1 Chapter 2 2 Project Description 3 The Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) Ceres–Merced Extension (Project) would support the 4 extension of ACE service to Merced. The Proposed Project is the extension of ACE service from Ceres 5 to Merced and includes the development of the following facilities. 6 ⚫ The Ceres to Merced Extension Alignment, which consists of upgrades to track, new track, and 7 bridges within the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) Fresno Subdivision between Ceres and 8 Merced.1 9 ⚫ New Turlock, Livingston, and Merced Stations, which are located along the Ceres to Merced 10 Extension Alignment. 11 ⚫ The Merced Layover & Maintenance Facility, which is located in north Merced to support 12 extension operations. 13 In addition, the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) has identified the Atwater Station 14 Alternative as an alternative to the Livingston Station. Only one station would be implemented in 15 either Livingston or Atwater. This EIR analyzes both stations at an equal level of detail. The final 16 decision as to whether to adopt the Proposed Project and/or an alternative will be made after 17 completion of the final environmental impact report (EIR) for this Project. This chapter provides 18 information regarding operations and maintenance activities, construction activities, potential right- 19 of-way (ROW) and easement needs, costs and funding sources, and required permits and approvals. 20 2.1 Project Location and Limits 21 As shown in Figure 2-1, the limits of the Project span Stanislaus and Merced Counties. SJRRC proposes 22 to extend ACE passenger rail service from Ceres to Merced by constructing and upgrading tracks 23 within the existing UPRR Fresno Subdivision ROW, a distance of approximately 34 miles. New stations 24 and operating facilities would be constructed along the Ceres to Merced Extension Alignment. Project 25 improvements include portions of the UPRR Fresno Subdivision ROW and additional ROW for new 26 facilities (stations and layover yards) and for any construction or access areas located outside the 27 ROW. 28 2.2 Background 29 SJRRC does not own the tracks on which ACE operates, but instead has entered into passenger rights 30 agreements with both the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (PCJPB, also referred to as 31 Caltrain) and UPRR to operate on portions of their respective tracks. ACE shares tracks with freight 32 trains dispatched by UPRR within the UPRR ROW and with freight trains dispatched by Caltrain in 33 the Caltrain corridor. In addition, other passenger train services (Caltrain, Amtrak Coast Starlight, 34 and Capitol Corridor) also operate on PCJPB and UPRR tracks where ACE trains travel. 1 A subdivision is a portion of railroad or railway that operates under a single timetable (authority for train movement in the area). ACE Ceres–Merced Extension Draft EIR 2-1 April 2021 ICF 00144.20 4 5 dd 99 NORTH LATHROP STATION SAN JOAQUIN CO LEGEND S Lathrop DOWNTOWN County Boundaries Manteca MANTECA STATION Escalon EXISTING LATHROP/MANTECA STATION Urban Areas 120 S Water 120 205 Major Roads Oakdale Railroads S RIPON STATION Existing ACE Route a Ripon S n 108 J o Existing Station Tracy a q 5 u in R S iv Proposed Project e Salida TRACY STATION r Proposed Ceres-Merced Extension 99 Modesto S Proposed Stations MODESTO STATION S Potential Stations S 132 (one will be selected) 580 Merced Layover & Maintenance Facility S CERES STATION Ceres ACE Lathrop-Ceres Extension (CEQA STANISLAUS CO Keyes completed, construction scheduled) Lathrop-Ceres Extension S Lathrop-Ceres Extension Stations 33 5 Turlock S TURLOCK STATION 0 5 10 Existing ACE Route Miles Stockton 26 STOCKTON STATION S Walnut 4 5 24 Creek 4 99 CONTRA COSTA CO SAN JOAQUIN CO LATHROP/MANTECA STATION Delhi MERCED CO Oakland Lathrop Manteca 680 S 120 580 205 120 Oakdale VASCO ROAD STATION 580 Tracy Ripon 108 LIVINGSTON STATION 5 S 580 Pleasanton S S 99 S Livermore 59 S 580 TRACY STATION Modesto Livingston 880 LIVERMORE STATION 132 92 Union PLEASANTON STATION Atwater City Ceres Keys S FREMONT STATION 33 5 ATWATER STATION S Fremont ALAMEDA CO Turlock 165 84 STANISLAUS CO 99 ) AB Newman 680 SANTA CLARA CO Merced 82 101 Delhi MERCED CO 2/12/21 237 S GREAT AMERICA STATION ( 140 S 280 Santa SANTA CLARA STATION Livingston 59 Clara S Atwater MERCED STATION S SAN JOSE DIRIDON STATION 165 00144.20 Merced 85 San Jose 10 Miles 140 99 17 101 Graphics Figure 2-1 Project Location ACE0 Ceres-Merced5 Extension10 Project15 20 1 Inch = 6.31 Miles Scale 1:400,000 San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission Project Description 1 To enhance commuter and intercity rail service and to promote greater transit connectivity between 2 the San Joaquin Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area (Bay Area), SJRRC is proposing to expand ACE 3 service. On August 3, 2018, the SJRRC Board of Commissioners approved the ACE Extension Lathrop 4 to Ceres/Merced EIR (Prior EIR) for Phase I of the extension, which includes the extension of ACE to 5 Ceres with stations in downtown Manteca, Ripon, Modesto, and Ceres. The Prior EIR included a 6 programmatic analysis for Phase II of the extension, which includes the extension of ACE from Ceres 7 to Merced with stations in Turlock, Livingston or Atwater, and Merced. This EIR updates the 8 programmatic analysis previously analyzed for the ACE Extension Ceres to Merced (i.e., Phase II) 9 and includes project-level details that were not previously available. 10 2.3 Proposed Alignment, Stations, and Layover & 11 Maintenance Facility 12 ACE currently does not operate passenger rail services between Ceres and Merced and is proposing 13 to extend passenger rail service from Ceres to Merced on the UPRR Fresno Subdivision. No facilities 14 are proposed as part of the Project between Ceres and Lathrop, though facilities are being pursued 15 as part of a separate previously approved project. Additionally, no facilities are proposed as part of 16 the Project along the existing ACE corridor between Stockton and San Jose. However, where 17 applicable, this EIR analyzes operations impacts of the Project due to increased ridership at existing 18 ACE destination stations in the Bay Area. 19 Specific proposed track improvements, stations, and the layover & maintenance facility are 20 illustrated in Figures 2-1 through 2-7. The environmental footprint is illustrated in Appendix B, ACE 21 Ceres-Merced Extension Environmental Footprint.2 In addition, Appendix C, ACE Ceres-Merced 22 Extension 15% Preliminary Engineering Plans, contains track plans and section drawings, structure 23 plans, roadway plans, utility plans, station plans, and ROW plans for these improvements. 24 The analysis in this EIR would allow subsequent implementation of individual facilities, and 25 prioritization and phasing of facilities. Infrastructure improvements and passenger service can be 26 increased in a phased approach over time. Thus, the development of physical improvements and 27 implementation of ACE service could be phased in over time, as follows. 28 ⚫ Initial improvements: Construction of stations, parking, and key track/infrastructure 29 improvements and commencement of initial service (one or more trains). 30 ⚫ Interim improvements: Construction of additional track improvements, such as the additional 31 new mainline track, at specific areas of train congestion, and possibly additional parking 32 improvements necessary because of increased ridership, which would allow further expansion 33 of service beyond the initial service or expansion. 34 ⚫ Full build: Completion of all proposed improvements and implementation of the full service 35 plans. 36 2 The footprint is defined as the area covered by a facility or affected by construction activities. ACE Ceres–Merced Extension Draft EIR 2-3 April 2021 ICF 00144.20 ne River Tuolum Stockton Subdivision to Lathrop LEGEND E Hatch Rd New Second Mainline Track, Upgrade Existing Track to Second Mainline Track, Shifted Track CERES New Track (CEQA completed, construction scheduled) Station New Mainline Track At-Grade Crossing Modication Tidewater Industrial Lead Industrial Tidewater (CEQA completed, Undercrossing Modication construction scheduled) Extended Culvert Structure B E Whitmore Ave New Bridge Structure Mitchell Rd 0 2,500 5,000 7,500 10,000 Feet Ceres Station S (CEQA completed, MP 117.38 0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 Miles construction scheduled) Roeding Rd Faith Home RdFaith E Service Rd Fresno Subdivision Central Ave MP 118.72 ( Ceres Main Canal) Ceres Main Canal Ceres MP 119.55 (Irrigation Canal) KEYES 99 E Keyes Rd E Keyes Rd MP 121.21 (East Keyes Rd) N Walnut N Walnut Rd N View Rd Mountain MP 122.21 (West Taylor Rd) C MP 122.22 (Irrigation Canal) E Taylor Rd MP 122.59 (SR99) to Merced Graphics... 00144.20 (4/2/21) AB Graphics... 00144.20 (4/2/21) W Monte Vista Ave MP 123.60 (West Monte Vista Ave) E Monte Vista Ave Fresno Subdivision Figure 2-2a Ceres to Merced Extension Alignment TURLOCKACE Ceres-Merced Extension Project MP 124.27 (West Tuolumne Road) E Tuolumne Road Turlock Station (See Figure 2-3) N Mountain View NView Rd Mountain Sperry Rd MP 122.21 (West Taylor Rd) MP 122.22 (Irrigation Canal) E Taylor Rd MP 122.59 (SR99) to Lathrop LEGEND New Second Mainline Track, Upgrade Existing Track to Second Mainline Track, Shifted Track W Monte Vista Ave MP 123.60 (West Monte Vista Ave) E Monte Vista Ave Station Fresno Subdivision At-Grade Crossing Modication TURLOCK Undercrossing Modication Extended Culvert Structure E Tuolumne Road MP 124.27 (West Tuolumne Road) B New Bridge Structure Universal Crossover Turlock Station (See Figure