Federal Railroad Administration Grants Significant Funding for Santa Fe Springs Grade Separation Project
In Santa Fe Springs, California, a significant step towards enhancing safety and traffic flow is underway with the planned grade separation at the intersection of Norwalk Boulevard and Los Nietos Road. This project is part of a broader connectivity initiative with a total estimated funding of $389 million allocated for grade separations in the city.
The project is currently in the preferred alternative phase, indicating that planning and design stages are underway or nearing completion. The funding for this project comes from the Federal Railroad Administration under the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Program.
The rail corridor is shared by BNSF Railway for freight and Amtrak and Metrolink for passenger trains. BNSF has committed to funding 50% of the local match, $330,000, for the project. The City of Santa Fe Springs has been awarded an additional $2.6 million grant for the project.
Once completed, the single-grade separation will address safety concerns at the busy intersection, where nearly five trains per hour cross daily, with 50 being passenger railroad cars and 59 being freight. The grade separation will also improve commute times and strengthen economic development in the area.
The estimated cost of the scope of work is $3.3 million, with the RCE grant program requiring local matching funds in the amount of 20% of the total project cost. The grant will cover preliminary engineering for the study of the grade separation, including community engagement, environmental clearance, and preliminary engineering.
The existing at-grade railroad crossing at Norwalk and Los Nietos is one of the busiest and most concerning in the city, ranking among the top two crossings with the highest number of safety incidents. The grade separation project aims to address these issues and create a safer, more efficient transportation system for Santa Fe Springs.
With the project at an advanced planning stage and funding in place, construction could be anticipated in subsequent years following completion of final design, environmental review, and permitting processes. The Norwalk Boulevard and Los Nietos Road grade separation project is a significant step towards enhancing safety and improving traffic flow in Santa Fe Springs.
[1] City of Santa Fe Springs. (n.d.). Norwalk Boulevard and Los Nietos Road Grade Separation Project. Retrieved from https://www.santafesprgs.com/projects/norwalk-boulevard-and-los-nietos-road-grade-separation-project/
- The city council of Santa Fe Springs is working to improve public safety and traffic flow, as they have allocated funds for a grade separation project at the intersection of Norwalk Boulevard and Los Nietos Road.
- This project, part of a broader connectivity initiative, aims to create a safer and more efficient transportation system by addressing concerns at the busy intersection, where numerous daily train crossings pose safety risks.
- In addition to addressing safety issues, the community news also highlights the project's potential benefits to the environment, as it will reduce emissions from idling vehicles at rail crossings, and to sports, as improved commute times can boost economic development in the area, thus benefiting local sports venues.
