Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project

Owner: Caltrain

Contractor: Balfour Beatty

Facilitator: Cinda Bond

Budget: $2B

Project Description

The visionary Caltrain Modernization Program will transform Caltrain's commuter rail service. Focused on electrification and performance upgrades, the $2 billion Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project is a pivotal component, replacing diesel with electric multiple unit (EMU) trains. The electrification brings numerous benefits, including improved train performance, increased ridership capacity, reduced fuel costs, diminished engine noise, and enhanced regional air quality with lower greenhouse gas emissions. The electrified Caltrain prepares the corridor for future high-speed rail compatibility.

In December 2021, concurrent with a project cost and schedule reset, the team relaunched partnering. After the critical first step of aligning senior leadership on new project goals and objectives, partnering expanded to the core project team—Levels I and II of the dispute resolution ladder—and focused on empowering the team to make decisions to keep the project moving and looking for fair, equitable, and efficient solutions. Regular follow-up sessions, monthly scorecards, and executive partnering reinforced the goals, decision-making, and other initiatives.

Partnering also included several special-purpose partnering sessions focused on the alignment of sub-teams, internal resources, and third-party stakeholders. Scheduled for completion in 2024, the relaunched partnering program has been instrumental in identifying and resolving the inevitable policy, procedural, and process hiccups that created a drag on the team momentum.