Passenger rail

Passenger rail – Altamont Corridor Express (ACE Rail) or Amtrak San Joaquins – can be an affordable, convenient and environmentally friendly way to get to the San Francisco Bay Area, up and down the Central Valley, and even to points east. Planned passenger rail expansions will make getting around even more desirable. Commuting by rail means fewer personal vehicles on the road, less traffic congestion, fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and better air quality. These projects also enhance safety for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, while stimulating mobility, connectivity, and the economy. In Fiscal Year 2022-23, passenger rail and bus transit received a combined $18.7 million in Measure K funds for operations and capital projects.

SJRRC and ACE Operations 

The Altamont Corridor Express (ACE Rail), owned by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC), is a commuter rail service connecting Stockton and San Jose. Measure K is used to fund this service and other SJRRC projects to expand and to help recover following the COVID-19 pandemic. SJRRC staff continuously evaluates passenger feedback and industry data to respond to changing commuter travel patterns. In 2022-23, special event trains to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, home of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, were reintroduced. This will help ACE reach new passengers for long-term growth. ACE passenger ridership for Fiscal Year 2022-23 increased 47% over the previous fiscal year from 321,752 to 474,498. 

Rail Maintenance Facility Expansion

Construction of the ACE Rail Maintenance Facility (RMF) in the 1000 block of East Alpine Avenue in Stockton was partially funded by Measure K. Measure K funds are also helping to pay to expand the facility used to maintain and store the ACE fleet and new Caltrans railcars for the Intercity Rail Service. This will make the RMF one of the busiest such facilities in California. Measure K money is also used for preventative maintenance and rehabilitation work at the RMF. Expanding the RMF is needed for this maintenance and rehabilitation work and anticipated demand from the Valley Rail and ACE expansions. The project will add to the current maintenance shop building, alterations of the office mezzanine, and a new parts storage building. Construction on the facility began in 2022 and is now 40% complete with finished interior utilities and exterior drainage, gas, and water utilities. Construction will be completed in Fiscal Year 2023-24.

Stockton Diamond Grade Separation

The Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) rail lines come together at the Stockton Diamond crossing in Stockton, which is the busiest and most congested at-grade crossing in California. Between 50 and 70 freight trains and 12 to 20 passenger trains routinely cross through the diamond each day. Measure K will help to fund the Stockton Diamond Grade Separation project to build a bridge raising the UPRR rail line over the BNSF rail line to eliminate the bottleneck. The project also includes street and sidewalk improvements, landscaping, aesthetic treatments of the bridge abutments, and a larger sewer line to meet the city’s projected future demands. SJRRC is also working with the city to improve nearby safety, walkability, and greenspace. Measure K paid for environmental and design work in Fiscal Year 2022-23.  Work in Fiscal Year 2023-24 will focus on finalizing plans and specifications, right of way acquisition, securing permits, and initiating utility relocation.