Tuesday, December 2, 2008

MTC commits $9 million toward new train station

MTC commits $9 million toward new train station
By Reporter Staff
Posted: 12/02/2008

Funding for a train station on Peabody and Vanden Roads was officially awarded last week.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) agreed to commit $9 million of regional bridge toll funds to complete the financing package for a new passenger rail station to be built at the corner of Peabody and Vanden roads in northeast Fairfield.

The remainder of the funds for the $40 million Fairfield-Vacaville rail station project will come from a mix of voter-approved Regional Measure 2 bridge toll revenues, state and federal grants, developer fees, and contributions from the cities of Fairfield and Vacaville, according to the MTC.

The new Fairfield-Vacaville station already has been approved as a stop for Capitol Corridor trains running between Auburn and San Jose. In addition to the passenger platform, the rail station project will include parking, a transfer area for bus passengers, an overpass to carry Peabody Road over the railroad tracks, and an underpass for bicyclists and pedestrians.

The Fairfield City Council is scheduled to award a management services contract for the project at its Dec. 16 meeting. Environmental reports are slated for completion in March 2009, with construction beginning in 2011 and the first passengers boarding trains in November 2013.

MTC is the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area's transportation planning, coordinating and financing agency.