CTC allocates $37.6 million to Baldwin Ave. grade separation project

Written by jrood

The California Transportation Commission voted to allocate $37.6 million in state bond funds to construct the Baldwin Avenue grade separation project in the City of El Monte. The award of funds will permit the Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority to prepare to release the project for bids from contractors.

“We truly appreciate the California Transportation Commission allocating these bond funds for the Baldwin Avenue project,” said ACE Board Chairman David Gutierrez, a city of San Gabriel Councilman. “This project will eliminate a congested and hazardous roadway-railroad crossing on a busy thoroughfare, which connects the 10 and 210 freeways.”

The $80.5 million project calls for constructing a double-track railroad bridge over a four-lane depressed roadway on Baldwin Avenue between Rose Avenue and Gidley Street. Bessie Avenue will end in cul-de-sacs with a new pedestrian bridge built across Baldwin Avenue. Baldwin Avenue is used by 28,000 vehicles a day, including substantial truck traffic, which are blocked when crossing gates are down for 14 freight trains per day and six passenger trains per week.

The project will eliminate the at-grade crossing, the potential for train-vehicle collisions, delays for emergency responders and reduce emissions and locomotive horn and crossing gate noise. Project spending is projected to create 1,370 full-time equivalent jobs. The Federal Railroad Administration has recorded two train-vehicle collisions at the crossing in the past 10 years.

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