Senator Jerry Hill Releases Statement On Caltrain Project

From The Office of State Senator Jerry Hill: State Senator Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo and Santa Clara, released the following statement after the Federal Transit Administration announced that it intends to sign the Full Funding Grant Agreement for the Caltrain electrification project.

“Electrification of Caltrain will help ease congestion along the Peninsula, one of the Bay Area’s busiest traffic corridors,” said Senator Hill. “We’re grateful for Secretary Chao’s decision and for the work of our Congressional representatives and our governor to secure funding approval for this critical project.”

Senator Hill, Assemblymember Kevin Mullin, D-South San Francisco, and former Assemblymember Richard Gordon also urged Secretary Chao to approve full funding for Caltrain electrification. They wrote to her in February to underscore the project’s importance.

Senator Hill has long supported Caltrain electrification. As part of the 2012 budget he helped secure $600 million in state funding for Caltrain electrification. The following year his Senate Bill 557, was signed by the governor, ensuring that high-speed rail would have to stay within the Caltrain right of way as part of the blended system. The federal Full Funding Grant Agreement is an essential factor of the financing equation for the Caltrain electrification project.

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