FTA to grant funds for BART Transbay Tube project

The Federal Transit Administration has notified Congress that it intends to issue a full funding grant agreement for Bay Area Rapid Transit’s (BART) Transbay Corridor Core Capacity Program to increase the number of trains the agency runs through the Transbay Tube rail tunnel under the San Francisco Bay.

A 30-day congressional review of the proposed grant is still needed to realize funding, BART officials said in a press release.

The Corridor Core Capacity Program includes the addition of 306 rail cars to service, communications-based train control installation, construction of a new rail-car storage yard, and construction of five new traction power substations in San Francisco and East Bay.

BART is seeking $1.17 billion from the federal government for this program, according to the Transbay Corridor Core Capacity Program website.

Meanwhile, BART earlier this week released its annual Sustainability Report outlining the agency’s efforts to meet environmental goals.

The report highlights the agency’s wholesale electricity policy, which shifts the agency’s energy sourcing away from unspecified power sources and toward zero- and low-carbon sources. 

It also highlights BART’s efforts to decommission legacy train cars and steadily add new rail cars that are 7 percent more efficient, as well as upgrade lighting throughout stations to conserve energy