The Tri-Valley's economy is booming, with a regional output of a whopping $42 billion in 2016, according to the 2018 report Tri-Valley Rising. The report, published by the Bay Area Council Economic Institute and the Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group, notes that more than 450 technology companies have locations in the Tri-Valley. The area's strong economy resulted in job growth of 35% from 2006 to 2016, a higher rate than either San Francisco or Silicon Valley.

Job growth requires employees, and many employees commute to work. Those who commute to or from Hacienda are blessed with a rich array of transportation choices bolstered by Hacienda's nationally recognized and award-winning commute programs. Many of them have a short commute. Fully half of Tri-Valley residents who work outside their homes have a commute of 30 minutes or less, according to federal statistics. Nearly a quarter get to their jobs in less than 15 minutes. But some who work in the Tri-Valley face much longer commutes.

Commuters on I-580, which connects Hacienda and the Tri-Valley to the greater Bay Area, face "incredible congestion," notes Michael Tree, Executive Director for Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority and the new Tri-Valley - San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority. Between 2013 and 2016, the number of vehicles increased by 27% on the I-580 to more than 82,000 vehicles, according to the Bay Area Council Economic Institute. Among those vehicles are more than 14,000 trucks, which complicate and slow commute traffic.

Experts say the increased traffic congestion in the area can be traced to the disparity between the number of available jobs and available housing units. "In the Bay Area there are six jobs being created for every one housing unit," says Tree. "The result is housing price escalation in the Bay Area that is forcing workers and their families to the Central Valley for affordable housing. In fact, one house in the Bay Area is equal in cost to three houses in the Northern San Joaquin Valley."

New Amenity Expands Access

Hacienda employees and residents already have many choices when it comes to commute and transit options, making it a highly convenient place to work and live. They will have yet another option in 2024, when the Valley Link Rail Project is expected to be completed and brought into service adding a significant new component within Hacienda to the wide array of commute alternatives already available. Initially the Valley Link Rail Project will connect the Northern San Joaquin Valley from a planned Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) North Lathrop Station in the San Joaquin Valley with the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station at Hacienda.

"Valley Link will completely change the commute to an enjoyable train ride where passengers can relax, read, or even get a little jump start on their workday," says Tree.

That is welcome news for many Bay Area commuters, especially those traveling from San Joaquin County. The San Joaquin County to Alameda County trek is among the busiest mega-commuter routes in the country, according to the US Census. San Joaquin County is one of the top starting points for so-called super commuters, or mega commuters, people who travel at least 50 miles and need 90 minutes or more to get to work. Currently, the average megatrip to Alameda County from San Joaquin County is 104.1 minutes. That time should go down significantly after the Valley Link rail system goes into operation.

As currently planned, the new rail system will include single stations at Lathrop/Manteca, River Islands, Tracy, and Mountain House, along with two stations in Livermore (at Greenville/I-580 and Isabel/I-580) before connecting with the Hacienda BART station. From there riders can easily transfer onto BART to other destinations in the Bay Area and access both Hacienda and the larger Pleasanton area.

"For Hacienda and the Tri-Valley, this means commuters living in the Northern San Joaquin Valley will have a one-seat ride into employment," says Tree. "On the train, commuters can relax and sleep or catch up on work instead of fighting traffic. For the Tri-Valley, Valley Link will ease congestion on the I-580 and that means improvements for air quality, safety, and the economy through improved goods movement and happier commuters."

Environmentally Friendly and Cost-Effective

An initial analysis completed by ACE determined that the Valley Link system will offer competitive travel time (73 minutes from the planned ACE North Lathrop Station to BART), significant emissions reduction, and significant environmental benefits. The Tri-Valley - San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority plans to operate hybrid clean diesel trains for the Valley Link service initially. It will be able convert to 100% battery powered trains in the future, with an eye to the ongoing improvement in battery technology.

The Tri-Valley - San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority has adopted the goal of 100% self-sufficiency for the Valley Link system, according to Tree. The Rail Authority expects to meet that goal through the use of solar and wind technology to power the operations and maintenance center and Valley Link stations, as well as through the use of batteries on the trains.

Because it will use existing transportation corridors, the Valley Link project can be planned and constructed much more quickly than other approaches. After leaving the joint Hacienda BART/Valley Link station, the train will travel in the middle of the I-580 freeway. Then it will leave the freeway to travel in the Altamont Corridor on the former Southern Pacific right of way that is now owned by the County of Alameda. Upon arrival at the Mountain House station, the Valley Link train will begin operating on Union Pacific railroad tracks.

Using existing corridors also means the Valley Link project can be built efficiently and economically. Extending traditional BART trains to Livermore, which is a distance of about five miles, carried an estimated cost of $1.6 billion, according to Tree. Valley Link's first phase, from the Hacienda BART station to the Valley Link station in Lathrop/Manteca, is a distance of 41 miles at an estimated cost of $1.8 billion.

The Tri-Valley - San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority plans to operate trains between 5 am and 8 pm initially. Trains are expected to leave Livermore every 12 minutes during the peak commute times of 5 am to 8 am and 4 pm to 7 pm. During off-peak hours trains will run from Livermore every 30 minutes. From Northern San Joaquin Valley, trains will leave every 24 minutes during the peak periods and every 60 minutes during off-peak hours. The trains are bidirectional and expected to carry an estimated 25,000 riders per day by 2040.

"With traffic on the I-580 expected to increase 60 percent in the near future, this is a very important rail connection that will not only improve our quality of life, but will also have a positive impact on our economy and the environment," according Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty, who also serves as the Chair of the Tri-Valley - San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority.

For more information about the Tri-Valley - San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority, please visit www.valleylinkrail.com.

For more information about the many transportation choices offered by Hacienda, please visit www.hacienda.org/amenities-employees-residents/commute-solutions.