Twelve rail-related projects in California among those to receive federal grants

WASHINGTON — A dozen rail-related projects in California are among those to receive funding through three U.S. Department of Transportation grant programs, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla has announced.

In all, 25 projects will receive more than $258 million in federal funds through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE); Reconnecting Communities pilot, and Rural Surface Transportation grant programs.

“Far too many communities across California have been cut off by old highway construction projects or are struggling with aging transportation infrastructure in their own neighborhoods,” Padilla (D-Calif.) said in a press release. “These major transportation investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will reduce historical barriers to economic and educational opportunities and create a safer, cleaner commute for millions of Californians.”

Projects with a rail element, listed by grant recipient and amount, include:

— Yuba County: $35.3 million for extension of Plumas Lake Boulevard to connect to Plumas-Arboga Road with two bridges, one providing grade-crossing separation over Union Pacific Railroad tracks. The extension will also serve the location for a proposed commuter rail stop. (Rural grant.)

— Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles: $26.6 million for pedestrian projects in Watts to address transportation-related barriers, including some created by LA Metro’s light rail A Line. (Reconnecting Communities grant.)

— Bay Area Rapid Transit District: $25 million to replace existing train control with a moving-block, communications-based train control system, including equipping railcars with the required equipment. (RAISE grant.)

— City of Palmdale: $23 million for grade-crossing separation of Rancho Vista Boulevard at Sierra Highway and the Union Pacific/Metrolink tracks. (RAISE grant.)

— Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission: $19.5 million for construction of approximately 7.5 miles of multi-use trail along the Santa Cruz Branch rail line, which is being preserved for future rail transit purposes. (RAISE grant.)

— City of Hanford: $15.5 million for corridor improvements in a 0.8-mile segment of downtown Harford between the city’s Amtrak station and Tenth Avenue. The work will include roadway and intersection improvements, ADA upgrades, bus stop improvements, and electronic information displays. (RAISE grant.)

— City of Goleta: $11.2 million for an underpass beneath U.S. Route 101, the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, and State Route 217 to provide a better connection for Old Town Goleta to features to the north and south (Reconnecting Communities grant.)

— Sacramento Regional Transit District: $9.5 million to construct a new Dos Rios light rail Blue Line station on North 12th Street between Richards Boulevard and Sunbeam Stream. The project involves realignment of approximately 1,400 feet of track, relocation of the overhead catenary system, and station construction. (RAISE grant.)

— City of Richmond: $9.6 million for street improvements to address barriers created by Interstate 580, railroad tracks, and two heavily used city roadways. (Reconnecting Communities grant.)

— San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency: $9.2 million for planning, design, and other analysis of partial demolition and reconstruction of the century-old Presidio Yard bus maintenance facility to support maintenance for both trolleys and battery-electric buses.

— City of Palmdale: A second grant, for $1 million to study redesign of East Q Avenue, including construction of an underpass below the Union Pacific/Metrolink rail line and a pedestrian overpass to connect to the future Palmdale high speed rail station. (Reconnecting Communities grant.)

— City of Vernon: $856,000 for planning for a 1.5-mile greenway project between Randolph Street and the LA River. The project aims to mitigate divisions caused by railroad spurs throughout the city and create an accessible multi-use path from one end of the city to the other. (Reconnecting Communities grant.)

A list of all 25 California projects to receive funding is available here.