ANTIOCH — Antioch will invest $375,000 to upgrade its Amtrak station, even as the stop faces a possible closure.
The Antioch City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved funding for a variety of enhancements just as the nearby Oakley station is slated to be operational in 2027.
Antioch has been fighting to keep the Amtrak station open after the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority board voted in March 2023 to decommission the stop on I Street in favor of Oakley.
Antioch City Manager Bessie Marie Scott suggested the planned improvements may change the station’s fate.
“It isn’t just because the stop has been decommissioned, it’s because (we) want to keep it open for the next three years and then go back to the Joint Powers in a couple months to see if it will be permanently kept open,” said Scott. “We’re just making the upgrades that we needed anyway, for the area of its city-owned property.”
Scott said there are some safety concerns and improvements in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act that must be completed. She said about 100 residents take the train from the station each day.
The San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority, which oversees passenger rail service between Oakland and Bakersfield, made the decision to close the Antioch station following complaints that riders felt unsafe.
City officials said they were caught off guard by the board’s decision and have been pushing to keep it open.
During a September 2024 meeting, Antioch residents and then-Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe said the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority did not conduct comprehensive community engagement or analysis on the closure’s impact.
On Tuesday night, Antioch’s Public Works Director Scott Buenting presented a conceptual plan for the station’s improvements and upgrades. The plan includes beautifying pathways, planting new trees, fencing, and additional lighting.
“It is something that we think would be a betterment to the area and provide us with a better chance of keeping the Amtrak station in the future,” said Buenting.
Scott said the beautification and upgrade plans will be developed in consultation with Amtrak. Funding for the improvements will come from the city’s gas tax revenue.
Councilmember Louie Rocha said many residents have contacted him and questioned whether the city is doing enough to advocate for the stop to remain in operation.
“I think this is a step in that direction,” said Rocha. “There’s no guarantee, I know that, but I think it’s the best we can do.”
During public comment, some residents questioned the city’s plan to spend money on upgrades when there was no guarantee that the stop would remain in service.
Resident Andrew Becker said he attended San Joaquin Rail Authority meetings and was under the impression that Antioch would not be keeping the station open in its current model.
“Why are we spending significant dollars and time improving the station that we don’t have any authority to keep? It’s not our decision,” said Becker. “We can go to another meeting, and we can beg as much as we want, and the past mayor did, but it’s not our decision unless other conversations were had.”