TJPA CELEBRATES $3.4 BILLION FEDERAL COMMITMENT FOR THE PORTAL: Project Advances To Engineering Phase


(MENAFN- EIN Presswire)

Left to right: Jeff Gee, Chair of the TJPA Board of Directors; San Francisco Mayor London Breed; Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi; Rudy Gonzalez, Secretary-Treasurer of the SF Building & construction Trades Council; California Senator Scott Wiener

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, May 21, 2024 /EINPresswire / -- The Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) , Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, California Senator Scott Wiener, and San Francisco Mayor London Breed joined partners and supporters to celebrate the federal government's funding commitment of $3.4 billion to The Portal . This funding along with $500 million in the Biden-Harris Administration's FY2025 Budget Proposal, a medium-high rating and entry into the Engineering phase of the FTA's Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program, provides the project with two-thirds of the total cost. The Portal will extend Caltrain's rail system to the multimodal Salesforce Transit Center in downtown San Francisco bringing the statewide California High-Speed Rail system into its northern terminus and connecting 11 transit systems in the Bay Area.

“From the start, TJPA's world-class Transit Center has represented the best product of a strong, thriving public-private partnership and a model for the nation of smart, sustainable design,” Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said.“Today, we celebrated major milestones at the Transit Center in our decades-long effort to bring electrified rail service into the heart of San Francisco. The Portal's construction will make it easier for commuters to get to work, for shoppers to support our local businesses and for communities to stay connected, while reducing our City's carbon footprint. Under the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, we are taking major steps toward a truly multimodal transportation network in our City.”

“This funding represents a huge leap toward the vibrant transportation system San Francisco needs to thrive in the coming years,” said California Senator Scott Wiener.“By connecting downtown San Francisco with the broader region and the state, this project will help secure a future of prosperity and progress on our climate goals. We will keep pushing to secure The Portal's remaining funds and to complete the statewide High-Speed Rail system to ensure maximum impact. This exciting progress would be impossible without the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, Speaker Emerita Pelosi, Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and the Department of Transportation. I offer them my sincere thanks.”

“Our work to build the future of Downtown San Francisco and transportation in the Bay Area and California got a huge boost with this major investment from our federal government,” said San Francisco Mayor London Breed.“The Portal will unlock and unite Bay Area rail connections from the South Bay to San Francisco, by bringing Caltrain all the way to the heart of our downtown, all while laying the groundwork to bring High Speed Rail to the heart of our city. I want to thank the Biden-Harris Administration, Speaker Emerita Pelosi, and the US Dept of Transportation for their leadership and vision to invest in this transformative project.”

“The TJPA, along with its partners, has worked diligently over the last two years to get The Portal into the Engineering phase, a key step in advancing the project toward federal funding. This $3.4 billion federal commitment represents a giant leap forward in our longstanding effort to connect Silicon Valley and the entire peninsula with 11 transit operators in the heart of downtown San Francisco,” said Jeff Gee, Chair of the TJPA Board of Directors.“With Caltrain service going fully electric this fall, we are all aboard to better connect our communities with clean, safe, and sustainable transit.”

“We are grateful for the FTA's strong funding partnership to deliver The Portal, which will help realize the project's extensive regional, statewide and national benefits,” said San Francisco County Transportation Authority Chair Rafael Mandelman.“These federal funds build upon San Francisco's investment in the project, accelerating our shared vision for electrified rail service to the region's premier transit hub at Salesforce Transit Center.”

“This $3.4 billion federal commitment will provide The Portal the funds necessary to put local tradespeople to work, building sustainable long-term infrastructure for generations to come, and connecting tens of thousands of people every day,” said Rudy Gonzalez, Secretary-Treasurer of the SF Building & Construction Trades Council.“Investing in infrastructure is the best economic multiplier for our community and region, and the building and construction trades unions and our partners are ready to roll up our sleeves and help get The Portal delivered.”

For more information about the project funding, view the full event brief .

Lily Madjus Wu
Transbay Joint Powers Authority
+1 415-949-9500
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