To date, the following Grade Separation Projects have been completed:
- Avenue 48/ Dillon Road (City of Coachella)
- Avenue 50 (City of Coachella)
- Columbia Avenue (City of Riverside)
- Jurupa Avenue (City of Riverside)
- Magnolia Avenue (City of Riverside)
Southern California is our nation’s largest and most important center for transferring and moving goods (freight and merchandise) from ships to people throughout the United States. The region’s extensive goods movement network is composed of ports, airports, rail yards and distribution centers, all connected by a highly developed system of highways and railways. In 2008, freight flowing through the ports totaled in excess of $287 billion and generated upwards of $30 billion in total tax revenues. Goods movement also provides much needed jobs. It is estimated that nearly one million jobs in California are sustained by Southern California’s freight movement activities and an additional two million jobs are sustained across the rest of the nation.
Freight does not move for free. There are costs – both monetary and to quality of life – that must be paid to improve and maintain a viable regional freight movement system. Our infrastructure must grow to meet anticipated demand. In Riverside County, almost all freight rail traffic is from passing trains.
For communities in Riverside County, the pressing need is to construct railroad grade separations to mitigate the effects of slow moving freight trains that often bisect communities and impact public safety. In the past this has often been seen as a local responsibility; however, Riverside County’s grade separation needs are unique and pervasive with rail crossing delays impacting the transportation system and the economy. There are currently 57 at-grade crossings in Riverside County that are located along the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroads.
The Commission has been proactive in mitigating the negative impacts of goods movement:
- Twice adopted a Grade Separation Funding Strategy, a one-of-a-kind document in Southern California that provides a blueprint for delivering the 20 highest-priority grade separations in Riverside County. Available by clicking here.
- Secured $162 million in Proposition 1B bond funding to construct 12 grade separations in Riverside County and improve a freeway interchange at I-215 and Van Buren Blvd. The Proposition 1B funding will enable 12 of the 20 highest-priority grade separations to be constructed by 2014.
- Identified Alameda Corridor East grade separations as its top legislative platform for the reauthorization of the federal transportation bill.
