BART is taking early steps to create a second Transbay Tube, although it’s too early to say if it will actually be a tube. For right now, BART and Capitol Corridor partners are calling it the second Transbay Rail Crossing.

At tomorrow’s Board meeting, BART Directors will see that a companion to the existing Transbay Tube could include both standard width rail tracks (known as standard-gauge) and the wider BART tracks. Including standard-gauge in a new transbay crossing would present some important opportunities.

BART Planners have identified six key objectives for a new Transbay Rail Crossing.

BART intends to use a feasibility study to narrow multiple alternatives for the second crossing to a short list of two to four options. Next steps include potentially awarding a contract for that study in mid-2019.

Looking ahead, BART hopes to begin construction on the second crossing in about ten years. There’s little time to waste: despite BART’s plan to increase capacity through the existing Transbay Tube, planners project demand for transbay transit will outpace capacity by 2040 in medium or high demand growth scenarios.

The entire Board presentation is here. You can stream the Board meeting live here on today at 9 a.m.