For many years, Fremont representatives to the Dumbarton Rail Policy Advisory Committee, as well as official comments on studies, have expressed opposition to the Dumbarton Rail project. To counter the opposition and move the project forward, we encourage rail supporters in Fremont to contact their city representatives to educate them about the benefits and demand their support for the project.

Reasons stated for not supporting:

1. BART to Warm Springs is their highest priority. – This was the primary reason for their opposition before construction began in 2009. But even after the extension opened they are still not supportive of the project.
2. Buses are enough. – On the other hand, buses get stuck in traffic.
3. Fremont doesn’t want to be a pass-through city. – The rail project would actually reduce the impacts of cut-through auto traffic.
4. Increased trains would impact traffic at rail crossings in Fremont.

We also believe that another reason for the opposition is that the City of Fremont wants the commercial developments rather than peninsula cities, and that improving the Dumbarton Corridor would not work in their favor to attract commercial developments.

An option for the Dumbarton Rail is to end in Newark or at Highway 84 (Ardenwood Park & Ride). This would avoid having the trains to run on UP owned tracks and go through the City of Fremont.