Goods Movement Initiatives
2009 Update
Metropolitan Transportation Commission
February 2009
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
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MTC COMMISSIONERS
Scott Haggerty, Chair
Alameda County
Adrienne J. Tissier, Vice Chair
San Mateo County
Tom Azumbrado
U. S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development
Tom Bates
Cities of Alameda County
Dean J. Chu
Cities of Santa Clara County
Dave Cortese
Association of Bay Area Governments
Chris Daly
City and County of San Francisco
Bill Dodd
Napa County and Cities
Dorene M. Giacopini
U. S. Department of Transportation
Federal D. Glover
Contra Costa County
Anne W. Halsted
San Francisco Bay Conservation and
Development Commission
Steve Kinsey
Marin County and Cities
Sue Lempert
Cities of San Mateo County
Jake Mackenzie
Sonoma County and Cities
Jon Rubin
San Francisco Mayor’s Appointee
Bijan Sartipi
State Business, Transportation and Housing
Agency
James P. Spering
Solano County and Cities
Amy Worth
Cities of Contra Costa County
Ken Yeager
Santa Clara County
MANAGEMENT STAFF
Steve Heminger
Executive Director
Ann Flemer
Deputy Executive Director, Operations
Andrew B. Fremier,
Deputy Executive Director, Bay Area Toll
Authority
Therese W. McMillan
Deputy Executive Director, Policy
PROJECT STAFF
Doug Kimsey
Director, Planning
Carolyn Clevenger
Project Manager
Kearey Smith, Garlynn Woodsong, Peter
Beeler, David Cooper
Maps and graphics
CONSULTANT ASSISTANCE
Hausrath Economics Group
Cambridge Systematics
Tioga Group
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Table of Contents
Introduction to the Update
Why Focus on Goods Movement? ............................................................................................... i
About This Update ..................................................................................................................... iii
Section I: Trade Corridor Improvement Fund ( TCIF)
1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... I- 1
2. Northern California Goods Movement Corridors................................................................ I- 1
3. Regional Partnerships....................................................................................................... I- 2
4 . TCIF Program of Projects.................................................................................................. I- 3
5 . Adopted TCIF Program..................................................................................................... I- 7
Section II: Implications of Local Land Use Decisions on the Goods Movement System
1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... II- 1
2. Phase 1: Map Current and Future Land Uses .................................................................. II- 2
3. Phase 2: Evaluate the Impacts of Changing Land Uses................................................... II- 9
4 . Next Steps ..................................................................................................................... II- 11
Section III: Additional Goods Movement Efforts
1. Federal Program............................................................................................................. III- 1
2. Air Quality Programs....................................................................................................... III- 2
3. Other Ongoing Efforts ..................................................................................................... III- 3
Appendix A: Trade Corridor Improvement Fund Documents
1. Multi- agency Letter to the California Transportation Commission.................................... IV- 2
2. Northern California Trade Strategy.................................................................................. IV- 4
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Why Focus on Goods Movement?
Goods movement is a critical component of the Bay Area’s economic and transportation
system. Whether delivering construction materials or consumer goods to the growing
population, or exporting electronics and food throughout the world, a robust goods movement
system is essential for both businesses and residents to function and thrive in the Bay Area.
The Bay Area is home to five seaports, including the Port of Oakland, which is the fourth busiest
container port in the country and plays an important role in supporting the state’s agricultural
sector — providing a critical means of exporting agricultural products ranging from produce from
the Central Valley to wine from the Napa Valley to the rest of the world. There are also three
commercial airports and rail facilities serving the two major freight railroads operating in the
western United States and smaller short haul rail services. In addition, trucks ranging from small
delivery vans to large diesel tractor trailers utilize the region’s highway network and local roads
to transport goods to market.
Goods movement is vital to Bay Area businesses and residents. The 200 4 Regional Goods
Movement Study 1 found that:
• Manufacturing, freight transportation and wholesale trade account for nearly 4 0% of
regional output,
• Bay Area business spend over $ 6.6 billion on transportation services,
• Goods movement businesses create over 10% of regional employment, and
• Goods movement business are critical to economic diversity, providing many high
paying blue and increasingly green collar jobs.
1 The 200 4 Regional Goods Movement Study for the San Francisco Bay Area is located on the MTC website at:
http:// www. mtc. ca. gov/ planning/ rgm/.
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About this Update
In 200 4 , MTC completed the first Regional Goods Movement Study for the San Francisco Bay
Area. The plan was adopted as part of the Transportation 2030 Regional Transportation Plan.
This Goods Movement Initiatives Update focuses on regional efforts since that time. The update
includes information on two key initiatives:
 Trade Corridor Improvement Fund ( TCIF). The TCIF program was created as part of
Proposition 1B ( Prop 1B), the infrastructure bond approved by California voters in
November, 2006. TCIF provides funding for high priority goods movement infrastructure
improvements in corridors that carry large volumes of freight. The statewide program
includes approximately $ 2. 5 billion aimed at leveraging investment from local and private
sources for projects that can be in construction by 2013.
 Implications of Local Land Use Decisions on the Goods Movement System. The
200 4 Regional Goods Movement Study found that land use and real estate market
trends in the Bay Area are reducing the supply of land for goods movement businesses,
while demand for goods movement services continues to grow. This update provides a
more in- depth analysis of the current land use trends and the implications these trends
have on the goods movement system.
Although MTC has primarily focused on the two initiatives identified above, additional efforts
since the last Regional Transportation Plan also include ongoing efforts with our partners to:
improve the regional goods movement system, incorporate goods movement considerations in
regional planning efforts, reduce impacts on local communities, and advocate for funding for
goods movement projects and programs. Current and future work to this end includes, but will
not be limited to:
 Funding for Goods Movement Programs.
o New Federal Transportation Program Authorization. MTC will be an advocate
for a federal program focused on goods movement that includes developing a
National Freight Transportation Plan and implementing user- based fees. The
federal government must help ensure that West Coast ports and goods
movement corridors can meet the projected volumes of trade.
o Container Fees. MTC supported efforts to establish a statewide container fee at
the three major ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland. Although
potential legislation to require such a fee was vetoed in 2008, MTC will continue
to advocate for user- based fees.
 Clean Air Initiatives. Prop 1B included $ 1 billion for air quality programs focused on
goods movement activities in California. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District
( BAAQMD) is developing various programs for the bond, including a diesel truck
replacement program. MTC has committed $ 4 5 million over five years to a similar “ clean
truck” program in the Transportation 203 5 Plan.
 Intraregional Goods Movement: Recently, much of MTC’s work in goods movement
has been focused on statewide efforts to improve major trade corridors. This was
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
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partially in response to the state’s TCIF program, as well as state- led efforts in
developing a Goods Movement Action Plan. However, there are also numerous more
locally- oriented goods movement issues in need of attention. MTC’s primary work on
local goods movement issues since the last RTP has been the completion of the
Implications of Local Land Use Decisions on the Goods Movement System Study. MTC
will continue to encourage and support local and county efforts to improve local goods
movement within the region.
 West Coast Corridor Coalition ( WCCC): The WCCC is a coalition of state, regional
and local agencies, as well as ports, along the west coast that works to advance the
development of solutions to mobility challenges facing the west coast states. The impact
of freight on our transportation networks is a key element of the WCCC agenda and the
coalition is working to advocate for a strong federal freight program. MTC is a member
agency of the WCCC and participates in the coalition’s planning and advocacy efforts.
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
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I. Trade Corridors Improvement Fund
Introduction
The goods movement transportation system is a complex network including ports, rail facilities
and rail lines, and highway and roadway infrastructure. It is closely tied to state, national and
international transportation systems, with California serving as the nation’s primary gateway for
goods manufactured in Asia. High volumes of international cargo, as well as the goods serving
the local population and supporting the local economy are straining the overburdened and often
outdated California goods movement system. The impact can be seen not only in delays for
cargo, but congestion on the region’s highways, rail lines, and local roads. In addition, high
levels of air pollution, safety concerns, local congestion and noise have disproportionately
impacted those communities located near goods movement infrastructure.
In November, 2006, California voters approved Proposition 1B ( Prop 1B), a $ 19.9 billion
transportation infrastructure bond. Prop 1B included a $ 2 billion Trade Corridors Improvement
Fund ( TCIF) to improve goods movement infrastructure and reduce the impact of goods
movement on local communities statewide. Prop 1B stipulates that the TCIF program will be
allocated by the California Transportation Commission ( CTC) in corridors with high volumes of
freight movement. Eligible projects outlined in Prop 1B include: highway and rail projects that
improve access to airports and seaports, projects that enhance the efficiency and capacity of
ports, and border access improvements between Mexico and California. TCIF is the only
funding program dedicated exclusively to improvements to the state’s goods movement system.
Faced with funding needs that greatly outweighed the funds available, in 2008 the CTC and
Caltrans approved adding approximately $ 5 00 million from the State Highway Account to the
TCIF program. The additional funds are available for state- level priorities that are critical to
goods movement, bringing the total funding available to $ 2. 5 billion. In addition, the CTC
programmed roughly 20 percent more funds than currently available, assuming new revenue
sources in the future and challenges in project delivery. This brought the total TCIF program
approved by the CTC to just over $ 3 billion.
Northern California Goods Movement Corridors
MTC’s 200 4 Regional Goods Movement Study documented the major transportation
infrastructure that makes up the regional goods movement system. In terms of volume, more
than 80 percent of the goods movement in the Bay Area involves trucking in several major
corridors: Interstates 880, 5 80, and 80, and U. S. Highway 101 South, with volumes descending
in that order. These corridors are also some of the most congested commute corridors in the
region, consistently among the most congested corridors in the annual State of the System
report published by MTC and Caltrans. Interstates 880 and 5 80 serve both as access routes for
major interregional and international shippers and also serve Bay Area residents and
businesses as primary intraregional corridors. Interstate 80 serves primarily as a connector to
the transcontinental truck network, and U. S. 101 acts as a gateway corridor at the southern end
of the region, with its highest volume of truck traffic between San Jose and San Francisco.
The region is also served by an extensive rail network, concentrated primarily around Oakland
and stretching along the East Bay and the Suisun Bay. The Union Pacific ( UP) line to Roseville
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and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe ( BNSF) line to Stockton are the two primary rail corridors
serving the region and heavily used by both freight and passenger trains.
In developing the focus for the TCIF program, MTC partnered with other regional planning
agencies in the Central Valley and identified two high priority interregional goods movement
corridors: 1) I- 80 – known as the Central Corridor; and 2) I- 880/ 238/ 5 80 – known as the
Altamont Corridor. These two corridors carry the highest volume of goods in the Bay Area, and
serve major goods movement and industrial interests in the region. Investment in these
corridors together ensures the future viability and growth of the Port of Oakland as a trade
gateway for both imports and exports, and also strengthens the economic interconnections of
the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley regions with the Bay Area. Given the statewide nature
of the TCIF program, interregional connections were deemed critical for our success in securing
funding. MTC and our partner regional agencies have focused our efforts on developing a
comprehensive program of rail and highway projects along these two trade corridors.
• The Central Corridor is a highway and rail corridor running from the Port of Oakland
roughly along I- 80 to Sacramento and I- 5 and across the Sierra Nevada Mountains on to
Chicago, connecting the Bay Area and Sacramento regions with one another and the major
transcontinental highway and rail routes heading out of Northern California.
• The Altamont Corridor, which runs from the Port of Oakland, along I- 880/ 238/ 5 80 to the
Central Valley, connects with I- 5 and SR 99 at the northern end of San Joaquin Valley and
eventually with the southern transcontinental rail route at the southern end of the Central
Valley. This corridor connects the State’s agriculture community and the Port of Oakland
and also serves the growing population of the Central Valley.
Regional Partnerships
Unlike many other state transportation programs, the Prop 1B legislation included no mandated
regional funding allocation for the TCIF program. Because of the interregional nature of goods
movement and to compete effectively with Southern California for funding, it was critical for
Northern California agencies to work collaboratively across jurisdictional boundaries. MTC’s
approach was to work with neighboring regions to develop a comprehensive Northern California
trade strategy, coupled with a specific program of projects, to address the growing needs of
goods movement in Northern California. Initial collaboration included the San Joaquin,
Sacramento and Stanislaus Councils of Governments, as well as the Port of Oakland. Over
time, the coalition grew to include six additional councils of governments ( Fresno, Kern, Tulare,
Madera, Merced, and Kings Counties) from the San Joaquin Valley, and the Ports of Stockton
and Sacramento.
This unprecedented partnership resulted in a coalition representing 23 of the state’s 5 8
counties, bridging the north- south and urban- rural divide. In addition, the coalition collaborated
with the Capitol and Altamont Corridor Express passenger services, which both operate on
rights of way owned by the major freight railroads. The coalition also worked with the freight
railroads and regional business interests in both the Bay Area and the Central Valley. This
foundation of interregional collaboration will hopefully serve to advocate for Northern California’s
needs beyond the Infrastructure Bond, extending particularly to the next round of federal
transportation reauthorization.
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Throughout 2007, MTC worked with the CTC, Caltrans, legislative staff, other regional agencies
and stakeholders to develop the TCIF program. The major goods movement regions in the state
( Bay Area/ Central Valley, Los Angeles/ Inland Empire, and San Diego) all formed corridor
coalitions and developed regional programs of priority projects for the TCIF program. The CTC
established programming ranges for the major corridor coalitions to establish a reasonable and
fair geographic allocation of funds. Individual project sponsors from within each coalition were
responsible for sponsoring projects and submitting actual project applications for TCIF funding.
Table 1 details the programming ranges adopted by the CTC in November, 2007.
Table 1: Programming Ranges Adopted by the California Transportation Commission
Adopted November, 2007
Region Low High
Los Angeles/ Inland Empire $ 1, 5 00 $ 1,700
Bay Area/ Central Valley $ 6 4 0 $ 8 4 0
San Diego $ 2 5 0 $ 4 00
Other corridors $ 60 $ 80
Administrative fees ( Dept of
Finance)
$ 4 0 $ 4 0
Total $ 2,490 $ 3,060
TCIF Program of Projects
Regional agencies in Northern California came to consensus around a list of 1 5 high- priority
goods movement investments to be nominated for the TCIF program. The program consists of
targeted, strategic investments in rail, highway and port infrastructure to provide a balanced,
multi- modal approach to goods movement. The integrated program is designed to meet current
and future requirements to move both people and goods throughout the state and the nation
quickly, reliably and safely, with less highway congestion and pollution.
Projects were selected based on their ability to meet the TCIF program guidelines adopted by
the CTC, as well as their role in strengthening and enhancing the two primary Northern
California trade corridors ( the Central and Altamont corridors). 2 The Prop 1B legislation set forth
strict requirements for project funding, requiring projects to have a minimum 1: 1 match of non-state
dollars— local, federal or private funds— on which to leverage the bond funds. ( Those
projects funded with the additional money added to the TCIF program from the State Highway
Account did not require a 1: 1 match.) Additionally, the CTC requires all projects to be in
construction no later than December, 2013.
Because the needs far outweigh the current funding available, the regional agencies took a
phased approach to developing the list of priority goods movement projects for Northern
California. Tier 1, totaling a funding request of approximately $ 9 4 0 million, reflects the highest
priority projects for each region and was the program of projects submitted to the CTC by
individual project sponsors. The coalition attempted to keep the Tier 1 list close to the
programming range approved by the CTC for the Bay Area/ Central Valley coalition. The projects
2 See TCIF Guidelines: http:// www. catc. ca. gov/ programs/ tcif. htm.
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included in Tier 1 are listed in Table 2 on the following page. The second tier of projects, Tier 2,
totals $ 4 70 million, and is made up of those projects that play an important role in goods
movement in the corridors but that were not recommended for the initial TCIF program. These
projects often lacked the matching funds required for the program, were deemed unlikely to
meet the CTC’s December 2013 deadline for construction, or were not as critical for goods
movement as those projects in Tier 1. 3
Table 2: Northern California Trade Corridors Coalition Tier 1 TCIF Projects
Project Name County
TCIF
Request
TCIF
Programmed
Anchor Projects
7th Street Grade Separation Alameda $ 17 5 ,000 $ 17 5 ,000
Martinez Subdivision Rail Improvements Alameda $ 107, 5 00 $ 7 4 ,000
Outer Harbor Intermodal Terminals Alameda $ 110,000 $ 110,000
Central Corridor
Track & Tunnel Improvements, Donner Summit* Placer $ 4 3,000 $ 4 3,000
Sacramento Intermodal Track Relocation Sacramento $ 20,000 $ 20,000
I- 80 Eastbound Cordelia Truck Scales Relocation Solano $ 4 9,800 $ 4 9,800
Altamont Corridor
I- 880 Reconstruction, 23 rd & 29 th Avenues Alameda $ 73,000 $ 73,000
I- 5 80 Eastbound Truck Climbing Lane Alameda $ 6 4 ,300 $ 6 4 ,300
Tehachapi Trade Corridor Rail Improvements Kern $ 5 4 ,000 $ 5 4 ,000
Shafter Intermodal Rail Facility Kern $ 1 5 ,000 $ 1 5 ,000
SR 4 West Cross- town Freeway Extension San Joaquin $ 96,800 $ 96,800
San Joaquin Valley Short Haul Rail Project Stanislaus $ 26,000 $ 22, 5 00
ACE Right of Way Purchase for Short Haul Rail San Joaquin $ 7 5 ,000 $ 0
Dredging Projects
San Francisco Bay to Port of Stockton Channel
Dredging
San Joaquin/
Contra Costa
$ 17, 5 00 $ 17, 5 00
Sacramento River Deep Water Dredging Yolo $ 10,000 $ 10,000
* Project was later withdrawn from the TCIF program by Caltrans and the Union Pacific.
3 For a full listing and map of the Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects, see Appendix A, Northern California Goods Movement Strategy, which
was submitted to the California Transportation Commission on January 17, 2008.
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Anchor projects
Both the Central and the Altamont Corridors are anchored at the Port of Oakland, the fourth
busiest container port in the country. The Port submitted three high priority projects located at or
near the Port of Oakland that are critical projects for both the Central and Altamont Corridors:
7th Street Grade Crossing, Martinez Subdivision Improvements and expanded intermodal
capacity at the Outer Harbor Intermodal Terminal ( OHIT). The 7th Street and OHIT projects
both create the capacity to move more trains with fewer delays into and out of Oakland and
create operational synergies with the Martinez Subdivision Improvements. The Martinez project
focuses on improving the efficiency of movements and increasing operational flexibility heading
north out of the Port of Oakland on mainline used by Union Pacific ( UP), Burlington Northern
Santa Fe ( BNSF), and the Capital Corridor/ Amtrak service. Since the original adoption of the
TCIF program, the scope of the Martinez Subdivision Improvements has changed to focus on a
targeted rail connector that will improve operational efficiency and reduce the impact of rail
traffic on local communities. The project also now includes a grade separation at Marina Bay in
Richmond, which is a top priority for the City of Richmond and will help reduce the impacts of
goods movement on the local community.
Central Corridor
The Central Corridor includes both UP mainline running from the Port of Oakland through
Sacramento and over the Donner Summit to the transcontinental route to Chicago as well as I-
80, a major route serving Northern California freight needs. The one highway project
recommended in the Central Corridor was the relocation of the I- 80 eastbound Cordelia Truck
Scales. Proposed rail projects include improvements to the mainline both directly out of the Port
of Oakland ( the Martinez Subdivision) as well as through Sacramento ( the Sacramento Rail
Depot Realignment). In addition, a critical bottleneck connecting the region with all points east is
at Donner Summit. The Donner Summit improvements would allow for double- stacked trains to
traverse mountain tunnels, improving the capacity, velocity and throughput of the Central
Corridor and cutting nearly a day off the travel time for a train heading to or from the Bay Area
from points east of California. However, although the project was approved by the CTC as part
of the TCIF program, negotiations between the state and UP were unsuccessful. At this time,
UP is proceeding independently with limited improvements over Donner Summit and Caltrans
has officially withdrawn the project from the TCIF program.
Altamont Corridor
The Altamont Corridor is composed of a broad mix of highway and rail projects. The Altamont
Corridor is a key corridor for agricultural products being exported from the Central Valley via the
Port of Oakland, as well as for the growing warehousing and distribution facilities located in the
Central Valley. The highway projects identified in the program are specifically targeted towards
strategic investments along corridors with high volumes of truck movements. The eastbound
Truck Climbing Lane on I- 5 80 over the Altamont Pass will provide several safety and
operational improvements, relieving traffic congestion and delay by separating slow- moving
traffic from existing mixed- flow lanes. Improvements on I- 880 at 23 rd and 29 th Avenues will also
improve safety on I- 880, the major truck route in the Bay Area, and increase efficiency through
the corridor.
Short haul rail services connecting the Port of Oakland and the Central Valley have been
analyzed for a number of years as a strategy to move trucks off I- 5 80 and on to rail. In all cases,
the economic competitiveness of short haul rail compared to truck over the same distances
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remains a challenge. However, several short haul rail initiatives are currently underway in the
Central Valley, and three projects related to such service were included in the Northern
California TCIF program submission: 1) Rail right of way preservation in the Altamont Corridor
between Tracy and Fremont that can serve as the backbone for a future short haul service to
multiple points in the Central Valley; 2) the development of a proposed short haul rail terminus
in Stanislaus County at Crows Landing, and 3) a new intermodal service in Shafter. There are
remaining issues regarding the operational and financial viability of short haul rail programs that
are being evaluated by partners in the Central Valley and the sponsors of the TCIF short haul
projects as they work to advance the projects.
Dredging Projects
Two dredging projects were also submitted as part of the TCIF program. Although the federal
government is the primary source of funds for harbor deepening projects, all local agency
partners must fund a local share of federal dredging projects. The Ports of Stockton and
Sacramento both requested TCIF funds to help complete the local funding share requirement
and access federal funds. Deepening the channels enables the ports to serve a wider variety of
ships, providing an alternative to trucking goods on the region’s highway network and potentially
reducing congestion and providing air quality benefits, as well as economic development
opportunities at both ports.
Adopted TCIF Program
The Northern California coalition was able to secure programming recommendations of $ 82 5
million for the projects on the Tier 1 TCIF list. The projects include six projects located within the
Bay Area, and fourteen from the Northern California coalition. In light of statewide goods
movement needs significantly outweighing the funds available, the CTC overprogrammed the
TCIF program by approximately 20 percent, or $ 5 00 million. This encourages partners from
throughout the state to work together to secure additional funding for the program, and also
reflects the fact that many of these projects have significant hurdles to clear before they proceed
to construction. If projects fail, for whatever reason, the overprogramming and the identification
of Tier 2 projects helps build flexibility into the program.
Projects are now proceeding with planning and development and are being monitored on a
quarterly basis. In 2010, the CTC will evaluate the TCIF program. This evaluation will include an
assessment of project development, to determine if projects are truly on track to meet the
December 2013 construction deadline, an evaluation of the environmental analysis of each
project, and an analysis of the funding available for the program. At that time, MTC and its
regional partners will evaluate our program and determine any necessary next steps, including
possibly augmenting the program, re- scoping projects, and supplementing funding plans or
eliminating projects that fail to meet environmental requirements.
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Bay Area TCIF Projects
Project Description
Outer Harbor
Intermodal
Terminals
The OHIT provides new intermodal capacity at the Port of Oakland, on the former
Oakland Army Base. The project will allow the containers to be processed more
efficiently, improving intermodal service at the Port.
7 th Street Grade
Separation
The grade separation will separate truck traffic on 7 th Street from increased rail
movements, eliminating conflicts between trucks and trains at a major intersection
adjacent to OHIT and a major entrance to the Port of Oakland.
I- 80 Eastbound
Cordelia Truck
Scales
Relocation
The current truck scales are undersized and unable to process existing truck
volumes, resulting in truck queues on the interstate, creating dangerous weaving
conditions and forcing the scales to periodically close. New, relocated truck scales
will improve throughput and safety for both trucks and passenger vehicles.
Martinez
Subdivision
Improvements
The Martinez Subdivision is the primary rail line serving the Port of Oakland. It is
owned by Union Pacific ( UP), and used by UP, Burlington Northern Santa Fe
( BNSF) and the Capitol Corridor, San Joaquin and Amtrak services.
Improvements will increase efficiency and operational flexibility along the line, and
improve the velocity, throughput and reliability of both freight and passenger
service.
San Francisco
Bay to Port of
Stockton Channel
Dredging
Dredging the channel to 4 0 feet will improve the goods movement capacity
throughout the channel, allowing the channel to accommodate a greater variety of
vessel traffic and increased goods movement. The Port of Stockton and Contra
Costa County are co- local sponsors.
I- 580 East Bound
Truck Climbing
Lane
A new truck climbing lane over the Altamont Pass will provide congestion relief at
a major bottleneck for goods traveling between the Bay Area and the Central
Valley. The truck climbing lane will improve freeway safety and operations and
relieve traffic congestion and delay by separating slow- moving traffic from existing
mixed- flow lanes and reducing weaving.
I- 880
Improvements at
23 rd and 29 th
Avenues
I- 880 is the major truck route in the Bay Area, serving the Port of Oakland and
providing access to numerous intermodal facilities including the Oakland
International Airport and U. S. Mail and UPS distribution centers. This project will
provide operational and safety improvements at 23 rd and 29 th Avenues, where the
accident rate is five times the State average.
In addition to those projects identified above, several other important projects that are in
development were identified during the TCIF process and may be considered in the future.
• State Route 1 5 2: Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, working with regional
councils of governments located along SR 1 5 2 from Santa Clara through the Central
Valley to I- 99, is considering a major realignment of the corridor. SR 1 5 2 is a heavy truck
corridor and provides one of the few parallel routes connecting the Bay Area and Central
Valley that can help relieve the chronically congested I- 5 80. Planning work is underway
for the corridor.
• Other Bay Area Ports: There are five seaports in the Bay Area, and all play important
roles in supporting the regional economy and providing goods and services to the
region’s residents. The Ports of Richmond and San Francisco both had potential projects
for the TCIF program, but projects from neither port were selected for the final TCIF
program due to the timing of construction and requirements for matching funds.
However, both ports provide important infrastructure for facilitating goods movement and
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getting trucks off the road. Maintaining rail access to their facilities and investing in port
infrastructure are key priorities for the Port of San Francisco, as freight moving by rail
rather than truck can provide significant environmental and congestion benefits
throughout the region.
• Additional improvements along the Martinez Corridor: The Martinez Subdivision is the
primary mainline rail connection serving the Port of Oakland. Improvements to the
Martinez Subdivision are programmed to receive $ 7 4 million in TCIF funds. However,
there are significant additional needs along the corridor to benefit both freight trail and
passenger rail, which use the same track through this corridor, as well as reduce the
impact of freight movement on local communities. Projects might include additional
mainline in bottleneck areas, sidings, crossover and train signal system improvements,
grade separations, safety improvements at grade crossings, and improvements at the
interface with passenger rail stations.
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II. Implications of Local Land Use Decisions on the Goods Movement
System
Introduction
The 200 4 Regional Goods Movement Study found that goods movement industries and
industrial businesses that rely on goods movement play an important role in the region’s
economy. However, development trends and regional growth forecasts indicate increased
demand for goods movement services while at the same time a reduction in affordable, close- in
location options for businesses. These trends pose a number of potential problems for the
region, including increased land use conflicts, more truck miles and emissions, and higher costs
of goods distribution. These high- level findings from the 200 4 Regional Goods Movement Study
stoked interest in further evaluating the goods movement land use issues in the region.
Industrial land supply for goods movement businesses and industries has historically
concentrated along the major transportation corridors that ring the San Francisco Bay. Working
with a consultant team, MTC identified two major corridors within the inner Bay Area critical for
goods movement where land use challenges are key: 1) I- 880 from Richmond to Fremont, and
2) US 101 from the San Francisco/ San Mateo County line to Millbrae’s south city limits. These
corridors offer proximity to the business and population centers of the region and serve the
major airports and seaports.
The Study was a two- phase effort to evaluate the relationship between local land use decisions
and regional goods movement along these target corridors:
• Phase 1:
o Identify key goods movement businesses and industries in the major corridors.
o Map where industrial land uses suitable for goods movement businesses are
located along the major corridors.
o Identify those areas currently supporting goods movement activity that are “ at
risk” from land use policies or development proposals that allow or encourage
transition to new uses.
• Phase 2:
o Analyze the current and future supply and demand of goods movement
businesses and the magnitude of that demand along the key regional corridors.
o Assess the impacts of land use trends on truck VMT, congestion, air quality and
costs of goods distribution.
o Evaluate the impact of Smart Growth policies on goods movement.
The full Study can be found on the MTC website: http:// www. mtc. ca. gov/ planning/ rgm/.
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
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Phase 1
The purpose of Phase 1 was to identify and map existing industrial and other transportation-related
land uses that currently provide location options for goods movement businesses and
activities along the study corridors.
Land use mapping
Phase 1 first focused on comparing existing and planned land use along the study corridors.
That comparison identified where future local land use plans are consistent with current existing
industrial land uses, and those areas where land use plans and local policies allow new, higher-value
uses in older, existing industrial areas. In these latter situations, existing industrial uses
are at risk of development for new uses.
The results of these tasks include maps and tables that identify current land uses and the
planned industrial land supply along the central Bay Area study corridors in terms of:
− locations reserved for the region’s seaports and airports per regional agency
plans;
− locations where local plans identify that industrial uses are to remain in the
future;
− locations where local plans identify a mix of permitted business uses, including
some types of light industrial uses as well as R& D, business park/ campus, and
mixed commercial/ industrial uses that are typically higher- density and higher-value
than general industrial uses;
− locations where local plans identify that commercial, residential, and mixed
residential and commercial uses are permitted where industrial uses currently
exist; and
− locations with major development projects, proposals, or plans for new, higher-value
uses within or near to existing industrial areas of importance for goods
movement.
The data and maps of current land uses and planned land uses were then compared to identify
where and the extent to which the existing industrial land supply along the study corridors is at
risk of converting to new uses in the future. In addition, the Priority Development Areas 4 ( PDAs)
were mapped to compare those areas local jurisdictions have identified as high- priority infill
development areas to the existing goods movement- related land supply.
There was relatively little direct overlap of PDAs to the key industrial corridors. However, in
Oakland and Richmond there were some minor exceptions. Although few PDAs directly overlap
with key industrial corridors, some are located in close proximity or adjacent to these corridors,
which may put added pressure on goods movement related businesses to relocate.
4 Priority Development Areas ( PDAs) are locally- identified, infill development opportunity areas within existing
communities. The Association of Bay Area Governments’ Executive Board adopted the first round of PDAs as
Planned or Potential in 2007 and the second round in 2008. See: http:// www. bayareavision. org/ pda/.
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
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The comparisons are useful in identifying:
− where there is consistency, and where land use plans and policies support the
continuation of goods movement and other industrial land uses along the study
corridors; and
− where land use plans and policies allow/ encourage transition from existing
industrial land uses to higher- value, new uses in the future.
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The analysis identifies about 19,000 acres of land that remains in industrial land use along the
central study corridors in 2006. An additional 7,000 acres are devoted to the major airports,
seaport, and rail yard facilities in the corridors. This land includes approximately 188 million sq ft
of warehouse and manufacturing building space, much of it concentrated along the East Bay in
Oakland, Hayward and San Leandro. Table 1 summarizes the planned land use changes along
the corridors, according to local general plans.
Table 1: General Plan 2035 Land Uses for Existing Industrial Land
(% of existing industrial acres)
Industrial At Risk to Conversion
Location
Industrial
Not
Changed
Total at
Risk Business Mix*
Commercial,
Residential,
Open Space
Airport/ Seaport
or Institutional
East Bay
I- 80/ 880 Corridor
62% 38% 12% 23% 3%
Richmond to
Emeryville
5 7% 8% 28% 7%
Oakland/ Alameda 18% 23% 5 4 % 5 %
San Leandro/
Hayward/ Union City
90% 4 % 5 % 1%
North Peninsula
U. S. 101 Corridor
30% 70% 5 3% 16% 1%
* Includes Commercial, Light Industrial, Research & Development
Goods movement businesses and industries
Goods movement businesses located along the study corridors include a broad range of
industrial businesses that supply materials, produce goods, transport and distribute goods, and
provide other services that facilitate and support business activity and household consumption
both in the central Bay Area and throughout the region. There are approximately 5 , 4 00 goods
movement establishments located along the study corridors, supporting 177,200 jobs in 2006.
Tier 1: Goods Movement Dependent Industries.
Includes businesses/ industries where goods movement is of high level
importance to their operations and location decisions and which typically exhibit
frequent freight vehicle trips inbound and outbound. Tier 1 includes the large
majority, over 70 percent, of goods movement business activities along the study
corridors.
Tier 2: Other Goods Movement Industries.
Includes businesses/ industries that depend on goods movement, although it is of
less importance and often secondary to other business purposes and/ or location
factors.
Table 2 identifies the businesses and employment located along the study corridors.
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Description Estabs Employment
Tier 1: Goods Movement Dependent Groups
Air Carriers 49 6,378
Airports 37 3,610
Postal, Parcel, & Express 117 10,153
Maritime Industries 23 628
Seaports 14 476
Rail Carriers 4 153
Truck Carriers 228 5,793
Household Goods ( HHG) Carriers 44 1,062
Warehousing 92 3,173
Truck Rental & Leasing 23 346
Transportation and Related 631 31,772
Local Manufacturing 382 10,283
Local/ Regional Manufacturing 276 8,727
Regional Manufacturing 773 34,981
Manufacturing ( excl. high tech mfg.) 1,431 53,991
Local Wholesale 287 5,733
Local/ Regional Wholesale 1,138 20,312
Regional Wholesale 330 6,676
Wholesale Trade 1,755 32,721
Pipelines & Refineries 13 2,114
Fuel Dealers 5 70
Resource Extraction 7 99
Waste Management 55 3,469
Tier 1 Subtotal 3,897 124,236
Tier 2: Other Goods Movement Groups
Construction 1,149 25,573
Computer & Electronics Mfg. 236 14,526
Pharmaceutical & Biotech Mfg. 24 10,396
High- Tech Manufacturing 260 24,922
Transport Support 15 471
Vehicle Towing 31 272
Transport / Vehicle Support 46 743
Equipment Rental 29 622
Utilities & Telecom 27 769
Agriculture & Husbandry 8 287
Tier 2 Subtotal 1,519 52,916
TOTAL 5,416 177,152
Source: California Employment Development Department; Metropolitan
Transportation Commission; Hausrath Economics Group; The Tioga Group
TABLE 1
SUMMARY OF GOODS MOVEMENT BUSINESSES / INDUSTRIES
LOCATED ALONG CENTRAL CORRIDORS, 2006
TABLE 2
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Growth forecasts
Growth is forecast for all of the goods movement industry groups, and includes the emerging
green industries that many local jurisdictions are focused on recruiting. The goods movement
industry forecasts were “ demand- driven forecasts” for the study corridors, unconstrained by land
supply. Overall employment of central area goods movement industries is forecast to grow by
approximately 5 9 percent between 2006 and 203 5 , at an annual average rate of 1.62 percent
per year. Goods movement industry employment of 177,1 5 0 in 2006 is forecast to grow to
282,0 5 0 by 203 5 , resulting in an increase of 10 4 ,900 jobs. Table 3 summarizes the growth
forecasts for the largest industry groups in the study corridors.
TABLE 3
SUMMARY OF FORECASTS FOR GOODS MOVEMENT INDUSTRIES
WITH DEMAND FOR CENTRAL CORRIDOR LOCATIONS
Employment Growth Percent Avg. Ann.
2006 2035 2006- 2035 Growth Growth Rate
Tier 1: Goods Movement
Dependent Industries
Transportation and Related 31,770 61,710 29,940 94% 2.32%
Manufacturing ( excl. high- tech mfg) 54,000 64,360 10,360 19% 0.61%
Wholesale Trade 32,720 48,830 16,110 49% 1.39%
Other Industries ( oil/ gas, waste mgmt.) 5,750 9,630 3,880 75% 1.79%
Tier 2: Other Goods Movement Ind.
Construction 25,570 41,420 15,850 62% 1.68%
High- Tech Manufacturing 24,920 52,830 27,910 112% 2.62%
Transport/ Vehicle Support 740 1,260 520 70% 1.84%
Other Industries ( equip. rental, utilities) 1,680 2,010 330 20% 0.62%
TOTAL
177,150 282,050 104,900 59% 1.62%
Phase 1 documented that while goods movement businesses and industries in the study
corridors are forecast to grow over time, the land supply serving these businesses is forecast to
decline.
Phase 2
Phase 2 focused on analyzing the land use and industry trends data compiled in the first phase
of the study. This included identifying the current and future supply and demand of goods
movement businesses and the magnitude of that demand along the key regional corridors to
understand what goods movement activity is likely to be displaced. The study then assessed
how displacement of goods movement businesses and industries could impact the region,
focused primarily on the regional transportation network. Two 203 5 land use scenarios were
used for the comparison to bracket the extreme cases: a baseline scenario where the existing
land supply remains, and a trends scenario where existing land use trends continue unabated.
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
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Table 4: Alternative Scenarios for Industrial Land Supply Analysis
Trends
Scenario
Future industrial land supply assuming existing land use
policies continue
 Industrial land converted to new uses as shown in local
General Plans
 Additional industrial land converted to new uses, similar to
changes in proposed projects, General Plan updates, and
regional efforts
Baseline
Scenario
Future industrial land supply assumed at existing levels for
analysis purposes
 Provides scenario for comparative purposes to assess
impacts of trends as measured against existing supply
 More intensive use of corridor industrial land over time was
assumed as part of the baseline scenario.
Key trends
• Central Area Industrial Land Supply Is Declining and Under Increasing Market
Pressures.
Goods movement industries and their demand for central locations are growing. However,
trends show declines in industrial land in the central areas and increasing pressures on the
remaining industrial land supply. Assuming the continuation of existing land use policies, the
demand for central area land for goods movement businesses will greatly exceed the
industrial land supply in the future. The most likely future land use scenario under existing
trends would accommodate just over half ( 5 7 percent) of the goods movement industry
demand forecast for industrial land, resulting in less industrial activity than in 2006.
• Shortages of Industrial Land Result in the Outward Dispersion of Industrial
Activities
Over time, large numbers of industrial goods movement businesses and jobs serving
the central areas will have to locate outside the central corridors because of the
shortages of industrial land under current land use trends and policies. The large
majority, about 6 5 percent, are anticipated to locate in the inland San Joaquin Valley.
Due to the region’s geography and freeway system, the demand shifting outward will
be heavily focused on industrial locations with access back to the central Bay Area
markets they serve via I- 5 80.
Impacts
The outward dispersion of industrial goods movement businesses while the demand they serve
grows in the central Bay Area is forecast to create adverse transportation, environmental,
and economic consequences. Many of these forecast impacts would arise from the effects of a
more dispersed goods movement land use pattern on the travel patterns of truck trips to/ from:
( a) goods movement businesses shifted to outlying locations, and ( b) the markets they serve in
the central corridors and surrounding Bay Area. Impacts could include:
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• 8, 4 00 truck trips per day shifted, often to longer routes, including over 6,100 in I-
5 80, adding to congestion, safety concerns, and roadway wear and tear;
• Up to an additional 3 4 7,900 truck vehicle miles traveled on regional highways;
• More truck emissions that degrade air quality, including a roughly 2 percent
increase in PM 10 and PM 2. 5 emissions;
• Displacement of about 87,000 good- paying blue/ green collar goods movement-related
jobs; and
• Higher transportation costs to businesses, resulting in higher costs of goods,
estimated at $ 119 million/ year ( 2008$).
Next Steps
MTC will continue to work with regional partners to develop and pursue specific strategies that
could be pursued to address goods movement business displacement. These strategies might
include:
• Working through FOCUS to ensure that PDAs do not impact economic development
potential of adjacent goods movement businesses.
• Sharing information with other regional and local agencies, particularly partner regional
agencies developing land use and air quality programs.
• Exploring further best practices in off- site mitigation and better business practices ( e. g.
delivery hours) to make goods movement businesses a better “ neighbor”.
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III. Additional Goods Movement Efforts
FEDERAL PROGRAM
Federal Transportation Bill
California’s ports serve as the major entry point for goods entering the nation from the Pacific
Rim. While the California and Bay Area economies benefit from goods movement activity, the
infrastructure network and local air quality are under heavy strain trying to accommodate the
freight volumes. Given current projections for growth in trade volumes, there are serious
concerns regarding the transportation system’s ability to handle that growth and the emissions
that will result from the increased volumes.
A national freight policy and investment program is needed to help provide strategic guidance to
the freight system, and to ensure the system can accommodate the needs of interstate
commerce. MTC strongly supports the recommendation from the National Surface
Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission to create a federal freight program in the
next federal authorization. 5 A national freight program should include a dedicated funding
source for goods movement projects, selected on a competitive basis, to implement highway,
rail and port improvements that eliminate bottlenecks in the system and increase the efficiency
of the goods movement system. Hand in hand with infrastructure improvements must be
investments that mitigate the impact the goods movement system has on communities adjacent
to major goods movement facilities, particularly the nation’s ports and rail yards which service
goods for both local and national consumption.
MTC’s federal advocacy platform includes the recommendation that the Department of
Transportation produce a National Freight Transportation Plan to focus future investments.
Investments should be funded primarily through user fees, such as new container fees or
custom duties, and focus on eliminating major choke points in the goods movement system.
The federal program should recognize those states that have made significant investments of
their own funds in nationally significant goods movement projects and support those
investments by granting them priority for federal funding to bridge the gap between needs and
local resources.
5 Congress formed the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission in 2005 as part of
the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act— A Legacy for Users ( SAFETEA- LU). The
Commission is comprised of 12 members, representing federal, state and local governments; metropolitan planning
organizations ( including MTC Executive Director Steve Heminger); transportation- related industries; and public
interest organizations. The Commission examined the condition and future needs of the nation's surface
transportation system, as well as short- and long- term funding alternatives. http:// transportationfortomorrow. org/.
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AIR QUALITY PROGRAMS
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District ( BAAQMD) is undertaking a number of initiatives
to reduce emissions related to goods movement. In addition to ongoing programs such as the
Carl Moyer Program, the BAAQMD is also developing additional programs to reduce emissions
from goods movement activities. 6
Goods Movement Emission Reductions Program
The BAAQMD submitted a Goods Movement Emissions Reduction program for Transportation
203 5 to be funded jointly by the BAAQMD, MTC and the Port of Oakland. MTC has committed
$ 4 5 million over five years to advance this program as part of the Transportation 203 5 Plan. The
program is anticipated to include a major truck component, with goals of replacing and/ or
retrofitting up to 800 port and general goods movement trucks in the Bay Area. Trucks are major
contributors of diesel particulate matter, as well as NOx and greenhouse gases in the Bay Area
air basin. The impact is especially felt along the major goods movement corridors and facilities,
such as the Port of Oakland, due to the high concentration of trucks, ships, locomotives and
cargo handling equipment that service the Port and the surrounding area. On average, over
8,000 trucks per day travel through West Oakland, with almost 4 ,000 of these trucks servicing
the Port of Oakland.
While overall emissions from diesel PM will decrease over time due to California Air Resources
Board ( CARB) truck regulations, there is a great need to accelerate this process as quickly as
possible. This program would reduce diesel PM from trucks servicing the region, including the
Port of Oakland, by replacing and/ or retrofitting port and general goods movement trucks. The
project will reduce particulate matter, NOx ( a smog precursor) and greenhouse gas emissions
and also promote climate protection. The truck replacement/ retrofit project will help maintain
and modernize the goods movement fleet while reducing the health risk in both the West
Oakland and greater Bay Area community.
Community Air Risk Evaluation Program 7
The goal of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Community Air Risk Evaluation
( CARE) program is to identify locations with high concentrations of toxic emissions and
populations who are sensitive to these emissions. The Air District uses the information to
develop programs, incentives and regulations to reduce the emissions in these areas. The
CARE program has identified western Alameda County, including the area around the Port of
Oakland, as having high concentrations of toxics, sensitive populations and high hospitalization
rates for childhood asthma. The main objectives of the program are to:
• Characterize and evaluate potential cancer and non- cancer health risks associated
with exposure to TACs from both stationary and mobile sources throughout the Bay
Area.
• Assess potential exposures to sensitive receptors including children, senior citizens,
and people with respiratory illnesses.
6 For more information on the Carl Moyer Program and other goods movement programs, see:
http:// www. baaqmd. gov/ pln/ grants_ and_ incentives/ carl_ moyer
http:// www. baaqmd. gov/ pln/ grants_ and_ incentives/ gm
7 Information on the CARE program is from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District website. For more
information please see: http:// www. baaqmd. gov/ CARE/ index. htm.
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
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• Identify significant sources of TAC emissions and prioritize use of resources to
reduce TACs in the most highly impacted areas ( i. e., priority communities).
• Develop and implement mitigation measures - such as grants, guidelines, or
regulations - to achieve cleaner air for the public and the environment, focusing
initially on priority communities.
As part of the CARE program, the District partnered with the California Air Resources Board
( CARB), the Port of Oakland, and the Union Pacific Railroad to estimate the health risks from
diesel exhaust in West Oakland. Results of those efforts can be found on the CARB website:
http:// www. arb. ca. gov/ ch/ communities/ ra/ westoakland/ westoakland. htm.
OTHER ONGOING EFFORTS
Container Fees
MTC supported efforts in 2008 for a statewide container fee to be implemented at the three
major ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland. Although potential legislation ( Senate Bill
97 4 ) to require such a fee was vetoed in 2008, MTC will continue to work with the Port of
Oakland and other stakeholders to advocate for user- based fees. The Port of Oakland is
currently pursuing levying their own container fee, with revenues to fund both infrastructure and
air quality programs.
West Coast Corridor Coalition
The West Coast Corridor Coalition ( WCCC) is a coalition of member agencies from the states of
Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California. These four states work together to forge
consensus strategies for the massive mobility challenges in the Corridor that transcend state
and local borders. Active participants include the four state departments of transportation, ports,
regional transportation planning agencies, and metropolitan planning organizations. The WCCC
advocates collaborative solutions to transportation system challenges along the West Coast
Corridor. The Coalition was created by dedicated transportation professionals who are willing to
forge leadership solutions to Corridor challenges. The WCCC has developed a Corridor- wide
Trade and Transportation Study that highlights the freight challenges in the Corridor. This study
is the first step by Coalition members to inform decision makers about the importance of the
Corridor as an unparalleled driver of economic growth and innovative technology.
IV. APPENDIX A
Northern California Trade Corridors Coalition
Trade Corridors Improvement Fund Program ( TCIF)
1. Multi- agency letter to the California Transportation Commission
2. Northern California TCIF Trade Strategy
a. Northern California Program of Projects
b. Map of Northern California Program of Projects
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
Appendix A
IV- 2
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
Appendix A
IV- 3
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
Appendix A
IV- 4
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TRADE STRATEGY
OVERVIEW
Goods movement has become an increasingly important issue in Northern California. As international
trade continues to grow, all of California’s trade gateways are feeling the burden. High volumes of
international cargo, as well as goods needed to serve the growing population and support the local and
state economies are placing a strain on the overburdened and often outdated infrastructure. The impact
can be seen not only in delays for cargo, but congestion on the region’s highways, rail lines, and local
roads. In addition, high levels of air pollution, safety concerns, local congestion and noise have
disproportionately impacted those communities located near goods movement infrastructure.
The goods movement transportation system is a complex network including ports, rail facilities and rail
lines, and highway and roadway infrastructure, and is closely tied to state, national and international
transportation systems. As such, it is critical to think of goods movement in terms that extend beyond our
typical geographic and political boundaries.
In Northern California, critical goods movement corridors connect the Bay Area, Sacramento and Central
Valley regions. This was reflected in the State’s Goods Movement Action Plan ( GMAP), which showed
the Bay Area and Central Valley Regions overlapping significantly. While the Bay Area, Sacramento and
Central Valley all have very distinct characteristics, the regions are inextricably linked in terms of goods
movement.
Trade primarily occurs along two major trade corridors in Northern California: the Central Corridor and the
Altamont Corridor, which taken together connect the major regions with one another and with critical
national and international trade routes. The locus of this trade activity is the Port of Oakland, the nation’s
fourth busiest container seaport and a critical export port for the state.
• The Central Corridor is a highway and rail corridor running from the Port of Oakland roughly
along I- 80 to Sacramento and across the Sierra Nevada Mountains on to Chicago, connecting the
Bay Area and Sacramento regions with one another and the major transcontinental highway and
rail routes heading out of Northern California.
• The Altamont Corridor, which runs from the Port of Oakland, along I- 880/ 238/ 5 80 to the Central
Valley, connects with I- 5 and SR 99 at the northern end of San Joaquin Valley and eventually
with the southern transcontinental rail route at the southern end of the Central Valley. This
corridor connects the State’s agriculture community and the Port of Oakland and also serves the
growing population of the Central Valley.
Investment in these corridors together focuses on the dual goods movement concerns of: ( 1) the
economic interconnections of the Sacramento and Central Valley regions with the Bay Area through
interregional goods distribution corridors; and ( 2) ensuring the future viability and growth of the Port of
Oakland as a trade gateway for both imports and exports. Recognizing the importance of these two
factors, regional transportation agencies in Northern California have formed a partnership to develop a
comprehensive program of rail and highway projects along these two trade corridors. This integrated
program is designed to meet current and future requirements to move both people and goods throughout
the state and the nation quickly, reliably and safely, with less highway congestion and pollution.
TCIF Program
The regional agencies have come to consensus around a list of priority goods movement investments in
Northern California to be nominated for the Trade Corridors Improvement Fund ( TCIF). The list is
multimodal— addressing a network of rail, highway and maritime improvements— and multiregional,
focusing on the Central and Altamont Corridors. 8 The program consists of targeted, strategic investments
in rail and highway infrastructure providing access to the Port of Oakland, and networking with other ports
8 See Attachment A and B for a complete list and map of projects.
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
Appendix A
IV- 5
serving Northern California trade corridors, to provide a balanced, multi- modal approach to goods
movement. Because the long- term needs in Northern California, and throughout the state, far outweigh
the current funding available, the regional agencies took a phased approach to developing the list of
priority goods movement projects for Northern California. The first Tier, totaling approximately $ 960
million, reflects the highest priority projects for each region. Tier 2, totaling $ 4 70 million, is made up of
those projects that play an important role in goods movement in the corridors but that we do not believe
should be recommended for the TCIF program. The more than $ 2 billion provided by the bond is simply
the beginning of a long- term focus on goods movement. With federal reauthorization on the horizon, and
a possible revenue stream for trade projects coming from the proposed container fee being considered by
the Legislature and the major ports, those projects that do not receive funding from TCIF will continue to
be developed and pursued. All projects listed in Tier 1 and submitted for the TCIF program can be in
construction by December 31, 2013, and have the required match secured.
CORRIDORS
PORT OF OAKLAND
In Northern California, the Port of Oakland serves as a major anchor of goods movement activity,
handling 99% of the waterborne goods moving through Northern California and supporting the regional
population, Northern California businesses and the State’s critical agricultural community. The Port of
Oakland is the fourth largest container port in the country, handling almost 2. 4 million twenty- foot
equivalent units ( TEU) in 2006. Unique among California ports, container volume at Oakland is split
almost evenly between import and export movements. Oakland is the primary California gateway for
Central Valley agricultural and Northern California wine country exports, and for both import and export
goods coming into distribution centers and warehouses located in the northern San Joaquin Valley.
Maritime activity at the Port's 20 deepwater berths and nearly 770 acres of marine terminals generates
over 28, 5 00 jobs, $ 3.7 billion annually for the regional economy, and over $ 200 million in local and state
tax revenue.
International trade volumes continue to grow on the west coast. The demand that is driving the cargo
growth in the Port comes from several sources: expanding urban markets reaching south toward Gilroy
and east into the Central Valley; and development of inland transload warehouse centers as far away as
Bakersfield that will rely on the Port as an international gateway. The Port anticipates continuing to grow
at four to five percent annually, reaching between five and six million TEUs around 2020- 202 5 .
However, west coast port capacity and infrastructure development have not kept pace with demand.
Increased congestion at the San Pedro Bay ports and along Southern California intermodal routes have
led the railroads and shipping industry to evaluate multiple routing options. They are increasingly
recognizing the Port of Oakland as a desirable strategic load center for U. S. intermodal cargo. Shippers
can achieve logistics benefits by combining cargo destined for local consumers with intermodal cargo
headed to and from the rest of the nation.
The Port has almost completed deepening its channels to accommodate newer, larger vessels, and has
expanded its marine terminals in order to create more capacity within the Port. The Port is ready to accept
more business and has room to grow as the volume of international trade increases over the next several
years. To realize this growth potential, however, the Port needs to increase the capacity of the freight rail
system that connects the Port to the rest of California and the nation.
Port of Oakland TCIF Anchor Projects
Both the Central and the Altamont Corridors are anchored at the Port of Oakland. In order to
accommodate the forecast growth anticipated at the Port, key rail and road infrastructure improvements
are needed to provide access to and from the Port of Oakland. The Port’s highest priority for ensuring its
future economic health is to expand the capacity of the main rail lines serving the Port and points east.
There are three major projects located at or near the Port of Oakland that are critical projects for both the
Central and Altamont Corridors: expanded intermodal capacity at the Outer Harbor Intermodal Terminals
( OHIT), the 7 th Street Grade Separation, and Martinez Subdivision Improvements.
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
Appendix A
IV- 6
• OHIT: OHIT is the extension of two intermodal rail yards, which will be located on the former
Oakland Army Base and provide significant goods movement capacity at the Port. The project will
allow the railroads to load and unload containers more efficiently, and will support the Port of
Oakland’s intermodal throughput goal. OHIT will relieve congestion on rail main lines adjacent to
the Port and will provide air quality benefits for the region and State by providing the capability to
move more goods by rail rather than by trucks.
• 7 th Street Grade Separation: The project will relieve a key highway and rail bottleneck at a major
gateway into the Port of Oakland. The grade separation will separate truck traffic on 7 th Street
from increased rail movements between OHIT and the rail mainline to the north of 7 th Street and
the existing rail facilities to the south. This will eliminate conflicts between trucks and trains at a
major intersection adjacent to OHIT and a major entrance to the Port.
• Martinez Subdivision Improvements: The Martinez Subdivision is the primary rail line serving the
Port of Oakland. Running north from the Port and connecting with the major north- south and east-west
rail routes in the State, Martinez is owned by Union Pacific ( UP), and used by UP, Burlington
Northern Santa Fe ( BNSF) and the Capitol Corridor, San Joaquin and Amtrak services.
Improvements here will add much needed capacity and operational flexibility to the mainline,
improving the velocity, throughput and reliability of both freight and passenger service on this
congested rail segment.
• The 7 th Street and OHIT projects together create the capacity to move more trains with fewer
delays into and out of Oakland, reducing the conflicts between trucks and trains and making rail
service more efficient. The projects also create operational synergies with the Martinez
Subdivision Improvements, which as proposed will take place directly north of the OHIT facility as
goods exit the Port.
CENTRAL CORRIDOR
The Central Corridor is an integrated rail and highway corridor that stretches from Oakland to Chicago,
providing a critical link between Northern California and the rest of the nation. It crosses through eight
counties, including Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Sacramento, Yolo, Placer, Nevada, and Sierra
Counties. The corridor is comprised of highway and rail facilities. I- 80 is the primary east- west highway
connector between the Bay Area and Sacramento. I- 80 extends northeast from the Bay Area
approximately 200 miles through Sacramento and over Donner Summit, where it crosses into the State of
Nevada. This corridor is the only major freeway connection between Northern California and points east.
Rail service along the Central Corridor is provided primarily by UP. This rail line extends from the UP
Railport and the Port of Oakland’s Oakland International Gateway ( OIG) intermodal yard, 100 miles east
to the UP Yard in Roseville. The Roseville Yard is UP’s major carload classification yard in Northern
California, receiving daily trains from Los Angeles, Oakland, the Central Valley, Chicago, Kansas City and
the Pacific Northwest. East- west movements continue along the UP line along I- 80 over Donner Summit
and points east, and north- south movements connect with UP’s north- south line between Seattle and Los
Angeles along I- 5 . BNSF also runs a limited number of trains along this same infrastructure under a
trackage rights agreement.
In addition, the Central Corridor is a major passenger rail route, with a weekday average of 4 4 passenger
trains traveling along the corridor. The Capitol Corridor service runs 32 trains per day between
Sacramento and the Bay Area, and Amtrak and the San Joaquins run an additional 12 per day. Due to
the capacity issues, Capitol Corridor trains are often delayed, sometimes in excess of two hours, between
Sacramento and Oakland. This leads to a fairly high degree of unreliability for rail passengers and
reduces the attractiveness of the service to commuters.
The rail system along this Corridor generally does not have excess capacity. There are several sections
with heavier rail activity than is optimal, including the UP mainline north of Oakland, the Martinez
Subdivision, used by both freight and passenger trains. There are three major rail choke points along the
Central Corridor where capacity issues or operational constraints limit the free flow of freight. These
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
Appendix A
IV- 7
choke points impede the amount of freight that can be brought through the Port of Oakland and result in
congestion along the entire subdivision, which runs through multiple residential and commercial areas in
the Bay Area and Sacramento. In addition, there is significant interest in extending passenger rail service
east of Sacramento, which must be negotiated with UP and is a top priority for the Sacramento area. The
primary rail choke points are:
• The Martinez Subdivision: Currently, this mainline segment is used by Amtrak, UP, the Capitol
Corridor, and BNSF. The conflict between passenger and freight trains is limiting the capacity to
move freight trains away from the Port. In addition, there is very limited capacity to store trains
prior to departure or after arrival.
• Donner Summit: The ability to move freight from the Port of Oakland is limited by the tunnels
over Donner Summit, which do not provide sufficient clearance for double- stacked container cars,
as well as a critical section of the line where the track is reduced from two tracks to one. The
Donner Summit is a key gateway for the state of California, providing access to the rest of the
nation via the transcontinental rail line.
• Sacramento Rail Depot: The current track configuration requires passenger trains to stop on the
mainline, requiring freight trains to wait for loading and unloading of passengers. This situation
also creates a safety problem with passengers having to cross live tracks and results in a speed
limit of 20 mph on this section.
The forecasts for the Central Corridor call for a considerable increase in the tonnage and value of
commodities carried by truck and by rail. By 2016, the total of the regional, intrastate, and interstate
( including Mexico and Canada) goods movement along the corridor is projected to grow to 90 million tons
annually, and be valued at $ 101 billion. By 2026, the total goods movement along the corridor is projected
to grow to 112 million tons annually, with a total value of $ 126 billion. The cumulative growth in tonnage
for the Corridor is shown for trucks in Figure 1A and for rail in Figure 1B, which also clearly show how
trucks provide the majority of the intrastate moves, while rail provides primarily interstate freight
movements.
Figure 1A Central Corridor Truck Tonnage Growth, 2006 to 2025
0
10
20
30
4 0
5 0
60
70
80
90
100
2006 2016 202 5
Tonnage ( Millions)
Interstate
Intrastate
Regional
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
Appendix A
IV- 8
Figure 1B Central Corridor Rail Tonnage Growth 2006- 2025
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
1 4
16
2006 2016 202 5
Tonnage ( Millions)
Interstate
Intrastate
Regional
This growth can be estimated in terms of increased truck and rail flow along the corridor. For the Central
Corridor, a rough calculation of tonnage per truck yields a measurement of 28,000 pounds per truck
( roughly 1 4 tons per truck). By 2016, the total truck tonnage is projected to grow to 71 million tons. This
will add an estimated 5 million additional trucks to the road yearly, or an average of 1 5 ,31 5 each day. By
2026, the truck tonnage is projected to grow to 88 million tons, or an additional 6.3 million trucks per year
or 19,062 trucks per day. Rail freight is projected to grow at a slightly slower rate. Nevertheless, the
tonnage carried by rail is expected to grow to 11 million tons by 2016, and 1 4 million tons by 2026.
Strategic investments in the rail network may encourage more goods to move by rail rather than by truck
in the future.
Highway Bottlenecks
I- 80 is a notorious highway bottleneck in the Bay Area, with two of the most congested segments in the
region. This is also the case in the Sacramento metropolitan area, where it serves as the major commute
route as well as a major goods movement corridor for both regional and interregional freight. Bottlenecks
occur at the I- 80/ 680/ Hwy 12 interchange, as well as along I- 80 in Alameda County. In the Sacramento
area, major congestion occurs during commute hours, as well as on weekends and holidays with
recreational travel to the Sierra. While significant work is underway to improve I- 80, there are limited
opportunities along the geographically constrained corridor. Investing in the rail network in the corridor, as
well as strategic investments in the highway corridor, can potentially reduce the volume of trucks on the
highway network.
Central Corridor TCIF Projects
Projects recommended for TCIF funding on the multi- modal Central Corridor include a mix of highway and
rail projects, as well as one dredging project. Together, the projects expand capacity in the corridor and
remove key highway and rail bottlenecks.
• Donner Summit Improvements: Targeted investments over the Donner Summit will allow for
double- stacked, longer trains to traverse Donner Summit, rather than having to travel the
circuitous route over Feather River Canyon which double- stacked trains originating at the Port of
Oakland use today. These improvements will improve the capacity, velocity and throughput of the
Central Corridor, cutting nearly a day off the travel time for a train heading to or from the Bay
Area from points east.
• Sacramento Rail Depot Realignment: Realignment of the mainlines through the Sacramento
Valley station will allow for a 5 0 percent increase in velocity of freight trains through the station.
Current track configurations create congestion and safety issues. The realignment will provide for
the separation of all passenger tracks/ platforms from freight train operation as well as grade-separated
access to the passenger platforms without crossing any live tracks. Realignment of
the main tracks will include replacement of the existing passenger boarding platforms, platform
access, and other related facilities.
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
Appendix A
IV- 9
• Reconstruction of the Cordelia Truck Scales. The truck scales were constructed in 19 5 8 and are
seriously undersized and unable to process existing truck volumes, much less projected volumes.
Inefficiencies at the current facility frequently result in trucks queuing on to the interstate, creating
dangerous weaving conditions and forcing the scales to periodically close. New, relocated truck
scales will improve throughput and safety in the area for both trucks and passenger vehicles.
• Port of Sacramento Dredging: Dredging the remaining 3 5 miles of the Sacramento Ship Channel
from 30 to 3 5 feet will result in a 4 0 percent increase in the potential berthing capacity for the Port
of Sacramento. This will allow larger and more modern vessels to serve the Port, and thus would
probably lead to a reduction in truck trips between the Bay Area and the Sacramento region.
When considering the long- term future of the Central Corridor, additional improvements to the rail,
highway and waterway network will be needed. Sustained infrastructure investment will be needed along
the rail mainline from the Bay Area to Sacramento. Ranging from track upgrades to providing additional
sidings and ties to upgrading drainage and replacing worn track, ongoing investment in the corridor will
improve the operational efficiency of the rail corridor. However, these improvements are not as high a
priority as those recommended for TCIF funding.
There are also a number of highway projects in development along the corridor, including a new
interchange at I- 80/ 680/ 12, which is a high priority for Solano County and will complement the Cordelia
Truck scales project. In addition, improvements to I- 80 in the Sacramento region include extending the
existing HOV lanes from Watt Avenue west to I- 5 and from the Sacramento/ Placer County line west to SR
6 5 .
Barge service is also being contemplated between the Port of Oakland and the Port of Sacramento ( as
well as the Port of Stockton). However, given the current projected cost structure of the service and the
infrastructure investment needed upfront, barge service is considered a long- term strategy for the
corridor.
ALTAMONT CORRIDOR
The Altamont Corridor is an interregional corridor serviced by highway and rail infrastructure. Originating
in the Bay Area along I- 880, SR 238 and I- 5 80, the Altamont Corridor traverses east through Alameda
and San Joaquin Counties on I- 20 5 before reaching I- 5 approximately 6 5 miles east of Oakland. This is a
very high volume truck traffic corridor linking the Central Valley distribution centers and the Bay Area. It is
the primary link for agriculture products traveling throughout the Central Valley and from the Central
Valley to the Port of Oakland for export to the rest of the world. The Altamont Corridor continues south
through the Central Valley along I- 5 and SR 99, providing a critical north- south link through the heart of
California. According to the Federal Highway Administration, the Altamont Corridor highway system will
more than double in truck volume activity between 1998 and 2020.
The Central Valley
The Central Valley of California and its relationship with the Altamont Corridor connecting the Central
Valley to the Bay Area is logistically one of the most important trade corridor combinations supporting the
movement of goods on a local, state, national, and international level. The Central Valley includes both
the Sacramento region and the San Joaquin Valley, and was itself a major region identified in the State’s
Goods Movement Action Plan ( GMAP). The San Joaquin Valley portion of the Central Valley includes the
eight counties of Kern, Kings, Tulare, Fresno, Madera, Merced, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin. 9
Geographically, it connects the two largest metropolitan areas in California, San Francisco and Los
Angeles, as well as the Greater Sacramento region.
9 See San Joaquin Valley Goods Movement Action Plan, November 30, 2007
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
Appendix A
IV- 10
Eight of the ten fastest growing counties in California are
located in the Central Valley. The counties of Merced,
Stanislaus, and to a large part San Joaquin, are bedroom
communities for the Bay Area, with over 20 percent of
residents from San Joaquin County commuting daily over the
Altamont Trade Corridor.
As an air basin, the San Joaquin Valley is designated by the
Environmental Protection Agency as a non- attainment area.
Residents rank among the highest 5 % in the nation for
pollution- related health risks. Significantly contributing to the
air quality condition is the amount of pollution emitted from
diesel trucks. In fact, according to the California Air Resource
Board, the San Joaquin Valley has the highest heavy- duty
diesel truck miles per day in the state.
The major goods movement routes are I- 5 ( primary north-south
route for freight movement along the west coast from
Canada to Mexico), SR 99 ( primary inland route through California connecting major cities in the San
Joaquin Valley) and the Class I railroad lines owned by UP and BNSF. East to west transportation
facilities are less numerous but critical to the interregional transportation network of the west coast and
the western United States. The Port of Stockton in San Joaquin County is located on the deepwater ship
channel 7 5 nautical miles due east of the Golden Gate Bridge. It is the largest inland port on the west
coast, the largest tier II port in California and trades with over 5 0 nations specializing in bulk commodities.
The Port’s maritime volume is expected to double in the next ten years.
The southernmost Central Valley county of Kern is the gateway to the Altamont Trade Corridor. This
corridor provides north/ south rail access between the Bay Area, the Central Valley, and Southern
California and is a primary access route to the southern transcontinental rail network. In the north, San
Joaquin County is considered an interregional goods movement hinge point for California due to its close
relationship with the Bay Area and the Greater Sacramento Area. The majority of interregional goods
movement from the Central Valley heads west over the Altamont Pass on I- 5 80 into the Bay Area on I-
5 80, I- 238 and I- 880, or continues north through Sacramento or to the east over the Donner Pass/ I- 80.
Two different rail lines provide rail service along the Altamont Corridor. The primary line is the BNSF
mainline, which begins at the Port of Oakland’s BNSF OIG terminal, travels north along the UP owned
Martinez Subdivision, before traveling roughly 6 5 miles east, where it connects to the BNSF Stockton
Intermodal Facility. BNSF trains then head south through the Central Valley and over the Tehachapi
Mountains, where they connect with the southern transcontinental rail lines. The second rail line is the
UP- owned Niles Rail Corridor, which starts at the Port of Oakland traveling south, and heads east over
Altamont Pass. At Niles, the line joins the UP line from San Jose, and continues to Stockton. The portion
between Stockton and San Jose is used by the Altamont Commuter Express ( ACE).
The forecasts for the Altamont Corridor call for a considerable increase in commodity flows. By 2016, the
total of the regional, intrastate, and interstate ( including Mexico and Canada) goods movement along the
Altamont Corridor is projected to grow to 2 5 0 million tons annually, and be valued at $ 183 billion. By
2026, the total goods movement along the Altamont Corridor is projected to grow to 292 million tons
Central Valley
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
Appendix A
IV- 11
annually, with a total value of $ 21 4 billion. The cumulative growth in tonnage for the Corridor is shown for
trucks in Figure 2A and for rail in Figure 2B. These graphs also clearly show how trucks provide the
majority of the intrastate moves, while rail provides primarily interstate freight movements.
Figure 2A Altamont Corridor Truck Tonnage Growth, 2006 to 2025
0
5 0
100
1 5 0
200
2 5 0
300
2006 2016 202 5
Tonnage ( Millions)
Interstate
Intrastate
Regional
Figure 2B Altamont Corridor Rail Tonnage Growth, 2006 to 2025
0
5
10
1 5
20
2 5
2006 2016 202 5
Tonnage ( Millions)
Interstate
Intrastate
Regional
This growth can be estimated in terms of increased truck and rail traffic along the corridor. For the
Altamont Corridor, a rough calculation of tonnage per truck yields a measurement of 1 4 tons per truck. By
2016, the truck tonnage is projected to grow to 20 4 million tons. This will add an estimated 1 4 . 5 million
additional trucks to the road yearly, or an average of nearly 4 4 ,000 trucks each day. By 2026, the truck
tonnage is projected to grow to 239 million tons, or an additional 17 million trucks per year or 5 2,000
trucks per day.
Rail Bottlenecks
There are several choke points along the Altamont Corridor where the free flow of freight is limited by
capacity issues and operational constraints. These choke points are of high interest to the Port of
Oakland, because they impede the connection between the Port and the rest of California, specifically the
Central Valley distribution centers and agricultural exporters. There is not adequate rail connectivity
between the Port and the inland Central Valley. Therefore, most of this freight is carried by truck on the
Altamont Corridor, adding to congestion and air quality concerns along the corridor. A major rail
bottleneck is located at the Niles Junction near Fremont due to conflicts between the eight daily ACE
trains with the UP freight traffic. Another major rail bottleneck exists at the Tehachapi Mountains, where
difficult terrain and high volumes result in slow moving trains, frequent mechanical problems and
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
Appendix A
IV- 12
operational inefficiencies. This is a key state gateway providing goods movement connections within
California as well as to the major national markets. Without investment over the Tehachapi Mountains,
the rail network will reach capacity by 2009.
Highway Bottlenecks
Critical highway bottlenecks occur in multiple locations along the Altamont Corridor. In 200 5 , the I- 5 80
corridor daily traffic volume was 211,000 vehicles per day with trucks accounting for 12 percent of the
total traffic. This I- 880/ 238/ 5 80 route has the highest truck volumes of any location in the Bay Area and
serves as the major interregional corridor between the Port of Oakland and I- 5 in the Central Valley. It
also serves the Tri- Valley area including the cities of Pleasanton, Dublin, and Livermore. Two segments
along the corridor have been in the top five most congested freeway locations in the Bay Area since
2002, experiencing three- hour long weekday and morning peak period congestion in the westbound
direction and four- hour long weekday afternoon peak period congestion in the eastbound direction. In
particular, the geographically challenging Altamont Pass is a major chokepoint for both passenger
vehicles and freight as trucks struggle to climb the grade.
Immediately to the east, I- 20 5 experiences chronic congestion with peak periods lasting three plus hours
and regularly recurring congestion on weekends. In addition, SR 120 and SR 99 also operate above their
peak period capacity. The primary highway access linking I- 5 and SR 99 to the Port of Stockton is the
Crosstown Freeway ( SR 4 ). This facility stub ends as it approaches the Port, forcing trucks onto the
Boggs Track residential community surface streets in order to access the Port.
Altamont Corridor TCIF Projects
Projects recommended for TCIF funding on the multi- modal Altamont Corridor include a mix of highway
and rail projects, as well as one dredging project. The multi- modal approach involves shifting truck freight
to rail and to water, improving rail service from the Central Valley to the Port of Oakland, improving truck
access to critical facilities, and improving goods movement capacity on the rail and water networks.
• SR 4 ( Crosstown Freeway) Extension into the Port of Stockton: The project will expedite truck
movement to- and- from the Port of Stockton by addressing the inadequate connectivity between
the Port and I- 5 and SR- 4 . The project will improve regional east- west circulation in central
Stockton and reduce traffic and environmental impacts to the adjacent Boggs Tract neighborhood
by providing improved accessibility to the Port to divert truck traffic away from local streets.
• I- 5 80 East Bound Truck Climbing Lane: A new truck climbing lane over the Altamont Pass will
provide congestion relief at a major bottleneck for goods traveling between the Bay Area and the
Central Valley. The addition of the truck- climbing lane will improve freeway safety and operations
and relieve traffic congestion and delay by separating slow- moving traffic from existing mixed- flow
lanes and reducing weaving. The project will also reduce vehicular emissions by allowing traffic
speeds to increase and remain stable.
• I- 880 Improvements at 23 rd and 29 th Avenues: I- 880 is the major truck route in the Bay Area,
serving as the primary truck route to and from the Port of Oakland and providing access to
numerous other intermodal facilities including the Oakland International Airport and U. S. Mail and
UPS distribution centers. I- 880 has the highest volume of trucks in the Bay Area, and also suffers
from major congestion and an accident rate five times the State average. This project proposes to
improve a daily recurring congestion point by constructing operational and safety improvements
on I- 880 at 23 rd and 29 th Avenues.
• San Francisco Bay to Port of Stockton Channel Dredging: Dredging the channel to 4 0 feet will
significantly improve the goods movement capacity throughout the channel. The Port of Stockton
and Contra Costa County are local sponsors of this federally- authorized deepening project.
Sections of the channel from San Francisco Bay to the Port will be deepened, increasing capacity
of the channel to accommodate a greater variety of vessel traffic and increased goods movement,
benefiting 5 oil refineries and the Ports of Stockton and Sacramento, and providing relief for the
congested highways.
Goods Movement Initiatives, February 2009
Appendix A
IV- 13
• Tehachapi Pass Improvements: The Tehachapi Mountain area is a critical bottleneck on the
Altamont’s rail corridor. Targeted improvements to the line can provide much- needed capacity,
improve corridor efficiency and reliability and reduce idling. The improvements include extended
sidings, limited double tracking, and removal of tunnels for a very treacherous mountain area.
These improvements will have a significant ripple effect throughout the entire BNSF and UP
system, with direct benefits to the greater Bay Area- Central Valley.
• Altamont Pass Short Haul Rail Corridor Development: This project entails the purchase and
improved alignment of the UP rail corridor from the City of Stockton in San Joaquin County, over
the Altamont Pass, and to Niles Junction in the Bay Area to establish a short haul rail service.
Ownership by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission ( SJRRC) is pivotal to the start- up and
development of short haul rail services in order to provide throughput and reliability to handle
increased volumes of trade movement and lessen impacts to an already saturated highway
network.
• Short Haul Rail— Crows Landing: This “ inland Port” complex will provide logistics, distribution
and cargo support services to Central Valley importers and exporters of goods through the Port of
Oakland. The project will provide goods movement jobs to the Central Valley and provide inland
port access, reducing truck trips over the heavily congested Altamont Pass. It will also improve air
quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Short Haul Rail— Shafter: This project will establish a dedicated, reliable rail shuttle connecting
the Port of Oakland with the City of Shafter at the southern end of the Central Valley. It will
improve goods movement access and flow to Southern California and through the Central Valley
by better utilizing existing goods movement infrastructure. The new service will reduce the
movement of empty containers, remove trucks from congested highways, improve air quality and
establish an import/ export center that will enhance trade.
When considering the long- term future of the Altamont Corridor, additional improvements to the rail,
highway and waterway network will be needed. Additional investments to support the new short haul rail
service will be needed, especially if that service is to extend to additional locations in the Central Valley.
The ongoing operating structure of that service is something that will evolve as the project moves forward.
There are also a number of highway projects in development along the corridor, including improvements
to SR 132 and 1 5 2, which are important goods movement corridors within the region. Strategic
interchange improvements and access improvements, such as Sperry Road which will provide a new
connection between I- 5 and SR 99 in San Joaquin County will be pursued in the future.
Barge service is also being contemplated between the Port of Oakland and the Port of Stockton ( as well
as the Port of Sacramento). However, given the current projected cost structure of the service and the
infrastructure investment needed upfront, barge service is considered a long- term strategy for the
corridor.
Project #*
Sponsor agency
Projects
Project Cost
Estimate
Trade request
( TCIF+ SHOPP) Match
Source
GMAP Recommended
SHOPP eligible
Notes
costs in thousands
1 Port 7th Street Grade Separation $ 427,000 $ 1 75,000 $ 252,000 Y Port X Match to come from the Port. Key grade crossing and overpass work at primary gateway to the Port.
2 Port Martinez Subdivision Improvements $ 215,000 $ 1 07,500 $ 107,500 Y Private X The project will increase capacity along the primary rail line in to the Port, and also the Capitol Corridors route. Grade crossings must be addressed.
3 Port Construct Outer Harbor Intermodal Terminal $ 220,000 $ 1 10,000 $ 110,000 Y Port X Intermodal rail terminals at the Port of Oakland to serve both UP and BNSF. Provides increased intermodal capacity to help divert a higher fraction of container traffic to rail instead of truck. Increases rail capacity.
Anchor Total $ 862,000 $ 392,500 $ 469,500
4 State Donner Summit Improvements $ 85,200 $ 4 2, 6 00 $ 42, 6 00 Y UP X UP has committed to provide the match ( 1: 1). Passenger rail concessions from UP for Capitol Corridor service from Sacramento to Roseville and Auburn are necessary for support.
5 SACOG Sacramento Depot Rail Realignment $ 51,033 $ 2 0,000 $ 31,033 Y Local Rail realignment; match already secured with local funds, greater than 1: 1. Improves service efficiency and reliability for both UP and Capitols. Strong local support.
6 SOL I- 80 Eastbound Cordelia Truck Scales Relocation $ 99, 6 00 $ 4 9,800 $ 49,800 Y Local X X Match from bridge tolls. Project improves truck flows near I- 80/ 6 80 interchange and reduces unsafe conditions of trucks queing onto I- 80 and difficult weaving patterns.
Central Corridor Total $ 235,833 $ 112,400 $ 123,433
7 SJ Hwy 4 Extension to Port of Stockton ( Phase 1) $ 193, 6 40 $ 9 6 ,820 $ 9 6 ,820 Y Local X Key access for the Port of Stockton; reduces major truck impacts on local community. Phase 1 match from Measure K. Enterprise zone.
8 ALA I- 880 Improvements @ 29th & 23rd Avenues $ 95,000 $ 7 3,000 $ 22,000 Y Local X X Key truck access route to the Port with clearance issues and difficult on and off ramps. Safety and operational improvements.
9 State Tehachapi Pass Improvements $ 107,000 $ 5 3,500 $ 53,500 Y BNSF X Match from BNSF. Increases key capacity for both domestic export from Valley and transcontinental traffic from Port. Would open up rail capacity in the San Joaquin Valley.
10 ALA/ Ct I- 580 Eastbound Truck Climbing Lane $ 6 4,300 $ 6 4,300 $ - NA NA X X Critical truck route connecting Bay Area and Central Valley. Strong support from ag community.
11 SJ
San Joaquin Rail Commission ROW purchase for
future short haul service - Stockton to Fremont.**
$ 150,000 $ 7 5,000 $ 75,000 Y
ACE/
RMK
X
Purchase of key segments of ROW. This is a critical foundation step to allow for eventual short haul rail service connecting the Central Valley to the Port. ACE match of $ 75m from Regional sales tax. UP negotiations ongoing; therefore project cost in flux. ACE currently
operates on this ROW; multiple benefits from ownership. GMAP recommended continued investment on the Altamont Rail Corridor; this project provides foundation for rail shuttle.
12 Stan. Short haul terminus at Crows Landing development $ 57,4 6 7 $ 2 6 ,000 $ 31,4 6 7 Y
Local/
private
Short haul rail terminus option. Stanislaus County requesting investment on rail corridor serving the proposed facility. Private developer contributing to match; value of county land committed to project proposed as additional match source. Requires either operating rights
from UP along the Coast Subdivision or investments along East Bay (# 18& 19) connecting to the Port of Oakland, as well as access to intermodal facility at Port- timing and feasibility of which are unclear. Requires # 11 above for mainline rail connection. Operating subsidy
required.
13 Kern Shafter Intermodal facility $ 30,000 $ 1 5,000 $ 15,000 Y Local Short haul rail terminus option. New intermodal facility in Shafter to serve future short haul rail operation.
Altamont Corridor Total $ 697,407 $ 403,620 $ 293,787
14 Port Sact Port of Sacramento Dredging $ 83,275 $ 1 0,000 $ 73,275 Y Local
Deepening the channel from 30' to 35'. Match to come from Port of Sacramento operating funds. $ 50- 6 0m needs to come from Corps- because multi- year funding in which the Corps does it's budget ( annual capability), the funds can be guaranteed only on an annual
basis. Currently the Corps' FFY 2008 budget includes $ 900,000, and $ 6 00,000 has been proposed for the FFY 2009 budget.
15
Port
Stock
Port of Stockton dredging- SF Bay to Port of Stockton $ 140,000 $ 1 7,500 $ 122,500 Y Port
Project request is half the local share ( 75% federal, 25% local) required for Army Corps dredging projects. The project has been approved by the Corps but the federal portion of the funds can be guaranteed only on annual basis because the Corps does its budget based
on annual capacity rather than multi- year commitments.
Dredging Total $ 223,275 $ 27,500 $ 195,775
TOTAL TIER 1 $ 2 ,018,515 $ 936,020 $ 1 ,082,495
1 6
MTC/
SACOG
Capitol Corridor Operational Improvements $ 6 0,000 $ 3 0,000 $ 30,000 N TBD Various rail upgrades along the corridor from Oakland to Sacramento. Improves service for both UP and Capitols.
17 SACOG I- 80 widening project $ 200,000 $ 80,000 $ 120,000 Y Local Operational and capacity improvements. Major truck route. Local sales tax secured for match.
Central Corridor Total $ 260,000 $ 110,000 $ 150,000
18 ALA Oakland Subdivision ROW Purchase $ 6 0,000 $ 3 0,000 $ 30,000 N None Short haul rail alignment option linking Niles Junction to Port of Oakland. Final cost is unclear as it will be a negotiation with UP.
19 ALA/ SJ Alameda Creek Bridge $ 32,000 $ 1 6 ,000 $ 1 6 ,000 N None Short haul rail alignment option- provides connection at Niles Junction to the Oakland Sub separating passenger and freight service.
20 ALA/ SJ WB I- 580 Truck Climbing Lane Over Altamont $ 50,000 $ 2 5,000 $ 25,000 N Local X Match source needed. Caltrans staff is working on project development.
21 Stan. State Route 132 Improvements $ 100,000 $ 5 0,000 $ 50,000 N None Expand capacity on Rt 132; 15 mile project to connect w/ SR99. Key truck route in the Valley. Have $ 14m federal available for easternmost portion, and possible TCRP funds. Phasing possbile.
22 SJ Hwy 4 Extension to Port of Stockton ( Phase 2) $ 100,000 $ 5 0,000 $ 50,000 N TBD X Phase 2 of key Port of Stockton connection (# 7). Match tbd.
23 SJ Sperry Road $ 6 5,000 $ 3 2,500 $ 32,500 N Local Extension of Sperry Road results in a new east/ west arterial connection bt I- 5 and SR 99. Includes 3 grade separations. EIR is complete. Match possibly available in regional sales tax.
24 SJ I- 5/ 580 SR 32/ Bird Interchange $ 41,000 $ 2 0,500 $ 20,500 N
Local/
private
Construction of new interchange on SR132 and widenting of SR132 bt I- 5/ 580. Would help serve aggregate businesses in the area. Match may come from private sector but is not committed.
25 Port North Airport Air Cargo Road Access Improvements $ 10,000 $ 5 ,000 $ 5,000 Y Port Project is first phase, another $ 8.4M second phase for a later date. Match is Port funds. Improves capacity and access to North Airport air cargo tenants.
2 6 SJ I- 5 widening project- Stockton $ 2 6 0,000 $ 130,000 $ 130,000 Y Local Widens a key segment of Interstate 5 in Central and North Stockton which carries up to 18 % trucks and is a key connector to the Port of Stockton. Matching funds through Measure K and local sources.
Altamont Corridor Total $ 718,000 $ 359,000 $ 359,000
TIER 2 TOTAL $ 978,000 $ 469,000 $ 509,000
TOTAL TIER 1 AND 2 $ 2 ,996,515 $ 1,405,020 $ 1 ,591,495
* Project numbers are NOT an indication of priority ranking. They are for identification purposes only.
TIER 2
Central Corridor
Altamont Corridor
Short haul rail projects
Altamont highway projects
Dredging projects
Attachment A: TCIF Northern California Trade Projects
Central Corridor
Match secured
Short haul rail: Bay Area - Central Valley
Anchor
Altamont Corridor
TIER 1
February 2009 Goods Movement Initiatives Update
5
99
99
5
Los Banos
Merced
Modesto
Gilroy
Manteca
580
Livermore
Fremont
San Jose
San Francisco
Oakland
Hayward
San Mateo
Concord
Antioch
Sacramento
Vacaville
Vallejo
San Rafael
Santa Rosa
Pleasanton
Healdsburg
Fresno
Monterey
Auburn
880
101
80
Stockton
101
5
5
Marysville
Roseville
Niles
Lathrop
Martinez
Port of Sacramento
Port of Stockton
Port of Oakland
0 2.5 5 10 15 20
Miles
PRINCIPALAND SECONDARY
FREIGHT LINES AND PORTS
Legend
BNSF
UP
All Other Rail
Port
Tier 1 Project
Tier 2 Project
#
#
1
2
3
11
7 15
8
12
13
9
25
20
24 21
23
26
22
18
19
6
5
14
4
10
16
17
Tier 1
7th Street Grade Crossing
Martinez Subdivision Improvements
Outer Harbor Intermodal Terminals
Donner Summit Improvements
Sacramento Depot Rail Realignment
I- 80 Eastbound Cordelia Truck Scales
Hwy 4 Extension to Port of Stockton ( Phase 1)
I- 880 Improvements at 23rd & 29th Avenues
Tehachapi Pass Improvements
I- 580 Eastbound Truck Climbing Lane
San Joaquin Rail ROWPurchase
Short Haul Rail Terminus at Crows Landing
Shafter Intermodal Facility
Port of Sacramento Dredging
Port of Stockton Dredging
Tier 2
Capitol Corridor Operational Improvements
I- 80Widening Project
Oakland Subdivision ROWPurchase
Alameda Creek Bridge
I- 580Westbound Truck Climbing Lane
SR 132 Improvements
Hwy 4 Extension to Port of Stockton ( Phase 2)
Sperry Road
I- 5/ I- 580/ SR 132 Bird Interchange
North Airport Air Cargo Access Improvements
I- 5Widening Project – Stockton
Northern California Trade Projects
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26