The capital budget, authorized at the board’s August 2014 meeting, is comprised of regional, state, and federal grants. It also includes $10.3 million in contributions from Caltrain’s three funding partners—the City and County of San Francisco, SamTrans, and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.
Programs and projects funded by the capital program include design and completion of station modifications to accommodate six-car trains, replacement of four San Mateo bridges plus inspection and documentation of the load rating for Caltrain’s 103 railroad bridges, installation of safety fencing along the Caltrain right-of-way and onboard safety improvements, and coordination planning and management for electrification, which will part of the the state’s planned high-speed rail network.
In June, Caltrain’s board approved a balanced operating budget of $125.7 million. “The capital budget was delayed until August while Caltrain awaited word on the availability of federal funding for major Caltrain projects,” the agency said. “Caltrain’s operating budget covers the day-to-day service functions of Caltrain. The capital budget covers long-term infrastructure and system improvement projects. By approving the capital budget, the Caltrain board assured that critical infrastructure improvements and state-of-good repair work will be carried out.”