Santa Clara next stop for Central Valley commuter line
Published Sunday, March 4, 2001, in the San Jose Mercury News
BY GIL JOSÉ DURÁN
Mercury News
The opening of a new Santa Clara stop on Monday, coupled with the
addition of a third train, may ease the daily grind for riders who
ride the Altamont Commuter Express between the Central Valley and
Silicon Valley.
The new ACE station is on Railroad Avenue at Benton Street, near
Santa Clara University, at a depot already in use by Caltrain.
``There's a lot of people going to that area,'' said ACE spokesman
Brian Schmidt. ``We think there will be an increase in ridership for
that station.''
A dedication ceremony for the new ACE stop will follow the inaugural
arrival of the new train at 8:45 a.m. Monday. With the new train,
which can carry 700 riders per day in each direction, the number of
available seats on ACE should match the number of daily riders,
Schmidt said.
ACE has 2,200 riders, which puts the rail line at 138 percent
capacity. That has resulted in a standing-room only commute on the
two trains already in service.
``We'll have to see how the ridership spreads out with the third
train,'' Schmidt said.
The new train will leave Manteca at 6:52 a.m. and arrive in Santa
Clara at 8:46 a.m., allowing Santa Clara-bound riders to make their
9 a.m. meetings without having to board a train in the wee hours.
Currently, trains making this trip depart from Stockton at 4:15 a.m.
and 5:24 a.m. and arrive in Santa Clara at 6:30 a.m. and 7:40 a.m.
``It will give the riders their morning back,'' Schmidt said. ``The
new train will give folks who live in the Central Valley a very good
start time.''
The new train will also allow commuters to take a 6:45 p.m. train
out of Silicon Valley. Currently, the last train out of San Jose
departs at 5:45 p.m.
Santa Clara city officials are enthusiastic to see ACE add the new
station.
``We're thrilled,'' said deputy city manager Carol McCarthy.
``Truly, in the future, Santa Clara could really be the center of
transit.''
In May, a free electric hybrid bus service for commuters will be
added to complement both the new station and the existing Great
America station, McCarthy said.
That's good news to ACE commuters like Mike O'Dorney, who commutes
from Danville to Mountain View. O'Dorney said the new station will
allow him to catch Caltrain in Santa Clara, eliminating the need for
him to transfer at San Jose's Diridon Station.
``It's a great boon because it essentially guarantees me a much
better connection,'' O'Dorney said. ``You can get off of the ACE
train at Santa Clara and wait for the Caltrain at the same
platform.''
Anita Hosoda, who lives near Manteca but works in Milpitas, said the
later morning trains will improve the commute situation for many.
``The new train will make a big difference,'' she said. ``A lot of
people whose schedules change all of the time will be able to take
the later train in the morning. It will take more people off of the
road, and that's just better for everybody.''
Contact Gil José Durán at gduran@sjmercury.com or (510) 790-7315.
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