CTC grants funds to three California rail projects

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
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The California Transportation Commission has allocated approximately $102.7 million to three rail projects that will provide better transit, increase intermodal opportunities and reduce highway congestion.

“We are building transportation improvements that will benefit the state for decades and will also boost job growth in every region of California,” said California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Director Malcolm Dougherty.

The funds are part of a larger sum of $287 million awarded to 23 projects statewide, covering multiple modes of transportation. These allocations include $259 million from Proposition 1B, a transportation bond approved by voters in 2006. The remaining $28 million in allocations came from assorted transportation accounts funded by state and federal dollars.

Rail-related projects that received funding include:

• Almeda: $65.8 million to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), for the Port of Oakland’s Outer Harbor Intermodal Terminals Project. The project will connect a new 200-car rail yard and build new lead tracks off the Martinez Subdivision near Emeryville Yard, which will become the main entry point for all rail traffic to and from the port.

• San Diego: $25.9 million to the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) for the Southline Rail Improvements – Yard Expansion. The project will provide storage track for 96 additional rail cars and will result in increased safety and reduction of highway congestion by removing up to 31,800 truck trips a year, 96 percent increase in rail throughout annually and a 100 percent increase in daily train operations.

• San Joaquin: $10,974,000 to the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission for the ACE Stockton Passenger Track Extension. The project includes construction of a 2.57-mile dedicated passenger rail track north of downtown Stockton, interlocking between Union Pacific and BNSF, which will improve train access to station and passenger boarding.

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