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

A two-day shutdown of rail services has been scheduled by RCTC and Metrolink to continue implementing critical work for the Moreno Valley/March Field Station Improvement Projects.

Passengers entering and exiting Perris this weekend should plan for a two-day interruption of rail service due to scheduled shutdowns affecting Perris-South, Perris-Downtown, Moreno Valley/March Field, and Riverside-Hunter Park. Passenger rail services will not be available at these stations, but Metrolink will be providing alternate transportation for passengers travelling to destinations serviced by the 91/Perris Valley Line.

The Riverside-Downtown, Riverside-La Sierra, Corona-North Main, and Corona-West stations will maintain their standard Saturday and Sunday operating schedules. Riverside Transit Agency and other transit services operating out of the affected stations will also maintain their standard Saturday and Sunday schedules.

The two-day shutdown will provide safe conditions for crews to continue working on infrastructure enhancements as part of the Moreno Valley/March Field Station Improvement Project. Enhancements include extension of the current platform, pedestrian crossing improvements, and drainage channel upgrades.

Construction began on the Moreno Valley/March Field Station Improvement Project in October 2022. Key project elements include:

• Adding a second passenger train platform
• Extending the existing platform to accommodate the length of the standard Metrolink six-car trains.
• Upgrading 2 ½ miles of track for the future nine-mile double-track corridor south of the station.

The Moreno Valley/March Field Improvement Stations Project is part of RCTC’s goal of increasing commuter rail service to relieve traffic congestion and improve air quality in the region. The project is also part of Metrolink’s Southern California Optimized Rail Expansion (SCORE) program, which aims to upgrade the Metrolink system in time for the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics Games.

Project funding is provided by a combination of local and federal transportation sources, including a $32 million Federal Transit Administration grant and Riverside County voter-approved Measure A.

The project is anticipated to be completed by spring 2024. For more information, visit the project webpage at rctc.org/moval.

Plan ahead if you plan to take Metrolink to and from Perris this weekend.

RCTC and Metrolink have scheduled a two-day rail service shutdown that will affect the Perris-South, Perris-Downtown, Moreno Valley/March Field, and Riverside-Hunter Park Metrolink stations. During the closure, these stations will not provide passenger rail service. The Riverside-Downtown, Riverside-La Sierra, Corona-North Main, and Corona-West stations will operate on the regular Saturday and Sunday schedules.

For passengers who need to get to destinations serviced by the 91/Perris Valley Line, Metrolink will provide alternate transportation. Riverside Transit Agency and other transit services from the affected stations will run on regular Saturday and Sunday schedules.

The weekend rail service shutdown is required for the Moreno Valley/March Field Station Improvements Project to ensure the safety of construction crews and the on-time completion of critical work. During the closure, crews will work at the station to extend the current platform, improve the pedestrian crossing, and upgrade drainage channels.

Construction on the Moreno Valley/March Field Station Improvement Project began in October 2022 and key elements include:

• Adding a second passenger train platform
• Extending the existing platform to accommodate the length of the standard Metrolink six-car trains.
• Upgrading 2 ½ miles of track for the future nine-mile double-track corridor south of the station.

The Moreno Valley/March Field Improvement Stations Project is part of RCTC’s goal of increasing commuter rail service to relieve traffic congestion and improve air quality in the region. The project is also part of Metrolink’s Southern California Optimized Rail Expansion (SCORE) program, which aims to upgrade the Metrolink system in time for the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics Games.

Project funding is provided by a combination of local and federal transportation sources, including a $32 million Federal Transit Administration grant and Riverside County voter-approved Measure A.

The project is anticipated to be completed by spring 2024. For more information, please visit the project webpage at rctc.org/moval.

Heading to or from Perris? Drivers have another option to enter and exit Interstate 215 with the opening of the new Placentia Avenue Interchange.

RCTC opened the on-ramps and off-ramps December 13, providing an alternative to the Ramona Expressway ramps to the north and the Nuevo Road ramps to the south. Construction of the $42 million infrastructure investment began in August 2020.

“We are excited to deliver this important piece of infrastructure for our residents of Perris and neighboring communities,” said RCTC Chair and Riverside County 4^th District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez. “This new interchange expands access to work and school and helps with traffic flow in this rapidly growing area,” he said.

The project provided close to 400 jobs during construction. Crews built the on- and off-ramps, widened the Placentia Avenue bridge over I-215 with new lanes between Harvill Avenue and Indian Road, and added sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and a barrier-separated equestrian path along Placentia Avenue. Crews also constructed detention basins to reduce local street flooding.

The interchange is the first construction segment of the Mid County Parkway, a planned 16-mile corridor between Perris and San Jacinto. RCTC began final design last month of the next Mid County Parkway segment, which will extend 8.6 miles along Ramona Expressway from Warren Road to about one mile east of Rider Street in the County of Riverside.

The Mid County Parkway Ramona Expressway project will address high priority safety needs for this segment of roadway with a history of vehicle collisions. The project also will reduce travel times and promote transportation equity for the Perris and San Jacinto valleys with better connections to I-215, Route 79, Metrolink service, and Riverside Transit Agency service.

RCTC currently is seeking grant funding to build this next section of the MCP. If funds can be secured, construction could start in early 2025.

RCTC is seeking grant funds from Solutions for Congested Corridors and Local Partnership Grant programs funded by the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. If awarded, RCTC will use the funds for two critical projects in Riverside County: Metrolink Double Track Project: Moreno Valley-Perris and the Mid County Parkway Ramona Expressway.

The projects are vital components of RCTC’s vision to implement safe multimodal solutions in the rapidly growing communities of southwestern Riverside County and the San Jacinto Valley. Riverside County is the fastest-growing county in California and the fifth fastest-growing in the country. These communities are ground zero for that growth.

The Mid County Parkway Ramona Expressway and Metrolink Double Track Project: Moreno Valley-Perris projects will allow better access to multimodal transportation services such as bus and rail, provide safety improvements, and help improve air quality in our region. Project improvements include:

• Increased Commuter Rail Service – enabling increased Metrolink service frequency by double tracking stretches of the 91/Perris Valley Line along the 215 corridor in Perris and Moreno Valley.
• Improved Safety – reducing the high rate of collisions along dangerous stretches of Ramona Expressway by implementing safety improvements.
• Bolstered Access to Transit Service – strengthening arterial connections so San Jacinto and Hemet Valley residents may better access the Metrolink 91/Perris Valley Line and other transit services.

Your voice matters! Please join Riverside County residents and businesses to show your support for one or both projects by adding your name in RCTC’s applications for state funding grant applications. Register today at https://www.rctc.org/support-metrolink-double-track-mcp-ramona.