Great news for Metrolink riders – more improvements are coming to the 91/Perris Valley Line (PVL) thanks to the recently awarded construction contract for the Perris-South Station and Layover Expansion Project. During its November 12 meeting, the Commission approved the award of a construction agreement with the Granite Construction Company to start construction on a project aimed at enhancing passenger rail service and efficiency along I-215.

The project, led by RCTC, in partnership with Metrolink, Caltrans, and the City of Perris, will expand the Perris-South Metrolink Station, which serves as the end point for the PVL, and adjacent train layover facility. As part of the expansion, crews will add a second passenger loading platform at the station, new canopies and other passenger amenities, and extend the existing platform. To accommodate the new platform, over 1,200 feet of new track will be constructed to allow two passenger trains to board and deboard at the same time. This new track will also allow the station to remain operational in the event that a train is out of service on one set of tracks.

The project also includes construction of a fourth track at the layover maintenance facility, along with installation of a new switch to allow trains to change tracks. These additions are expected to further improve Metrolink service operations and efficiency by allowing more trains to be stored overnight.

Since passenger rail service first began on the PVL in 2016, RCTC has delivered numerous upgrades along the line to improve travel time and expand mobility options, including the recently completed improvements to the Moreno Valley/March Field Station – a project that added a second platform and upgraded track, and which was also built by Granite. The upcoming construction of the Mead Valley Station/Mobility Hub will add an additional access point on the PVL and serve the rapidly growing communities along I-215.

Construction on the Perris-South project is expected to start in early 2026 and be completed in 2028. Funding for the project is derived from a combination of local and state sources, including Measure A and a $25 million State Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program grant. To learn more about this rail project and to sign up for updates, please visit: rctc.org/perrissouthstation

The sun was bright, and the trains were shining as RCTC, Metrolink, and project partners celebrated the completion of the Moreno Valley/March Field Station Improvements Project with a ribbon cutting ceremony. On August 12, 2025, local officials, transportation leaders, and community members gathered at the upgraded station to celebrate this important milestone and tour the new second train platform and upgraded boarding areas.

“This project is a crucial element of the RCTC’s vision to enhance commuter rail service and improve our region’s public transportation system,” said RCTC Chair and Riverside County Board of Supervisor Karen Spiegel. “Moreno Valley, Perris, Riverside, and the surrounding communities continue to grow, and this project prepares us for the future.”

Attendees were able to get an up-close look at the new train platform and new canopies, mini-high platform, emergency telephone, signage, and electronic displays. RCTC also upgraded 2 ½ miles of track for a future double-track corridor south of the station. Metrolink started service on the new platform on July 7, and these enhancements will help improve service and reliability on the 91/Perris Valley Line (PVL) in Riverside County and throughout the Metrolink network.

The Moreno Valley/March Field station is one of nine Metrolink stations in Riverside County that RCTC owns and operates. The delivery of this project signifies a new wave of planned improvements along the PVL designed to improve transit options for the residents of these growing communities. Future projects include the Metrolink Double Track Project, Perris-South Metrolink Station and Layover Facility, and the Mead Valley Metrolink Station and Mobility Hub.

Construction of the $38 million dollar project took place from October 2022 through July 2025 and was funded through a combination of local and federal sources, including a $32 million dollar grant from the Federal Transit Administration and funds from Measure A, Riverside County’s voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements.

RCTC thanks the community for its continued support and looks forward to delivering more transformative transportation projects across Riverside County. For more information about the project, visit: rctc.org/moval

The 91/Perris Valley Line (PVL) is getting a boost — and so is your commute! RCTC, in partnership with Metrolink, has officially completed the Moreno Valley/March Field Station Improvements Project. On July 7, passengers were welcomed aboard with hot coffee, fresh pastries, and a brand-new train platform designed to improve the region’s passenger rail network.

“Metrolink stations are an important part of our communities, and improvements like this enhance the reliability and appeal of train travel for our residents,” said RCTC Chair and Riverside County Board of Supervisor Karen Spiegel. “I am thrilled the Moreno Valley/March Field Station Improvements Project is completed and I want to express my gratitude for the funding support from our federal partners, which made this project possible.”

The improvements at the station include: 

• A second train platform for easier passenger boarding and increased frequency in the future 
• Extended the existing platform from 510 feet to 680 feet, to accommodate the length of Metrolink’s standard six-car trains 
• New canopies, mini-high platform, emergency telephone, electronic displays, and signage 
• Upgraded 2.5 miles of track that is part of a future nine-mile double-track corridor south of the station 

These improvements will enhance service and reliability on the PVL during peak service times, offer additional alternatives to driving, and help relieve congestion on I-215 by providing reliable and efficient transit options for Riverside County commuters, who face some of the longest commutes in southern California.  

The $38 million project was funded by a combination of sources, including Measure A, Riverside County’s twice voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements, and a $32 million Federal Transit Administration grant.

The project is part of Metrolink’s Southern California Optimized Rail Expansion program, also known as SCORE, which aims to upgrade the Metrolink system in time for the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics Games. RCTC is also planning additional improvements to further improve passenger rail service on the PVL, including the Metrolink Double Track Project, Perris-South Metrolink Station and Layover Facility, and the Mead Valley Metrolink Station and Mobility Hub.

The completion of the Moreno Valley/March Field Station Improvements Project, along with future investments in our region’s rail network, will unlock more travel options and bolster access to transit services, alleviating traffic congestion and improving the quality of life for our residents.

For more information about this project, please visit: rctc.org/moval

“The Traffic Relief Plan is a guide for improving our transportation system. If we can clear up bottlenecks for better flowing freeways and provide greater mobility options, our residents will spend less time in traffic congestion and more time living life,” said RCTC Chair Lloyd White and Beaumont City Council Member. “By coming together to approve this plan, the Commission is working to ensure Riverside County remains a place of opportunity and not a region known for traffic.”

The Plan features more than $30 billion in transportation improvements across seven transportation categories, including:

Residents are encouraged to read the Plan at TrafficReliefPlan.org.

Later this summer, Commissioners representing every city in the County and all five members from the County Board of Supervisors will decide what steps can be taken to fund projects in the TRP.

Human trafficking is a gross violation of human rights, causing immeasurable harm to its victims, their families, and communities across U.S. and the globe. At times, human trafficking can infiltrate the different modes of public transportation where traffickers exploit the bus and passenger rail systems to move victims.  

In January, Riverside County Transportation Commission joined hundreds of transportation industry leaders across the country to sign the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking Pledge. This pledge reinforces RCTC’s continued commitment to combating and bringing awareness to human trafficking. 

As an operator of nine Metrolink stations in Riverside County, RCTC works in conjunction with Metrolink and bus operators to honor our commitment to help end human trafficking. This includes annual training for staff on recognizing the signs of human trafficking, driving broader public awareness, and tracking and sharing data with authorities.

We encourage our staff and passengers to join our efforts to end human trafficking. Stay alert. Recognize the signs. Speak up. To learn more about human trafficking and the steps Metrolink is taking to combat it, visit metrolinktrains.com/human-trafficking.  

To report suspected human trafficking on Metrolink’s system to a nearby Metrolink representative or call or text the Security Operations Center at 866-640-5190. Always dial 911 in an emergency. Remember, never intervene personally. Instead, report your suspicions as soon as possible.  

Together, we can end human trafficking.  

RCTC is paving the way for transportation improvements in Riverside County! The Commission secured $9.5 million in federal community project funding through legislation signed into law on March 9. This funding will help fund the Coachella Valley Rail Project, State Route 91 Eastbound Corridor Operations Project, and the Metrolink Double Track Project: Moreno Valley to Perris. These projects will help enhance mobility, transportation choice, and travel time reliability across Riverside County.

Representative Calvert secured RCTC’s request for $5 million to advance the Tier II environmental phase of the Coachella Valley (CV) Rail Project. This game-changing project aims to deliver daily intercity passenger rail service between Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley.

CV Rail service would extend 144 miles from Los Angeles Union Station to Indio, and offer stops at nine stations across Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties. As the Coachella Valley continues its rapid population and economic growth, new modes of transportation are needed to connect residents with the broader southern California region and beyond.

More than 160,000 people travel through the San Gorgonio Pass daily, adding to congestion on local highways. CV Rail will offer an alternative to driving that will enhance mobility while improving air quality for surrounding communities. CV Rail fills the unmet need of connecting travelers from across the region with restaurants, resorts, music festivals, sports facilities, and other tourism and economic centers.

Thanks to Representative Young Kim, $4 million was awarded to the State Route 91 Eastbound Corridor Operations Project (91 ECOP). Eastbound traffic on State Route 91 near the Riverside/Orange County border experiences frequent congestion, particularly in the late afternoons and evenings as residents return from work and school. Additionally, more than 40% of the nation’s goods travel through inland southern California on trucks traveling east along State Route 91.

The 91 ECOP addresses these congestion challenges by adding a non-tolled lane on eastbound State Route 91 between the State Route 241 Toll Road and State Route 71 in Corona. This project will reduce traffic delays and improve safety for travelers by reducing merging and weaving between lanes.

Rounding out the award of federal funds, RCTC received $500,000 for the Metrolink Double Track Project: Moreno Valley to Perris, which was made possible by Representative Mark Takano. The Metrolink 91/Perris Valley Line currently only has one set of tracks, limiting opportunities to provide additional, bidirectional service to meet the growing transportation needs of residents in Riverside County. The project will add a second track between the Moreno Valley/March Field Station and north of the Perris-Downtown Station.

The project is adjacent to historically underinvested communities that need reliable and efficient transit options that serve as alternatives to driving along the congested Interstate 215. Residents will enjoy enhanced access to jobs and education, reduced air pollution, and increased service as Metrolink seeks to achieve its goal of providing bidirectional service every 30 minutes ahead of the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics.

RCTC thanks Representatives Calvert, Kim, and Takano for their leadership in delivering transportation funding to Riverside County – improving mobility and quality of life for residents.

The Coachella Valley Rail Project (CV Rail) continues moving forward. Over the past year, the CV Rail project has made progress in getting funding for the next phase and coordinating closely with city and agency partners. Recently, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) made a big announcement to help keep project momentum going. The FRA added the CV Rail Project to the federal Identification and Development Program (Corridor ID) and awarded the project $500,000.

Why is this important? By being included in the Corridor ID program, the CV Rail project is now considered vital to developing intercity passenger rail across the Country. That’s a big deal. The designation will allow RCTC, Caltrans, and other project partners to better compete for engineering and construction grants as projects continue to move forward.

“I am pleased to see the Federal Rail Administration recognize the value CV Rail will bring to Riverside County. By including CV Rail in the Corridor ID program, the federal government has signaled that the project is viable and warrants attention,” said RCTC Chair and Lake Elsinore City Council Member Robert “Bob” Magee. “This designation will help CV Rail compete for more federal grants that will help get this service up and running for our residents,” he said.

In addition to being added to the Corridor ID program, the FRA will provide $500,000 to allow our project partners to create a Service Development Plan that will outline the future needs of passenger rail. The first round of route selections is intended to identify existing and potential new routes to create an intercity passenger rail system across the Country.

Daily intercity passenger rail to and from the Coachella Valley has long been a local and statewide priority. The new service will offer mobility choices, reduce traffic congestion, and expand economic opportunities by connecting the growing Riverside County desert communities to various resorts, commercial, retail, and quality jobs.

Learn more about the Coachella Valley Rail project at www.rctc.org/cvr