Virtual open house: Caltrain climate vulnerability study

Caltrain will host a virtual open house from 6 to 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 23 to discuss the results of its Climate Vulnerability Study and present information about how climate impacts and extreme weather may affect service.

Register for the virtual open house here.

The Bay Area and the Caltrain corridor are already feeling the impacts of shifting climates, and the effects will only increase as temperatures continue to rise. Summer heat waves have increased in frequency and duration. Wildfires are a constant threat growing in intensity and number, reducing regional air quality and threatening the electrical grid, Caltrain notes.

Severe winter storms have flooded tracks and stations. Related high winds have caused significant infrastructure damage due to falling trees. Furthermore, sea level rise is a persistent threat to several stations and sections of the right-of-way.

Each one of these factors affects riders who live, work, and play along the Peninsula and the greater Bay Area. To ensure riders continue to enjoy frequent and uninterrupted service, Caltrain is studying all aspects of its operations to prepare for an uncertain future, the agency said.

Study Key Objectives

• Identify the hazards and asset types of most concern  
• Generate actionable data and information to inform adaptation planning
• Equip Caltrain with the data it needs to integrate adaptation strategies that improve the system’s long-term resilience into the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and business operations
• Consider the broad perspectives of key internal and external audiences 

Community input is a critical component of the study. Understanding the current impacts felt by riders will inform the areas of greatest urgency. By engaging with the diverse and varied communities who ride and live along the corridor, Caltrain can better understand local needs and challenges and incorporate them into solutions.