Regional Rail Plan

The Regional Rail Plan explores ways to make the current and future regional rail system better, including improvements that will allow connections with the future California high-speed rail network.

Credit
Noah Berger

The Regional Rail Plan outlines near-, intermediate- and long-term strategies to:

  • Incorporate more passenger trains into existing rail systems
  • Expand the regional rail service network
  • Improve connections between high-speed rail and other transit services
  • Coordinate rail investment around transit-oriented neighborhoods and business districts
Long-Range Rail Planning

The San Francisco Bay Area Regional Comprehensive Rail Plan (2007) shares the vision, the strategies and the goals for the network.

Read the plan.
Why is Rail Important?

By 2050, the region’s population is anticipated to grow by over 40% to 10 million people, placing tremendous pressure on the existing transportation network. Improvements must be made to support this population growth.

Partnership

MTC developed the Regional Rail Plan in partnership with the California High-Speed Rail Authority, BART and Caltrain.

Other collaborators included freight railroads, ACE, Amtrak and county transportation agencies.

An advisory group of businesspeople, scholars and environmentalists also provided technical expertise.

Focus on Freight

Bay Area freight movement is expected to more than triple over the next 50 years. Expanded and improved rail systems will be needed to support freight mobility and provide an alternative for the explosive growth of truck traffic on our region’s roads and highways.

Learn more about the SF Bay Area Goods Movement Plan.