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ITEM 8A Staff Report Subject: Federal Railroad ITEM 8A Staff Report Subject: Federal Railroad Administration Funding Opportunity for the Coachella Valley-San Gorgonio Pass Corridor Rail Service Contact: Allyn Waggle, Deputy Executive Director ([email protected]) Recommendation: Authorize Chair to sign letter in support of Federal Railroad Administration grant program. Background: RCTC has identified a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) grant program which, if successful, would provide $3 million toward completion of important elements of a planning and environmental study for a daily Los Angeles to Indio Amtrak passenger train service. This study is another of the prerequisites necessary before FRA will authorize construction to proceed on making daily passenger rail service a reality. The effort today is to gather the support for a letter-writing campaign in furtherance of this grant application process. RCTC has provided sample Letters of Support, and a list of Themes suggested to be followed, as well as specific Contents recommended to be included in the letters. The letters will be addressed to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation and to the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, but the letters will be sent to Aaron Hake, Government Relations Manager for RCTC. The attached data sheets should provide all the necessary information, but if you have questions, please contact Aaron Hake, or Allyn Waggle at CVAG. The deadline date for the letters of support to be received at RCTC is Friday, September 5th. This is a very important effort and CVAG will also be reaching out into the community to encourage support letters are written and sent to RCTC. Expect a follow-up phone call from CVAG staff to offer any assistance you may need to make sure the support letter effort is successful. Coachella Valley-San Gorgonio Pass Intercity Rail federal grant Letters of Support Logistical Details Letter of Support Deadline to RCTC: Friday September 5 o Send to Aaron Hake, Gov’t Relations Manager at [email protected] (call 951-787-7141) Application Deadline: Monday September 15 Addressees: The Honorable Anthony Foxx The Honorable Josesph C. Szabo Secretary Administrator United States Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, DC 20590 Washington, DC 20590 Preferred letter length: 1 page (2 max.) Grant Details Awarding Agency: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Program: Passenger Rail Corridor Investment Plan (PRCIP) Applicant: Caltrans (in partnership with RCTC, CVAG) Amount sought: $3 million Local Match by RCTC: $900,000 Coachella-Pass rail is likely to be the only California applicant for this pot of funding What the grant will do: o Complete planning and environmental study of LA-Indio daily Amtrak service. Evaluate best routes, stations, schedules; estimate ridership, costs and environmental impacts. Public outreach/input is also a component of the work to be done. Why this grant (and study) is important: o This study is a prerequisite before proceeding to construction. It is necessary to know what improvements are needed to begin service, and the costs and benefits of those improvements. o RCTC and CVAG have devoted millions of dollars in local funds to get the study started; we need federal partnership to complete the effort. Without it, we can’t move forward. Letter Contents Explicit statement of strong/enthusiastic/wholehearted support for LA-Indio rail service. Your organization’s purpose and any compelling background/facts about your importance. Your direct interest in LA-Indio rail service: why you support the effort. Why your region is worthy of federal investment (present any useful facts, stats, demographics, trends you believe are compelling that tell the story of your region or sector). Expression of partnership w/RCTC, CVAG, local, state, federal, or tribal agencies, and private sector. Any history of working similar initiatives (e.g., planning, tourism, transportation, econ. dev. etc.) Thank the Secretary and Administrator for their consideration. Key Themes Increasing rail ridership Benefits to disadvantaged communities Integration/connectivity of rail/transit Economic growth/needs Livability/sustainability (TOD) Tourism Environmental benefit August X, 2014 The Honorable Anthony Foxx The Honorable Josesph C. Szabo Secretary Administrator United States Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, DC 20590 Washington, DC 20590 Dear Secretary Foxx and Administrator Szabo: [[Organization name]] [[strong/enthusiastically]] supports the California Department of Transportation's (Caltrans) application to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for $3 million for the Coachella Valley-San Gorgonio Pass corridor. [[Brief overview of what your organization does]] Today there is no viable alternative to driving between the greater Los Angeles area and the Coachella Valley. [[Discussion of why connecting the Coachella/Pass region to L.A. is important to you]] [[Possible language: The Coachella Valley is a popular destination for domestic and international travelers, featuring world- renowned cultural events, recreation and open spaces, and growing medical and clean-energy industries. Interstate 10 is the route that connects the nation’s largest metro area east-to-west, where one of every five vehicles is a truck. Rail offers a safe, reliable, and efficient alternative to I-10 that makes the entire Southern California region a more attractive place to live, grow a business, or visit.]] [[Discussion of economic impacts]] Intercity rail has the potential to facilitate a two-way flow of economic growth across Southern California. One in every four jobs in the Coachella Valley is directly or indirectly supported by tourism. Increased tourism demand resulting from ease of travel will generate local jobs, while also opening Riverside, Orange County, and L.A. to the growing labor market in the Coachella Valley. With a service area covering 10 million people, the potential impact of rail service in this region creates enormous economic potential. [[Any additional unique detail to your perspective on the benefits of rail service, such as: quality of life, environment, jobs, etc.]] An FRA grant to this project will add momentum at the right time for this exciting project for our region. The grant will enable Caltrans and the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) to complete the studies needed to prepare a viable project and service plan. There is broad local support for this effort, including financial commitments from various government agencies. [[Any discussion of private sector or governmental partnerships/enthusiasm, etc.]] Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this important application. We look forward to a bright future for rail in Southern California. Sincerely, [[You]] COACHELLA VALLEY–SAN GORGONIO PASS COACHELLA VALLEY–SAN GORGONIO PASS Corridor Rail Service Corridor Rail Service RCTC, CVAG, and Caltrans have recently made swift progress to prioritize Coachella Valley- San Gorgonio Pass corridor rail service. Recent achievements include: 3 Included in 2013 California State Rail Plan; COACHELLA VALLEY– 3 Initial planning study performed by Caltrans; COACHELLA VALLEY– SAN GORGONIO PASS 3 Local business and civic support; SAN GORGONIO PASS CORRIDOR RAIL SERVICE 3 Ongoing local funding source in a Coachella Valley bus/rail funding split and state bond funding for post study construction; and CORRIDOR RAIL SERVICE 3 Phase 1 service development plan underway. Connecting Southern California Already Funded Los Angeles to Indio intercity rail service will provide an integrated, sustainable Task 1: Project Work Plan & Outreach Plan Funded/In Progress Amount mobility alternative, providing economic opportunities and fostering more livable communities in Southern California’s major urban centers. Local Coachella Valley Transportation Development Act $200,000 Dene Project Approach Identify Stakeholder Outreach (TDA) funds identied for rail as part Fast Facts of a bus/rail split Sustainable Answer to a Market in Demand • Route length: 141 miles Task 2: Preliminary Service Planning and Alternatives Today there is no viable rail option serving the Coachella Valley. International tourism • Population in service area: generates over a half-million visits every year, with many visitors from countries where PHASE I Identify Service Patterns/ Develop Ridership and California Prop 1B PTMSIEA Public 10 million rail is the primary mode of travel; domestic travel is even greater. Internationally- Transportation Modernization, $1.5M renowned special events keep the Coachella Valley busy year-round, from the Alternatives Cost Projections Improvement, and Service Coachella and Stagecoach Music Festivals, the Palm Springs Film Festival, BNP Paribas Enhancement Account • Proposed initial daily round- trips: 2 Tennis Open, and President Clinton’s Humana Golf Challenge, to name a few. Grant Funding Request • Running time Los Angeles- Coachella Valley-San Gorgonio Pass rail service provides a regular, reliable Task 3: Environmental Documentation Seeking Funding Amount Indio: 3 hours transportation alternative that could lead to greater investments in transit and transit- oriented developments to accommodate the large numbers of people who would Environmental Outreach Identify Impacts and FRA Passenger Rail Corridor $3M • Host railroads: Union Pacific, rather be car-free in
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