Directors of the Monterey Transportation Agency approved an
environmental impact report in support of more progress for the
project
Gilroy – Commuters as far south as Salinas will be able to reach San Jose via Gilroy under a rail extension project now moving into the design stages.
On Wednesday, the board of directors of the Transportation Agency for Monterey County freed the $90 million project to move forward by approving an environmental impact report. The funds will pay for construction of train platforms, bus terminals and other improvements to stations in Pajaro/Wastonville, Castroville and Salinas. The latter city will eventually replace Gilroy as the terminus of the Silicon Valley commuter rail line, according to Kristen Hoschouer, a transportation planner with TAMC.
“The service will make it easy for commuters to get to the San Jose job market without using a vehicle,” she said. “People will be able to access jobs, entertainment, medical facilities.”
The service will begin with a pair of morning trains headed for San Jose and a pair that will bring commuters back in the evening. The agency may increase the number of trains based on ridership demands.
A schedule for the new trains, which will use existing Union Pacific tracks, have not been arranged. Construction is expected to begin in 2008 and wrap up by 2009.
In the meantime, a new Monterey-San Jose express line will let Gilroyans visit neighboring cities without getting stranded all day.
Starting Monday, residents will have three chances a day to get from the Caltrain station in Gilroy to downtown Monterey or to the Diridon Train Station in San Jose, across from HP Pavilion. The new route – Line 55 – offers mid-day return service from both cities. The lack of mid-day rail service between South Valley cities and San Jose has long been a source of complaints.
