The California High-Speed Rail Authority participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the multi-model Transbay Transit Center. The fully re-designed station, when complete will be the first in the nation to meet the design specifications for a high-speed train system.
“We are all committed to building a world-class high-speed rail system and this groundbreaking signals another step in the process of making that system a reality. We’re pleased that the Transbay Joint Powers Authority has made the future development of a high-speed rail system a centerpiece of its planning for this multi-model transit center. Projects like these if done right have the potential to truly transform a city and reinvent the way Californians travel – making it faster, cheaper, more convenient and better for the environment,” said Authority Chairman Curt Pringle.
While the California High-Speed Rail Authority is not yet in the construction phase, the Transbay Joint Powers Authority’s groundbreaking is a significant step supporting the development of the statewide high-speed rail system.
The Authority has evaluated a station at Transbay for both Altamont and Pacheco alternatives that are currently under consideration and is working to complete the necessary program level and project-level environmental analyses. This state of the art station is a significant step toward getting ready for high- speed rail in the future and bringing jobs to the region.
In 2009 in a show of confidence in California’s high-speed rail project, the federal government awarded California $2.25 billion in funding for high-speed intercity passenger rail – the largest award of any state.
