Chapter 8 - Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority

California Public Utilities Code — §§ 132651-132661

Sections (9)

§ 132651

Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 747, Sec. 3. (AB 758) Effective January 1, 2018.

As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a)“Authority” means the Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority created under this chapter.

(b)“Bay Area Rapid Transit” (BART) means the Bay Area Rapid Transit

District.

(c)“Board” means the governing board of the authority.

(d)“Connectivity” means one or more projects necessary to achieve transit connectivity between BART’s rapid transit system and the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission’s Altamont Corridor Express commuter rail service, and to provide quality, seamless service to riders using the services operating between the Tri-Valley and the

San Joaquin Valley.

(e)“Tri-Valley” means the Cities of Danville, Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, and San Ramon.

§ 132652

Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 220, Sec. 1. (SB 548) Effective January 1, 2022.

(a)The authority is hereby established for purposes of planning, developing, delivering, and operating cost-effective and responsive transit connectivity, between BART’s rapid transit system and the Altamont Corridor Express commuter rail service, that reflects regional consensus and meets the goals and objectives of the San Joaquin Valley and Tri-Valley communities, consistent with the project feasibility report adopted pursuant to Section 132661.

(b)The authority shall be considered a rail transit district for the purposes set forth in Article 5 (commencing with Section 53090) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code.

§ 132655

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 417, Sec. 1. (SB 506) Effective January 1, 2026.

The governing board of the authority shall be composed of one representative from each of the following entities to be appointed by the governing board, mayor, or supervisor of each entity:

(a)The Bay Area Rapid Transit District.

(b)The City of Dublin.

(c)The City of Lathrop.

(d)The City of Livermore.

(e)The City of Manteca.

(f)The City of Pleasanton.

(g)The City of Stockton.

(h)The City of Tracy.

(i)The County of Alameda.

(j)The County of San Joaquin.

(k)The Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority.

(l)The

City of Mountain House.

(m)The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission.

(n)The City of Danville.

(o)The City of San Ramon.

§ 132656

Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 181, Sec. 1. (SB 1068) Effective January 1, 2025.

The authority has all of the powers necessary for planning, acquiring, leasing, developing, jointly developing, owning, controlling, using, jointly using, disposing of, designing, procuring, and constructing facilities to achieve transit connectivity, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(a)Acceptance of grants, fees, allocations, and transfers of moneys from federal, state, and local agencies, including, but not limited to, moneys from local measures, as well as private entities.

(b)Acquiring, through purchase or through eminent domain proceedings, any property necessary for, incidental to, or convenient for, the exercise of the

powers of the authority.

(c)Incurring indebtedness, secured by pledges of available revenue.

(d)(1) Contracting with public and private entities for the planning, design, and construction of the connection. These contracts may be assigned separately or may be combined to include any or all tasks necessary to achieve transit

connectivity, and may extend to work on the state highway system for the construction of passenger rail service through the Altamont Pass Corridor.

(2)Contracting pursuant to paragraph (1) may include the use of the Construction Manager/General Contractor project delivery method, pursuant to Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 6970) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code.

(3)Contracts authorized pursuant to

paragraph (1) shall not include the authority to perform construction inspection services for projects on, or interfacing with, the state highway system. The Department of Transportation shall perform construction inspection services for these projects consistent with Section 91.2 of the Streets and Highways Code.

(e)Entering into cooperative or joint development agreements with local governments or private entities necessary to achieve transit connectivity. These agreements may be entered into for purposes of sharing costs, selling or leasing land, air, or development rights, providing for the transferring of passengers, making pooling arrangements, or for any other purpose that is necessary for, incidental to, or convenient for the full exercise of the powers granted to the authority. For purposes of this subdivision, “joint development” includes, but

is not limited to, an agreement with any person, firm, corporation, association, or organization for the operation of facilities or development of projects adjacent to, or physically or functionally related to, achieving transit connectivity.

(f)Relocation of utilities, as necessary to achieve transit connectivity.

§ 132657

Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 747, Sec. 3. (AB 758) Effective January 1, 2018.

For an initial 18-month period, the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority’s administrative staff shall, if that authority has appointed a member to the board in accordance with Section 132655, provide all necessary administrative support to the board to perform its duties and responsibilities. At the conclusion of the initial period, the board

may select the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority or the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission to provide administrative support, or may alternatively hire an executive director for those functions. If an executive director is hired, the executive may appoint staff or retain consultants as necessary to carry out the duties of the authority.

§ 132658

Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 747, Sec. 3. (AB 758) Effective January 1, 2018.

(a)The unencumbered balance of all local funds programmed for the completion of the BART Livermore extension or that have otherwise been identified for the connectivity shall be transferred to the authority and be considered resources available to effectuate the authority’s purposes pursuant to this chapter, except that local funds controlled by the Alameda County Transportation Commission to

be used for completion of the BART Livermore extension or that have otherwise been identified for the connectivity shall continue to be programmed and allocated by the Alameda County Transportation Commission pursuant to measures approved by the voters of Alameda County pursuant to Division 19 (commencing with Section 180000).

(b)The unencumbered balance of all local funds programmed for the completion of the BART Livermore extension shall be transferred to the authority and be considered resources available to effectuate the authority’s purposes pursuant to this chapter, except that local funds controlled by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission that have otherwise been identified for connectivity shall continue to be programmed and allocated by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission pursuant to measures approved by the voters of

San Joaquin County pursuant to Division 19 (commencing with Section 180000).

(c)The authority is eligible to apply for and receive state and federal funds to perform its duties pursuant to this chapter.

(d)The authority may pursue any and all sources of funding

to achieve connectivity except that the authority shall not apply for funds available under the Transportation Development Act (Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 99200) of Part 11 of Division 10) for which any member entity of the authority may also be an applicant or for which any member entity of the authority is charged with approving applications for funding under that act, without the express written consent of that affected member entity.

§ 132659

Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 747, Sec. 3. (AB 758) Effective January 1, 2018.

(a)The authority may enter into agreements with the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, or any other entity to address any and all issues necessary to achieve transit connectivity, consistent with the project feasibility report’s findings, conclusions, and recommendations adopted pursuant to Section 132661.

(b)If the project feasibility report includes a recommendation for an extension of BART’s rapid transit system, the governing board of the Bay Area Rapid Transit District shall have the authority to approve or deny the recommendation.

(c)If the project feasibility report includes a recommendation for an extension of the Altamont

Corridor Express commuter rail service, the governing board of the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission shall have the authority to approve or deny the recommendation.

§ 132660

Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 615, Sec. 409. (AB 474) Effective January 1, 2022. Operative January 1, 2023, pursuant to Section 463 of Stats. 2021, Ch. 615.

The authority and any entity contracted with to serve as the operator of any transit connectivity developed and delivered pursuant to this chapter shall be subject to all of the following:

(a)The Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 3500) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code).

(b)The California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code).

(c)The Ralph M. Brown Act (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code).

§ 132661

Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 220, Sec. 2. (SB 548) Effective January 1, 2022.

(a)On or before July 1, 2019, the authority shall provide a project feasibility report to the public, to be posted on the authority’s internet website, on the plans for the development and implementation of transit connectivity. The report, at a minimum, shall include the following elements:

(1)Recommendations for expediting the development of cost-effective and responsive transit connectivity between BART’s rapid transit system and the Altamont Corridor Express commuter rail service.

(2)The identification of a preferred entity or entities to deliver transit connectivity, including the role each entity will play in planning,

designing, financing, constructing, operating, maintaining, and the leasing, developing, or disposing of land, facilities, or equipment, necessary to deliver and operate transit connectivity.

(3)A funding plan describing any grants, loans, allocations, fund transfers, or awards of local, regional, state, federal, or private funds that are proposed to be made available for achieving transit connectivity.

(4)A description of any plan to finance the development of transit connectivity, including a description of any revenue source or sources to be pledged for financing, the duration of time to complete the financing, and the estimated total cost of financing.

(5)A proposed schedule for the completion of transit connectivity.

(6)A preliminary design for the project or projects to complete transit connectivity, including the identification of right-of-way, routes, stations, equipment, and any other facilities necessary to achieve transit connectivity.

(b)The authority may use any relevant environmental review documents previously completed by the Bay Area Rapid Transit District or the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission to prepare the report specified in subdivision (a).

(c)Upon completion and approval by the authority of the project feasibility report required under subdivision (a), the authority shall submit the report to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the governing board of the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, the governing

board of the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, the policy committees of each house of the Legislature with jurisdiction over transportation policy matters, and the Transportation Agency.