Type Diesel light rail Status Under construction | System Bay Area Rapid Transit Stations 3 | |
 | ||
Locale East Contra Costa County Termini Antioch
Pittsburg / Bay Point | ||
eBART (East Contra Costa BART Extension) is an under-construction light rail branch line of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system in eastern Contra Costa County, California, United States. The plan calls for diesel multiple unit (DMU) train service to start at the existing Pittsburg/Bay Point station. eBART tracks and trains are incompatible with those of the main BART rapid transit system, so it will be impossible for trains to move between the two systems; instead, passengers will transfer via a cross platform interchange at an auxiliary BART stop at Pittsburg/Bay Point – the eBART platform will be accessible only via an intra-station ride from the main BART stop to this auxiliary stop. The first phase of the expansion will proceed for approximately 10 miles (16 kilometres) east along the State Route 4 corridor to the city of Antioch at a Hillcrest Avenue station. Revenue service is projected to begin by May 2018.
Contents
Planning
The DMU system was chosen as an alternative to the existing BART infrastructure because it was both less expensive to implement and would more easily allow further extensions.
Initial plans had trains utilizing the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way that runs parallel to State Route 4. After Union Pacific declined to grant trackage rights or allow laying of new tracks, the line was merged with a construction project already in the process of widening the adjacent freeway, by laying tracks in its median. Construction of the Railroad Avenue station in Pittsburg became uncertain as planning and construction progressed; it has since been fully funded by the city and will open with the rest of the extension.
Funding and construction
A sales tax increase was approved by Contra Costa voters in 2004 in order to fund the expansion. The expansion was approved by the BART board in April 2009. Costs were set at $463 million, compared to an estimated $1.2 billion for full BART buildout. On October 14, 2010, BART issued a press release announcing that the agency had awarded a $26 million contract to West Bay Builders, of Novato, California, "to build the transfer platform and make some of the necessary rail improvements to begin extending the line to a terminus station at Hillcrest Avenue in Antioch."
Construction began in early 2011. Funding for the Pittsburg station was secured in early 2015.
Future
While not fully planned or funded as of 2016, expansions of the DMU system could connect eBART service to Oakley, Brentwood, or Byron.
Stations
All eBART stations are in Contra Costa County.
Rolling stock
The vehicle procurement includes eight Stadler GTW trains, with two options to procure six more; the first will be delivered in June 2016. The Stadler GTW trains are diesel multiple units with 2/6 articulated power units, and are based on models previously used in Austin, Dallas and New Jersey.