San Francisco approves $6 billion rail tunnel route

The San Francisco Transportation Authority has voted to approve the construction route of if $6.1-billion tunnel project.

The tunnel is designed to connect trains from downtown to the Salesforce Transit Center and provide a connection for the future $77-billion bullet train and Caltrain electrified car system, the San Francisco Examiner reports.

The project, called Transbay Transit Center/Caltrain Downtown Extension (TTC/DTX), will transform downtown San Francisco and regional transportation well into the 21st Century. The project consists of three interconnected elements: replacing the outmoded terminal with a modern terminal; extending Caltrain 1.3 miles from Fourth and King streets to the new TTC at First and Mission streets, with accommodations for future high-speed rail service; and creating a new transit-friendly neighborhood with 3,000 new homes (35% of which will be affordable) and mixed-use commercial development.

If all goes well, the project could be completed sometime in 2027.