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Bay area regional transportation planning authority Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) recently honored California State Sen. Jackie Speier with the John F. Foran Legislative Award to recognize her help in securing $127 million in funding for Caltrain’s Baby Bullet express service project. The project received MTC’s Grand Award.

"Senator Speier empowered our planners to think well beyond Caltrain’s traditional service and she fought to secure the funds necessary to make the vision a reality," said Caltrain Chief Executive Officer and General Manager Michael Scanlon in a prepared statement.

Caltrain began Baby Bullet service in June after completing the CTX construction project, under which the agency upgraded most of its existing track, added bypass tracks in Brisbane and Sunnyvale, and built a central traffic-control system along the entire corridor to enable Baby Bullet trains to pass slower moving local trains.

Since the express service opened, Caltrain ridership has increased more than 10 percent compared with last year.

MTC honors bay area programs, organizations and individuals with biennial awards.