[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6636550,"mediaKeyId","2609403-b716554ff7a5dcedec273a219dff1312","parentId",2609403,"title","TJPA says portal project advances after new regional and local funding commitments; environmental review to unlock $375 million in savings","audioSeconds",387,"startMs",1689000,"endMs",2076000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2609403-b716554ff7a5dcedec273a219dff1312&start=1689&end=2076","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2609403-b716554ff7a5dcedec273a219dff1312/thumbnail_1689000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6636550/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/TJPA-says-portal-project-advances-after-new-regional-and-local-funding-commitments-environmental-review-to-unlock-375-million-in-savings","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6636550-76b88f0b6fc2a8609225aa99d31a5daf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140176&Signature=CIsdM0ulTbexpNfh~E5wFmZ3p4a-SH0es6u78uZ6U-vHJb~DJMgniqEAbPye4xlms-oCZbnLU~7-gddYh4CRjZFEMeybzzbn2Yf8ldFfASqLpt3SWXR5YMYelbAuxUmUtOPJDhqlMWBtLuop6EjFogRJqKHufCyxzUScKttU637QdcG8DDW0JC-N~PeV7-jzxhuJKiQ67PzzAIi8mbYJ1vzN~0bbgK~mtuX9hkwWmqlgHWByHtPYhi9VgsVjBkSxwHMAmTfkCbZ~CJ1useFOKSSATfvxN0Se-0JJBR6S1fhb3gOENUOCG6VQ7sdlvAfTeWDZ-i0uyqNnospNkoym1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of San Francisco","date","2025-03-13T00:00:00Z","article","The Transbay Joint Powers Authority reported progress on the downtown rail extension, known as the Portal, on March 13, 2025, citing recent funding commitments and an updated schedule for preconstruction work.

Alfonso Rodriguez, the TJPA portal project director, told the board the agency has received a $75,000,000 letter of commitment from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (RM3) and a $100,000,000 right‑of‑way agreement that will fund preconstruction and right‑of‑way activities. Rodriguez said documents for the Federal Railroad Administration CRISI grant have been submitted and that negotiation and vetting with the FRA are underway.

Rodriguez said staff is pursuing an environmental assessment to formalize configuration changes that staff estimates would reduce the project\u0000s construction cost estimate by about $375,000,000. He said the reduced footprint makes environmental approval more likely, but the TJPA must complete the assessment before the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will accept the lower estimate in a grant application.

Why this matters: the portal is a multiagency, capital project intended to link regional rail into downtown San Francisco. The funding and environmental approvals discussed on March 13 affect the project\u0000s ability to remain competitive for state and federal discretionary programs and to advance into construction.

Rodriguez summarized near‑term activities including: continued design coordination with Caltrain (a concept of operations study and rail yard track rearrangement), release of an RFP for the civil and tunnel contract in the coming months, updates to project management tools and a digital delivery program, and completion of nearly 20 management plans required by the FTA for a grant application. He said the TJPA is updating its quantitative risk assessment to better inform contingency levels before the civil and tunnel contractor is onboarded.

Rodriguez listed the top project risks: securing the remaining local funding commitments, advancing utility relocation work (which requires funding to contract the work), implementing the right‑of‑way activity program, and finalizing required third‑party agreements the FTA will require before issuing a grant.

Board action tied to the project: the board authorized Amendment No. 5 to the General Engineering Consultant agreement (Parsons Transportation Group), a no‑cost extension of 86 calendar days through June 30, 2025, to allow staff time to complete negotiations on the next task order. The motion passed on a roll‑call vote with Directors Andrzejk, Chang, Lipkin, Roos and Chair G voting aye; Vice Chair Mandelmann was absent.

Questions from board members and staff addressed MTC\u0000s review (the project was elevated to MAP Tier 1), governance and delivery coordination among partner agencies, and continuity of FTA project management oversight. Rodriguez said the MTC endorsement positions the project for discretionary funds and that the board memorandum of understanding adopted in January strengthened partner alignment.

Clarifying details from the presentation: staff said the RM3 letter of commitment is for $75,000,000; the right‑of‑way funding agreement is for $100,000,000; the estimated construction cost reduction tied to the configuration changes is approximately $375,000,000; nearly 20 management plans are required for the FTA grant submittal; the Parsons extension is a no‑cost 86‑day extension to 06/30/2025.

Next steps: complete the environmental assessment so the project can present the revised cost estimate to the FTA, finalize utility relocation funding and agreements, release the civil and tunnel RFP, and update the quantitative risk assessment to refine contingency requirements.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of San Francisco - Video Open Video Only in Windows Media Player - Mar 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Transbay Joint Powers Authority reported progress on the downtown rail extension, known as the Portal, on March 13, 2025, citing new funding commitments and an environmental assessment that staff says must be completed before $375 million in construction savings can be incorporated into FTA grant requests.","taxTitle","San Francisco City, San Francisco County, California","taxId",5751,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6636545,"TJPA update: cap‑and‑trade reauthorization remains uncertain; Senate ahead, auctions show volatility",567,678000,1245000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2609403-b716554ff7a5dcedec273a219dff1312&start=678&end=1245","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2609403-b716554ff7a5dcedec273a219dff1312/thumbnail_678000.jpg","/articles/6636545/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/TJPA-update-capandtrade-reauthorization-remains-uncertain-Senate-ahead-auctions-show-volatility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6636545-2db65a77fe88f4cf67a22bc5afb68126/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140176&Signature=LcClBa-Z5~hqv~kFi4hpp0RXBgsQfV5UU5ybNP-Zud~8il76VWhGrUTIz9UlDwW-PykPg13FAu5ODzz546e~hicLF7HZvs~JsZABPaaH1uNVsTOI-WNiq7iuTKRhvEnrGri7NMn1VCy4n7f9dKrECOHMRY3JNp7Eyv4NrFtIU2t5J1K~OXnEh10XkUJaGjB9T~nZn~YZHpVVwdNio4tiZTyCfE1K6g5hrVbmPmQbQkdVLcEivzTvCQATzaYh0piYDWursngsxm86baJyA8gkEql7N4hpBotyvmm-uK9EOAyV7y1cT0piu4eV0TnSAOdZ3SP9d87yDXU16oltlcg3vQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Townsend Public Affairs summarized the state legislative landscape affecting the Transbay Portal and other regional transit projects during the March 13 TJPA board meeting.

Niccolo DeLuca of Townsend Public Affairs briefed the board on the beginning of the 2025–26 legislative session in Sacramento. He said the Senate\u0000s working group is farther along in its discussions and has indicated support for maintaining a 25% set‑aside for high‑speed rail in some proposals, while the Assembly is less advanced and more cautious about allocations.

DeLuca and TJPA executive staff told the board they are prioritizing advocacy for three items tied to cap‑and‑trade reauthorization: (1) reauthorize the program as soon as possible, (2) build out the funding pots for which the portal would be eligible, and (3) seek a line item or a clearly defined allocation for the project where possible. DeLuca described Senate working groups led by Senator Monique Limon (Santa Barbara) and mentioned Assembly working group leadership by Assemblymember Jackie (name in transcript uncertain) and Assemblymember Isaac (name in transcript uncertain), noting the Assembly staff was asking for tangible evidence that past greenhouse gas reduction investments have produced constructed projects.

Board members asked about auction proceeds and bond discussions. TJPA executive staff reported the most recent quarterly cap‑and‑trade auction produced roughly $830,000,000 in proceeds, down from about $1,300,000,000 the prior quarter. Staff cautioned auctions can be cyclical and said market expectations about reauthorization timing can influence industry participation. Staff also said some legislators are proposing to allocate portions of proceeds for wildfire resilience and operating support; a letter from Los Angeles‑area senators requested $2,000,000,000 for operating assistance, which would exceed recent operating support levels and could affect capital allocations such as high‑speed rail or the Portal.

DeLuca said reauthorization timing is a critical variable: an early reauthorization increases the chances of multi‑year capital awards and predictable funds for large projects; a delayed reauthorization risks lower auction participation and smaller proceeds.

No formal board action was taken on state legislative matters at the meeting.

","Townsend Public Affairs and TJPA staff updated the board March 13 on outreach in Sacramento as lawmakers consider reauthorizing California\u0000s cap‑and‑trade program; staff said the Senate is farther along in talks and recent auction proceeds have fluctuated, affecting revenue expectations.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6636530,"TJPA board approves consent calendar, CAC appointments and raises executive director administrative leave to 120 hours",978,2952000,3930000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2609403-b716554ff7a5dcedec273a219dff1312&start=2952&end=3930","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2609403-b716554ff7a5dcedec273a219dff1312/thumbnail_2952000.jpg","/articles/6636530/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/TJPA-board-approves-consent-calendar-CAC-appointments-and-raises-executive-director-administrative-leave-to-120-hours","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6636530-d521aafe512b879389ee989e1d93f471/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140176&Signature=ZRmoYqxMqWoYStGCCIdeRzEoCLCxrn76aQGiLnWPhQFks5Q4cYwV9gJ3GGf2hcmPKhsz-YZ-zD23lOif5UCqrkHQbk2MLUE0pIm2tk5U0-16w189uJgvxwPTr75NydvZR5uI2D9Zu6xhfnHbxBoLIoi42uON6L8KdOv43B27HCq99nRgjcgUvebZxr4amgPLapBwSKQnJ4zdZ4LBKNvUbpIrBIpNv2EcQqZlxp-RaOw82QlMaDnJ9J-YZ9VU4BLYYYo7QR1n5Hr6D6DbpOrEKaE4FJs0zL0Ogjf-QSOM7AYrY3q6KFBo33wkQuVx0bJvVsRN~YBqN9HrzV1LipwvsQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Transbay Joint Powers Authority board took several formal actions at its March 13, 2025 meeting, approving routine items and personnel and committee appointments.

Votes at a glance

- Consent calendar (Agenda items 8.1–8.3): approved by roll call. Items included approval of minutes from the January 30, 2025 meeting (8.1); authorization for the executive director to execute Amendment No. 2 to the agreement for financial consulting services with NWC, exercising an option to extend the contract by a two‑year term to April 8, 2027 and increasing compensation by $585,706 (8.2); and extension of an alternate rent period under the third amendment to the lease with Charlie\u0000s Philly Steaks for first‑floor retail space (8.3). The roll call recorded ayes from Director Andrzejk, Director Chang, Director Lipkin, Director Roos and Chair G; Vice Chair Mandelmann was absent.

- Item 13 — Executive Director Employment Agreement amendment: the board approved increasing the executive director\u0000s administrative leave by 40 hours (from an existing balance to 120 hours per year). Legal counsel reported the fringe benefit value of the additional 40 hours as approximately $7,051 per year. The motion passed on a roll‑call vote with Directors Andrzejk, Chang, Lipkin, Roos and Chair G voting aye; Vice Chair Mandelmann absent.

- Item 14 — Citizens Advisory Committee appointments: staff reported 11 applications for eight open seats. Staff recommended reappointing seven current members and appointing one new member, Eric Moe; the board approved the recommended slate on a roll‑call vote (Andrzejk, Chang, Lipkin, Roos and Chair G ayes; Vice Chair Mandelmann absent). Staff noted and thanked departing CAC member Mark Monti for his service.

- Item 15 — Amendment No. 5 to General Engineering Consultant (Parsons): approved (see portal project article for details). Motion passed on roll call with the five ayes above.

What the votes mean: The consent calendar items continued several contractual and administrative arrangements (minutes, consulting services extension and a lease extension). The amendment to the executive director\u0000s employment agreement increases paid administrative leave to 120 hours per year; the board heard a public comment objecting to the increase as excessive. The CAC appointments fill the committee\u0000s regular seats and add one new member with private‑sector development experience.

Public comment: Jim Patrick made public remarks opposing the executive director\u0000s administrative leave increase and questioned the rationale for a joint labor agreement referenced in public comment. Roland Treba (on the line) requested public posting of PMOC (project management oversight consultant) reports on the TJPA website for transparency; staff did not commit to a timing in the meeting.

No other formal actions were taken at the March 13 meeting.

","The Transbay Joint Powers Authority board approved the consent calendar, appointed members to its Citizens Advisory Committee and increased the executive director\u0000s annual administrative leave to 120 hours at its March 13, 2025 meeting.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6636535,"Transit Center reports events, modest leasing gains and tenant updates",154,1527000,1681000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2609403-b716554ff7a5dcedec273a219dff1312&start=1527&end=1681","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2609403-b716554ff7a5dcedec273a219dff1312/thumbnail_1527000.jpg","/articles/6636535/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Transit-Center-reports-events-modest-leasing-gains-and-tenant-updates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6636535-e7bdb3ce738ceb5c30da5a159c689e31/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140176&Signature=JRdphpKxbyxLXlpr2NGTvmGYr1bDnZvgGmtMLRQfKFrpxiGSGWxQ~5GbtHCDWINc-FlJ5CGvN~gVCl8HlQuqeGBbKB4xb6wRM5z6Px-jL8UXddLWFJvOmlutKRGzEI5qtyFCaaROauLZL6dGFK70EMVqkxpVokmGfEd8TlHd68QGR7WB17LxoNxyNx1xCVNTHnXMEYCzrX8b9~RPAzREZmUjf1OOFTmZ1kg1DUUtLNQq8sOVAUEIxySmvgmmNtCRviZ589mEywglvjQyylacbzHGC2y4U42fnR~hosZk6tKbzncpibVx9S0tnJt4pr3hb3eRnfn3~1h2CVRDjW2W6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ari Walsh, TJPA facility director, reported to the board on March 13 about programming, tenant activity and leasing trends at the Transit Center.

Walsh highlighted recent public events: Moses at The Tower (about 130 attendees), a new Words and Stories poetry and storytelling program with seven local poets, and the San Francisco Beer Week kickoff on February 22, which Walsh said drew more than 1,200 attendees and included over 40 breweries.

On leasing and real estate, Walsh said San Francisco\u0000s retail market has been challenged in recent years but that the TJPA saw a small improvement in Q4 2024, with vacancy dropping from 7.9% to 7.7%. He said staff is awaiting Q1 2025 numbers. Walsh noted tenant activity: Bare Bottle in the Grand Hall, plans for a pergola in the park, and that Dimbau\u0000s and Juicebar are working with TJPA to value‑engineer their buildouts. He said an underused P1 space is being marketed for events to activate the area and generate revenue.

No board action was taken on the facilities update.

","TJPA facilities staff highlighted a slate of public events that drew thousands, modest improvement in vacancy rates for Q4 2024 and tenant updates including Bare Bottle, a planned pergola in the park, and potential activation of P1 event space.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6636540,"TJPA security program earns TSA Gold Standard award; agency reports strong staffing and training metrics",228,424000,652000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2609403-b716554ff7a5dcedec273a219dff1312&start=424&end=652","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2609403-b716554ff7a5dcedec273a219dff1312/thumbnail_424000.jpg","/articles/6636540/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/TJPA-security-program-earns-TSA-Gold-Standard-award-agency-reports-strong-staffing-and-training-metrics","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6636540-8a87012c424165ee66300418ba5e5046/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140176&Signature=RI933udq1s9F2syX9TPgLQhGVYq6yQwqBemtlc2BX9OpX6O35U17p5zGkXEuCV0G-q-HwoJ4xAMnyPZeWyvC9cJPBuhNVHFjhwqyDpMlgdrEdztvXNbi8nGZ2TJjX8-~QRNQETffPZgYUFr0htojK8BAdS-7QZapyfYk5F1rtRGXCTllHwSY3H6Ql1jW2TB034QrTn7FtfI7XbdBcyh36b3fUC1yf1InsG2e7QmBKILFxbrTIy0m9F0X1f9SMmt2~qLObX0R8GcIv9dBPth5myNOxRZDyiBm47VN8S0cDou3cn0ZhMRmXuirXehOWOmhm9V0l1Gj~2~x~ImXKRM8aQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rodney Harris, chief security officer for the Transbay Joint Powers Authority, told the board on March 13 that the agency received the Transportation Security Administration\u0000s Gold Standard Award for 2024.

Harris said TSA Oakland inspectors conducted the evaluation and that the award recognizes top performance across 17 security and emergency preparedness categories within TSA\u0000s Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancement (BASE) program. Harris described the award as a team effort, thanking contract security professionals, the San Francisco Police Department, TJPA IT cybersecurity staff, facilities and operations teams, operators, tenants and visitors.

Harris reported several performance metrics for contract security during the reporting period: a turnover rate of approximately 3.2 percent; a staffing rate of 97.6 percent achieved through the integration of flex officers; and the completion of 204 tests that produced an overall score of 91.79 percent (a roughly 1 percent decrease from a prior period, according to Harris). He said established standards remained unchanged.

Board members congratulated Harris and asked a brief question about who the other agency recipient was; Harris said it was an East Coast property but did not identify it further.

No board action was taken on the security report.

","Chief Security Officer Rodney Harris told the board the Transit Center earned TSA's Gold Standard Award and reported low contractor turnover, high staffing rates and an overall compliance score of 91.79% on tests during the reporting period.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

TJPA says portal project advances after new regional and local funding commitments; environmental review to unlock $375 million in savings

TJPA update: cap‑and‑trade reauthorization remains uncertain; Senate ahead, auctions show volatility

TJPA board approves consent calendar, CAC appointments and raises executive director administrative leave to 120 hours

Transit Center reports events, modest leasing gains and tenant updates

TJPA security program earns TSA Gold Standard award; agency reports strong staffing and training metrics