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FRIENDS <br />• OF <br />CAITRAIN <br />February 8, 2021 <br />Sequoia Station Agenda #7a <br />Honorable Council Members, <br />Friends of Caltrain supports modernization of Caltrain in the context of a regionally integrated public <br />transportation system accessible to all. We are writing with regard to the Sequoia Station item on this <br />evening's agenda. <br />In this letter, we want to highlight the generational opportunity posed by the transportation aspects of <br />this project. Caltrain's Business Plan's analysis shows that the four -track station that would be enabled <br />by the development would be the single biggest improvement to Caltrain service and ridership over the <br />next 20 years. <br />The passing station will allow express trains to pass local trains, which allows Caltrain to run more <br />frequent service, with a more even schedule with better connections, providing more convenient travel, <br />higher capacity and greater traffic relief. The infrastructure would support higher transit use for <br />Redwood City and the entire Peninsula Corridor. <br />The grade separations required by the passing tracks would separate the Caltrain tracks from the <br />downtown cross streets, improving crosstown connections for all modes of travel. The options that <br />provide more permeability are better (other than option #4, which would separate Whipple only), <br />because they enable people walking and bicycling to travel shorter distances rather than to take longer <br />detours if streets are blocked off. <br />In summary, we urge you to advance this project, and to take additional steps to ensure that the city <br />continues to add housing at all income levels and to protect renters to prevent negative effects on <br />housing affordability and stability for residents. <br />Thank you, <br />Adina <br />Adina Levin <br />Friends of Caltrain <br />https://greencaltrain.com <br />