Colton Crossing project would provide about $64 million in improvements

Colton, Calif., city officials say the long-awaited Colton Crossing project would bring improvements valued around $64 million to the city, but a critical component state transportation officials seek still hasn't been secured, the Redlands Daily Facts reports.

The California
Transportation Commission, the state’s transportation agency, has requested the
Southern California Consensus Group – comprised of transportation agencies and
Los Angeles County ports – approve a letter of support for the project.

Local stakeholders have
until Friday to convince the consensus group to submit the letter to the
commission, said Jane Dreher, spokeswoman for San Bernardino Associated
Governments, or Sanbag, the county’s transportation agency.

On May 19 and 20, the
commission is set to vote on whether or not it will allocate $91.3 million in
bond money to help fund the project’s estimated $202 million cost. Another $34
million in federal Recovery Act funds also hinge on the commission’s vote. If
the project isn’t approved, the money would go back to Washington, D.C., and
likely never return to Southern California, officials have said.

At an April meeting, the
commission decided to delay voting on the matter for a month and requested the
letter and two memorandum of understanding documents be submitted by the
deadline. The memorandums have been finalized. The letter hasn’t. Mayor Kelly
Chastain said she doesn’t believe the project will be killed if the letter
isn’t submitted by Friday.

"The letter’s not a
do or die," Chastain said. "I think the commission would like to have
that to show solidarity."

Calls for comment to a
commission spokeswoman weren’t returned May 5. Chastain believes the commission
will support the project since $34 million in federal money has also been
secured.

"I believe they see
the magnitude," Chastain said.

Around 100 trains a day
pass through the Colton Crossing, where Union Pacific tracks that run east and
west intersect BNSF tracks that go north and south. For years a railroad grade-separation
project has been discussed that would allow trains on both tracks to pass
simultaneously.

The City Council approved
a memorandum with Sanbag and both railroads May 4. Reports say the city would
contribute $5.4 million toward almost $64 million in improvements the project
would bring.

Several improvements
would turn the entire city into a quiet zone, so trains can safely pass through
the city without blowing whistles, unless there’s an emergency, said City
Manager Rod Foster. An underpass would be installed at Laurel Street so trains
can pass through without disturbing traffic, the report says.

Tracks that run along the
middle of Ninth Street, in residential neighborhoods, would be moved just east
of Fogg Street, near M Street, to undeveloped land. This would allow a Union
Pacific rail line that crosses the southbound 215 Freeway to be removed, which
would save $9.5 million on the cost of the ongoing 215 widening project, the
report says.