Assembly member Adam Gray (D-Merced) will chair two upcoming hearings of the newly created Assembly Select Committee on Rail. The first, slated for April, will be held jointly with the Senate Select Committee on Rail. It will focus on rail funding, governance, and safety.
“Rail transportation is an important next step in California’s infrastructure future,” said Assemblymember Gray. “This Committee will serve as a platform through which to discuss and make recommendations about using rail systems as a resource to move people and goods around the state affordably and efficiently.”
A second joint hearing of the Assembly Select Committee on Rail will be held in Modesto this summer in conjunction with the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials. This meeting will focus on ACE commuter rail and Amtrak services in the San Joaquin Valley.
In 2013, the Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) proposed expanding service to Modesto, Turlock, and Merced and implementing the improvements needed between Stockton and San Jose to increase service to 10 daily round trips. This expansion program is expected to need about $715 million in federal and state funding.”
“This is the kind of project that sidesteps political hurdles and makes real change in the lives of real people,” continued Gray. “The construction and travel options provided by this new route mean new jobs for our local economies.”
The proposed expansion has received bipartisan support and Congressman Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) who chairs the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials is a strong advocate for ACE expansion.
“The Valley depends on strong rail infrastructure to move not only the commodities that keep our local economy vibrant but also the commuter rail that will allow parents to get home to their families quicker,” said Congressman Denham. “We need strong bipartisan leadership and I look forward to continuing my work with Assemblymember Gray on these pressing issues.”