Alameda Corridor East: Construction begins on four-lane roadway underpass at busy El Monte intersection

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Photos by Luis Inzunza

Federal, state, local and railroad officials today launched the start of constuction of a four-lane roadway underpass with a double-track railroad bridge to replace a congested railroad crossing on Baldwin Avenue in the City of El Monte.

The grade separation at Baldwin Avenue is a project of the Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority (ACE), which works to mitigate the impacts of significant increases in rail traffic along this 70-mile stretch of the east Alameda Corridor. The ACE project consists of multiple construction projects including safety and mobility upgrades and grade separations, where the road goes over or under the railroad.

The railroad crossing is on Baldwin Avenue between Valley Boulevard and Lower Azuza Road. Baldwin Avenue is used daily by 28,000 vehicles, including significant truck traffic, and blocked by an average of 20 Union Pacific freight trains a day.

“The project will eliminate train delays, deadly crossing collisions and locomotive horn blasts, help improve the region’s air quality and create 1,370 jobs during the two years of construction,” noted ACE Chairman and San Gabriel Councilman David Gutierrez in his remarks.

Metro is a funding partner with the ACE program. Metro’s contribution to the Baldwin Avenue grade separation is $14.2 million.

Measure R funding of $400 million and $271 million from Proposition C is committed to the overall ACE program. With the Measure R funds, Metro’s total contribution of $671.4 million covers more than one-third of the overall estimated $1.6-billion Alameda Corridor East program.

6 replies

  1. Neglected Bus Rider, generally funds for infrastructure capital projects are categorial and certainly not available for operations. Metro’s funding is also tied to regional equity as it funded a portion of the Alameda Corridor in the South county and now is funding this companion program.

  2. They should make all at grade crossings like this. Any chance we’ll get more of this on the Expo, Blue, and Gold Lines so that light rail doesn’t impede traffic?

    • Hi Warren;

      It’s $1.6 billion for the entire ACE program, not just that intersection.

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source

  3. 14.2 million for an intersection that could have been put into buses! Real good, Metro (Sarcasm!)