The Point: State Cap-and-Trade funding advances RCTC’s ongoing efforts to implement multimodal solutions
The 91/Perris Valley Line (91/PVL) will see service improvements thanks to a $15.5 million award for the Metrolink Double-Track Project announced in April by Governor Gavin Newsom. The award announcement follows a joint application by RCTC and Metrolink to expand passenger rail service on the 91/PVL and reduce congestion along the heavily traveled I-215.
The project will improve 6.5 miles of existing freight railroad track to meet standards for Metrolink passenger rail service. The historic freight tracks are rated for much slower speeds than passenger trains require. The upgrades will include reconstructing existing track and the addition of a second set of tracks between the Moreno Valley/March Field Station and just north of the Perris-Downtown Station along the 91/PVL. These improvements will allow for expanded Metrolink service in the area and safely accommodate local freight trains serving freight rail shippers along the corridor.
Perris-Downtown Metrolink Station
The improved tracks will offer improved reliability, increase service frequency, and keep on-time performance. Furthermore, the project expands transportation options by offering an alternate to driving, reducing air pollution, and serving underserved communities. Through these improvements, Metrolink will be closer to offering service every 30 minutes, consistent with the Southern California Optimized Rail Expansion (SCORE) Program and California State Rail Plan.
The project will connect to the Moreno Valley/March Field Station Improvements Project, which began construction in October 2022. Construction for the Metrolink Double-Track Project could begin in mid-2024.
The grant, administered by the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA), is derived from the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) and is part of a $690 million investment by the state to fund 28 new public transportation projects in disadvantaged communities. Funding helps expand transit and passenger rail service in Riverside County and throughout California while eliminating an estimated 2,068,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
For a complete list of the grant recipients, click here.