Visalia City Council
July 20, 2026

Visalia City CouncilStaff ReportVisalia Administration220 N. Santa Fe StreetVisalia, CA 93292File #:24-0492Agenda Date:11/3/2025Agenda #:2.Agenda Item Wording:City’s Participation as the Project Lead and Primary Operator of the Regional Express TransitService Project -Consider approval for the City to participate and serve as the project lead andprimary services operator of the Regional Express Transit Service Project funded by the TulareCounty Association of Governments, to include express transit service between Tulare and KingsCounties and the cities of Visalia and Tulare.Deadline for Action: 11/3/2025Submitting Department:AdministrationContact Name and Phone Number:Angelina Baker, Transit Manager,[email protected](559)713-4591John Lollis, Assistant City Manager, [email protected], (559)713-4342Department Recommendation:Staff recommends that the City Council approve the City’s participation in and serving as the projectlead and primary services operator of the Regional Express Transit Service Project, approve the draftResolution authorizing the City Manager to execute the California Department of Transportation(Caltrans) Master Agreement and Program Supplement for Transit and Intercity Rail Capital ProgramFunding (TIRCP), and authorize the City Manager in coordination with the City Attorney to draftnecessary agreements with the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG), Tulare CountyRegional Transit Agency (TCRTA) and Caltrans for the Council’s formal approval.Background Discussion:Forecasts estimate that the combined population of Tulare and Kings Counties will approach 700,000by 2030 (currently 638,460). Approximately 130,000 total daily trips are currently made along theState Route 198 corridor between the city of Farmersville and Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, andthe volume of trips between destinations on this corridor could increase by almost ten percent (10%)by 2030. Today, only one-half of one percent (0.5%) of these trips are made on public transit, and anoperational express transit service spanning from Lindsay to NAS Lemoore could increase transitmode share close to six percent (6%) by capturing up to twenty (20) additional daily public transittrips.Beginning with direction provided by the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) Board ofGovernors at its Board Retreat in 2016, the strategic objective was established for the preservationand potential utilization of the historic San Joaquin Valley Railroad freight corridor as a valuable east-west transportation system linking Kings and Tulare Counties between the cities of Huron andPorterville, thus given the name the Cross Valley Corridor. Several planning studies to expand publictransit services in Tulare County have been conducted and sponsored by the TCAG over the pasttwenty (20) years, with the most recent being the 2018 Cross Valley Corridor Plan and subsequentVisalia City Council Printed on 6/24/2026Page 1 of 4powered by Legistar™ File #:24-0492Agenda Date:11/3/2025Agenda #:2.2024 Kings-Tulare Cross Valley Corridor Phase 1 Operations Plan. Given the TCAG Board’sObjective, the 2018 Plan envisioned a 75-mile high-frequency transportation corridor linking citieseast to west across the valley utilizing the historic rail corridor, with future rail transit service plannedbetween Porterville-Lindsay-Visalia-Hanford-Lemoore-Huron. The 2024 Operations Planrecommends incremental implementation of the 2018 Plan, with initial express transit service alongthe most active and viable segments. Additionally, the 2024 State Rail Plan identifies and supportsexpress transit service along the Cross Valley Corridor, initially to connect with San Joaquins Amtraktrains at the Hanford Station, and later with high-speed rail trains at the Kings-Hanford Station uponthe opening of that system.The Regional Express Transit Service Project is comprised of two (2) separate but intersectingexpress transit services in the region, including the Cross Valley Express (CVX) project connectingcommunities of Tulare and Kings Counties primarily along the State Route 198 corridor, and acomplimentary Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system on the Mooney Boulevard (State Route 63) corridorbetween the Visalia and Tulare transit centers, with stops serving commercial retail destinations aswell as the College of the Sequoias campus in Visalia. The CVX is planned to initially operatebetween the Farmersville Transit Center and the Hanford Amtrak Station.Based upon the 2024 Operations Plan, the CVX would operate eight (8) transit vehicles at 30-minuteservice frequencies for 16-18 hours per day over the approximate thirty (30) miles between theHanford Amtrak Station and the City of Farmersville Transit Center via Visalia, including stops at theHanford Transit Center, Visalia Industrial Park (2), College of the Sequoias, Kaweah Health MedicalCenter, and the Visalia Transit Center. Visalia Transit would serve as the primary transit provider,supported by the Tulare County Regional Transit Agency (TCRTA) and Kings Area Regional Transit(KART). It is the goal that the CVX would begin operation in Fall 2028, including the development ofa new transfer station in the Visalia Industrial Park (potentially at the TCOE Doe Center), installationof twelve (12) new CVX transit stops, and twenty (20) intersection traffic signal preemption systems.Given all the current funding for the Project is sourced from State transit grant funds, zero-emissionbattery-electric and/or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles would be required of any procurement, andtherefore the necessary EV-charging or hydrogen-fueling infrastructure would also need to bedeveloped. It is hoped that the early success of the CVX would lead to connection to NAS Lemooreshortly after service is begun, as it is the expressed interest of the Station administration to haveexpress transit service to Visalia for its personnel who live in the community and work at the Station.The Mooney Boulevard BRT would operate along Mooney Boulevard with five (5) vehicles at 15-minute service frequencies for 16-18 hours per day over the approximate eleven (11) miles betweenthe Tulare Transit Center and the Visalia Transit Center, including stops at Prosperity Avenue(Tulare), Visalia Parkway, Caldwell Avenue, Walnut Avenue, Tulare Avenue/College of the Sequoias(COS), and Kaweah Health Medical Center, intersecting with the CVX at COS, Kaweah Health andthe Visalia Transit Center. Visalia Transit would serve as the primary transit provider, supported byTCRTA. It is also the goal that the BRT would begin operations in Fall 2028, including the installationof six (6) new BRT transit stops, twenty (20) intersection traffic signal preemption systems, andnecessary EV-charging or hydrogen-fueling infrastructure. Given the significance of MooneyBoulevard as the regional commercial corridor, it will be imperative that the project not createadditional congestion and/or interfere with commercial operations and development, and that the Citymaintain authority over the BRT routes, timing and operations.In financial support of the Project, TCAG has submitted multiple federal and State transit grantVisalia City Council Printed on 6/24/2026Page 2 of 4powered by Legistar™ File #:24-0492Agenda Date:11/3/2025Agenda #:2.applications, resulting in currently $69.38 million in State Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program(TIRCP) grant funds for capital improvements, including $49.1 million in capital improvements and$18.8 million for zero-emission vehicles, which $10.28 million in funding must be obligated withCaltrans by June 30, 2029 and expended by June 30, 2032. The remaining $59.1 million must beobligated with Caltrans by June 30, 2031, and expended by June 30, 2034. Given the combination ofawarded capital and vehicle grant funding, TCAG has stated that the ongoing use and value ofcapital and infrastructure development be the priority for funding in development of the Project, giventhere are other various local, State and federal funding options for vehicle procurement. TCAG hasalso allocated an initial $7 million in State Senate Bill 125 transit funds toward operational support, aswell as $1.5 million in State Senate Bill 743 mitigation funding from the State Route 99 Tulare Six-Lane and Paige Avenue Interchange Improvement Project toward operational support for the BRT.The $49.1 million in funded capital improvements include the following:Signal Preemption/Street Improvements Construction: $12,410,000Construction Contractor Costs: $9,460,000Caltrans and City Indirect Costs: $7,580,000Transit Stop Facility Improvements Construction: $5,720,000EV and Charging Infrastructure Construction: $5,300,000Lindsay Transit Center: $4,400,000Design and Engineering: $4,230,000As the most robust transit system in the region, TCAG has requested that the City of Visalia serve asthe project lead and primary service provider. The City serving in this capacity will be of significantimpact, both in the Engineering Department and the Administration-Transit Division, and will requireextensive coordination with Caltrans given the significant number of intersection signal preemptionsystem and street improvements within Caltrans jurisdiction and right-of-way, to which Caltrans hascommitted to identify a project manager on its behalf to coordinate with the City. The Caltrans ProjectManager could potentially be the same for the State Route 63 Rehabilitation and Class II BicycleLane Project currently being planned for construction in 2028. The City has identified the specificneed for a new Project Manager position in the Engineering Department to administer the City’sdesign/bid/build process and close coordination with necessary consultants and the identified ProjectManager for Caltrans, as well as a likely the need for a new position in the Transit Division as theproject grows closer to implementation.There are currently several agreements being drafted and/or reviewed by legal counsel for futureconsideration in support of the Regional Express Transit Service Project, including a draft agreementbetween the City, TCAG and the TCRTA for “Operations”, a draft Cooperation Agreement betweenthe City and Caltrans for “Capital Development”, a draft agreement between Caltrans, the City andTCAG for “Construction of Capital Improvements”, a draft agreement between the City and Caltransto be the recipient of State TIRCP transit grant funds, and a draft agreement between the City andTCAG to be the recipient of State SB 125 transit funds.Given the magnitude of the capital improvements planned for the CVX and BRT express transitservices and multi-year timeframe for development, it is possible for certain services to begin prior tofinal capital improvements (e.g. Visalia Transit matching KART service between the Visalia TransitCenter and Hanford Transit Center).Visalia City Council Printed on 6/24/2026Page 3 of 4powered by Legistar™ File #:24-0492Agenda Date:11/3/2025Agenda #:2.Fiscal Impact:If approved for the City’s participation, this proposed Project will lead to the creation of a new CIPproject for the Transit Division with Engineering Department assistance and support, and the receiptand responsibility for significant State and potentially federal transit grant funding.As indicated in this report, upwards of $70 million in State transit grant funds have been awarded forthe development of the Project, which are prioritized for capital and infrastructure development.There are various local, State and federal funding sources available for transit vehicle procurement,and TCAG has already budgeted the projected first year of full buildout operations of $8.5 million.As also indicated in this report, of the $69.38 million in State transit grant funds secured, $10.28million in funding must be obligated with Caltrans by June 30, 2029, and expended by June 30, 2032.The remaining $59.1 million must be obligated with Caltrans by June 30, 2031, and expended byJune 30, 2034.Prior Council Action: NoneOther: N/AAlternatives: Do not authorize the City’s participation in the Regional Express Transit ServiceProject and/or serve as the project lead.Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):I move to approve the City’s participating in and serving as the project lead and primary servicesoperator of the Regional Express Transit Service Project, approve the draft Resolution authorizingthe City Manager to execute the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) MasterAgreement and Program Supplement for Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program Funding (TIRCP),and authorize the City Manager in coordination with the City Attorney to draft necessary agreementswith the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG), Tulare County Regional Transit Agency(TCRTA) and Caltrans for the Council’s formal approval.Environmental Assessment Status: N/ACEQA Review: N/AAttachments:1. Draft Resolution 2025-732. Draft Caltrans Grant Recipient Agreement3. Draft Memorandum of Understanding for “Operations”4. Draft Memorandum of Understanding for “Capital Infrastructure”5. CVX and Mooney BRT - System Map Exhibit6. Meeting PresentationVisalia City Council Printed on 6/24/2026Page 4 of 4powered by Legistar™