| Valley Link | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Status | In planning | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Tri-Valley – San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Tri-Valley/NorthernSan Joaquin Valley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Stations | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | https://www.valleylinkrail.com/ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Hybrid rail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator(s) | San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Depot(s) | Mountain House Operations and Maintenance Facility | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rolling stock | Battery electric multiple units | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Line length | 26[1] mi (42 km) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Valley Link is a proposed 26-mile-long (42 km)hybrid rail line inNorthern California, which seeks to connect therapid transitBay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system in theSan Francisco Bay Area with the northernSan Joaquin Valley via theTri-Valley region.[2] Since 1997[update], BART'sBlue Line's eastern terminus is atDublin/Pleasanton station on the border ofDublin andPleasanton. Valley Link seeks to extend rail service east from here into the northern San Joaquin Valley overAltamont Pass, which would help alleviatetraffic congestion and reducegreenhouse gas emissions onInterstate 580 (I-580). The project resulted from various failed proposals to extend the Blue Line east toLivermore.[3]
The line would run within the median ofInterstate 580 (I-580),right-of-way of thefirst transcontinental railroad owned byAlameda County, and new right-of-way inSan Joaquin County.[1] It is being planned by theTri-Valley – San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority, aspecial-purpose district body formed for the sole purpose of its planning. Valley Link is ultimately planned to run between Dublin/Pleasanton station and theAltamont Corridor Express’s (ACE) futureNorth Lathrop station utilizingstandard-gaugezero-emission trainsets. The initial operating phase is proposed to be the line between Dublin/Pleasanton station and Vasco Road, with the segments toMountain House Community station and North Lathrop in the San Joaquin Valley being reserved for future planning. This segment is as of June 2025[update] in planning, with construction to begin as early as 2028.[4]
About 12 miles (19 km) of thefirst transcontinental railroadright of way through theTri-Valley andAltamont Pass, originally established in 1869 by theold Western Pacific Railroad, wasdeeded toAlameda County bySouthern Pacific Railroad in 1984. This historic 1869 route featured a Summit Tunnel, 1,200 feet (370 m) long, blasted and dug by Chinese laborers.[5] TheAltamont Commuter Expresscommuter rail service, which began between Stockton and San Jose in 1998, uses the other Union Pacific right of way that goes overAltamont Pass, established in 1908.
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A similar plan to rundiesel multiple unit trains across Altamont Pass was proposed by BART in 2003, though it comprised a larger service area (continuing north along theIron Horse Regional Trail, a formerSouthern Pacific right-of-way).[6]
In 2017, citing lack of interest from theBay Area Rapid Transit District in bringing BART service directly toLivermore, the Livermore City Council proposed a newly established local entity to undertake planning and construction of the extension,[7] which was also recommended by the California State Assembly Transportation Committee.[8] Assembly Bill 758 was signed byGovernor of CaliforniaJerry Brown on October 13, 2017,[2] formally establishing the Authority.
On May 24, 2018, the BART board voted against a fullrapid transit BART build or abus rapid transit system to extend service east fromDublin/Pleasanton station.[3] This prompted the new Rail Authority to initiate planning of a new transit system.
A final feasibility report was released in October 2019. The buildout cost to North Lathrop was estimated at between $1.88 billion and $3.21 billion, with an expected start of operations between the second quarter of 2027 and the fourth quarter of 2028.[9] Scott Haggerty, one of the founders of the TVSJVRRA, noted that the popularity of the project was reflected in the volume of public comments to the feasibility report.[10] A draftenvironmental impact report was released in December 2020.[11] The final environmental impact report was approved by the board in May 2021, allowing the rail authority to proceed with design and continue seeking funding for the project.[12]
By 2023, the locally preferred alternative had the line utilizing the I-580 median and Western Pacific alignment until realigning with I-580 north of the Summit Tunnel and continuing east to Mountain House.[13] Selection of the alternate Mountain House station location and alignment east of Altamont Pass forced the agency to redo part of the EIR.[14] By 2024, service was proposed to start in 2035.[15]
Cost estimates for the first phase of construction had reached $4.4 billion by 2025, more than double from a few years earlier. The board voted that June to truncate the first phase of construction to the segment between Dublin/Pleasanton and Vasco Road. Construction could start as soon as 2028.[4]
Valley Link is a plan to utilizezero-emission trains along the formerfirst transcontinental railroadright-of-way through theAltamont Pass and in theInterstate 580 median through the city of Livermore. Trains would initially run 26 miles (42 km) from theDublin/Pleasanton station to Mountain House Community station, with intermediate stations at Isabel and Southfront Road.[16] Weekday service would connect to every other BART train at Dublin/Pleasanton.[17]
The developer ofRiver Islands has offered to cover the cost of station construction in exchange for the ability to build atransit village at the site.[18]
TheSan Joaquin Regional Rail Commission agreed to operate the service in 2020.[19]
Funds previously allocated to BART to construct a Livermore extension were forfeited to this authority by July 1, 2018, amounting to at least $145 million.[3] Funding for the feasibility study was provided variously byCaltrans,Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and the San Joaquin County Council of Governments.[20] By February 2019, more than $588 million had been accumulated for the project.[21] In 2020, the project gained a further $400 million from reallocated BART funds.[22] In 2023, the state ofCalifornia awarded the project $25 million.[23]
The following are initial planned stations along the route:[13]
| Station | Location | Connections |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain House Community | Tracy | |
| Southfront Road | Livermore | |
| Isabel | ||
| Dublin/Pleasanton | Dublin/Pleasanton |  BART:Blue Line Amtrak Thruway,County Connection,RTD,StanRTA,WHEELS |
In 2018,Stadler met with the governing board to discuss traction sources;diesel multiple unit or diesel/battery electrichybrid vehicles were envisioned to serve the route.AECOM was contracted to perform a feasibility study for the project that same year.[20] Theloading gauge of highway underpasses limits the selection of rolling stock.
Hydrogen trains were initially selected as the line's rolling stock.[24][25][26] With an increase in the price of hydrogen, plans changed in 2025 to utilizebattery electric multiple units.[4]
Further phases are planned to extend the line north toLathrop andStockton.Infill stations at Ellis and Grant Line Road may be added in the future.
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