June 16, 2005

Mr. Fred Diaz,
City Manager, Fremont CA.
3300 Capital Ave., Fremont CA, 94538

Dear Mr. Diaz,

The members of the Action Committee of the League of Women Voters have read your Comments on the Draft EIR For the Union City Intermodal Station Passenger Rail Project.

We are concerned that the ACE was not mentioned, and we think it is an important part of our regional transportation system.  ACE should be an active participant in finding ways to link all types of transit together.  Funding may be a problem at this time, but the plans should indicate how this vital link will be connected in the most economical way.

On page 2 of your document under Insufficient Alternatives, you talk about the alternative of transfers occuring between BART and trains on the Niles Subdivision rail line.  Does this include, but not mention, the feasibility of a transfer station at Shinn Junction?  SB916 (Perata) has allocated $500,000 to the Regional Rail Coordinating Council to study this connection.

There also should be connections to the Alameda Creek Trail.

The League spoke about cumulative effects during the public hearing at the Intermodal Study Session, and it is our opinion that all transportation plans need to be coordinated before decisions are made on any projects. 

We are interested in having you respond to us about these three specific concerns.

Thank you,

Marilyn Singer, Chair
League of Women Voters Action Committee,
singer756@sbcglobal.net

Response from Mr. Diaz:

Fremont Office of the City Manager
3300 Capitol Avenue,  P.O. Box 5006,  Fremont,  CA   94537-5006
510 284-4000 ph,  510 284-4001 fax,   www.fremont.gov

June 22, 2005

Ms. Marilyn Singer,  Chair
Action Committee,  League of Women Voters,  1123 Washo Drive
Fremont,  CA  94539

Dear Ms. Singer:

Thank you for your letter concerning the City of Fremont's comments on the Draft EIR for the Union City Intermodal Station Passenger Rail Project.  Although the opportunity to comment on this particular document was technically closed on June 9, 2005, there will be other opportunities to comment on your issues.  The City of Union City will prepare either a Final Environmental Impact Report or will recirculate an amended Draft EIR which would require a new 45-day review period.  Your comments could still be submitted to the City of Union City as the lead agency now, and you could request that they respond to them prior to approval of the Final EIR or as part of a recirculated Draft EIR.  The Dumbarton Rail Project will also prepare an environmental document that is scheduled to be circulated sometime in 2006.  That being said, I'd like to comment on the various points you raised in your letter.

The City of Fremont agrees that ACE is an important part of our regional transportation system, however, the City's comments were focused on the information contained in Union City's Draft EIR.  The Draft EIR did not propose any changes for ACE service as part of the Union City intermodal project and therefore we had no comments on ACE.  As you may know, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is working with all rail operators in the Bay Area, including ACE, Dumbarton Rail, and the Capitol Corridor, to look at ways to improve regional rail coordination.

In terms of insufficient alternatives, again, we were responding to the alternatives that Union City identified in either this or their previous redevelopment environmental document for the Intermodal Station.  Their alternatives did not include a Shinn multi-modal option.  At this time, there is no official project proposal for a Shinn multi-modal station.  SB916 provides that either BART or Caltrain may use up to $500,000 of Regional Measure 2 bridge toll funds “to study the feasibility and construction of an intermodal transfer hub at the Niles (Shinn Street) Junction.”  To our knowledge, neither BART nor Caltrain has initiated this study.  You may want to direct your thoughts on this issue directly to Union City, or alternatively, to BART or Caltrain.

We agree that the cumulative impacts of the various passenger rail projects were not adequately analyzed.  We did address this point several different times in our letter.  (I have attached another copy for your reference.)

Thank you again for your interest in this important regional issue.  The City of Fremont certainly welcomes your joining our voice in commenting to the City of Union City on the inadequacy of their environmental document.

Fred Diaz City Manager