Officials gathered in the City of El Monte this morning to celebrate the completion of the Baldwin Avenue grade separation project, a project of the Alameda Corridor-East (ACE) Construction Authority. Metro funded the grade separation project $18 million in Prop C half-cent sales tax proceeds, approximately 22% of the total project cost.
Measure R funding of $400 million and $288 million from Proposition C is committed to the overall ACE program. With the Measure R funds, Metro’s total contribution of $688 million covers more than 40% of the overall estimated $1.6-billion Alameda Corridor-East program.
Here’s the press release from the ACE:
(City of El Monte, CA) – Officials gathered today to mark the completion of major construction on a four-lane roadway underpass and a two-track railroad bridge carrying freight trains over Baldwin Avenue, north of Valley Boulevard in the City of El Monte.
To construct the Baldwin Avenue grade separation project, workers used 1 million pounds of reinforcing steel, poured 12,000 cubic yards of concrete and excavated 93,000 cubic yards of dirt, enough to fill 11,600 dump trucks. The $76.7 million project was funded in partnership by Federal and state agencies, Los Angeles County Metro and Union Pacific Railroad. Over two years of construction, 446 construction workers were employed, with 11% of construction costs subcontracted to small businesses.
“We appreciate the patience and support of the community as the Baldwin Avenue project was under construction,” said El Monte Councilwoman Norma Macias, Chair of the Alameda Corridor-East (ACE) Construction Authority Board of Directors. “This project will eliminate crossing collisions and train horn noise and reduce vehicle congestion, queuing and emissions.”
Located on the transcontinental ACE Trade Corridor, the highway-rail grade separation is used daily by 18 freight trains, projected to increase to 40 trains by 2025 and to 59 trains if the route is double-tracked by the railroad. Once opened to traffic next month, the underpass will accommodate 28,000 vehicles a day. The Federal Railroad Administration has logged two train-vehicle collisions at the crossing over the last 10 years.
“The ACE projects are my top goods movement and safety priority and I am proud to champion them in Congress” said U.S. Representative Grace Napolitano, California’s senior-most member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
“The ACE projects will reduce accidents at the crossing, cut down on vehicle emissions in the area, and ensure that goods from California’s businesses get to market more easily. The underpass will benefit both California drivers and the region’s economy as infrastructure projects like this alleviate congestion on our roadways,” U.S. Representative Ed Royce said in a statement.
“I am proud to support Federal investments in projects like ACE. The jobs and improvements that come from increased infrastructure spending benefit our entire economy, which is why I support legislation that would establish a new National Freight Network Trust Fund for ACE and other freight infrastructure projects,” said U.S Representative Judy Chu.
“As a founding member of the ACE Board of Directors nearly 15 years ago, I am proud of the progress made by the ACE Construction Authority and that these important grade separation projects continue to enjoy strong bipartisan support in Sacramento,” said State Senator Bob Huff, Vice Chair of the San Gabriel Valley State Legislative Caucus.
“California must continually address its transportation infrastructure challenges, and I am pleased to see the completion of another ACE grade separation project,” said Assemblyman Ed Chau.
“My family home was near the Baldwin Avenue railroad crossing and having spent part of my childhood there I can personally attest to the importance of this infrastructure improvement to the surrounding community,” said Assemblyman Roger Hernandez.
“I have served our communities as an Emergency Medical Technician for more than 30 years. As a Pomona City Council Member, I joined the ACE Board of Directors to help solve the challenges posed to our residents and to public safety by rail traffic. I wholeheartedly support the ACE projects,” said Assemblyman Freddie Rodriguez.
“I am proud to be a longtime supporter of the ACE projects dating back to my service in the State Assembly, the State Senate and the Congress. I look forward to continue working with the ACE Construction Authority to ensure public safety and economic sustainability in the region,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis.
“The completion of yet another project illustrates why the ACE Construction Authority is a national ‘best practice’ model for the efficient and cost-effective delivery of infrastructure projects,” Commissioner Fran Inman of the California Transportation Commission and member of the National Freight Advisory Committee said in a statement.
“The ACE projects are important to the entire San Gabriel Valley, and I will continue to champion them as the San Gabriel Valley’s representative serving on the LA County Metro Board of Directors,” said Duarte Councilman John Fasana.
“Goods movement is crucial to our regional economy, and projects like the Baldwin Avenue grade separation increase reliability and safety for freight trains and road users alike,” Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chair Eric Garcetti said in a statement. “This project is another example of how we put our sales tax funds to work for the benefit of the entire region.”
Categories: Policy & Funding
I just wanted to know why it took so long to complete this project. It created major inconvenience for residence. What’s the point of all this.
The point is to avoid train-vehicle collisions!
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
2 collisions in 10 years(considering that it has been closed for 3-4 years for the construction) also there was a lumber yard between Temple City Blvd. and Lower Azusa Rd.(next crossings west) that had to load and unload so the stopped train would block the crossings all the way past Arden. Lumber yard is no longer there. Housing is now there.