade-crossing improvement needs throughout the state; additional terminal and yard capacity; short-haul rail improvements; and advancement of zero and near-zero emissions technologies.
   “It is imperative that California’s infrastructure — especially the long distance, transcontinental routes — remain robust and competitive as a means for further generating economic activity at ports, throughout the state, and throughout the country,” the report says.