ACTA Bridge Agreement Benefits Commuters

SEPTEMBER 10, 1998

LOS ANGELES/LONG BEACH – The Alameda Corridor rail cargo expressway will not only improve the flow of goods shipped to and from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, but it also will benefit rail passengers by shortening commutes.

The Governing Board of the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority (ACTA) today approved an agreement calling for the construction of a bridge that will speed the route of passenger trains in and out of Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. The agreement with the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), which operates the Metrolink system of commuter trains, lays out responsibilities regarding construction and maintenance of the Redondo Junction project.

The Redondo Junction work will eliminate delays at crossings by elevating passenger rail lines on a bridge above the corridors cargo rail lines, Soto Street and the Los Angeles River. The bridge, spanning the length of eight football fields, also will reduce a curve in the tracks to cut Metrolink and Amtrak passenger travel time in and out of nearby Union Station by about three minutes.

“Many people don’t know that the Alameda Corridor will improve commuting time for motorists and rail passengers,” said Los Angeles City Councilman Rudy Svorinich, Jr., chairman of the ACTA Governing Board. “This is a one-of-a-kind agreement that shows what can be accomplished through foresight and cooperation.”

The Alameda Corridor is a 20-mile rail cargo expressline linking the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to the transcontinental rail network east of downtown Los Angeles. Along the route, ACTA is eliminating traffic conflicts at more than 200 street-level rail crossings. ACTA also is widening Alameda Street at some locations and making other roadway improvements.

The Redondo Junction agreement calls for ACTA to construct the flyover and, upon completion, turn over ownership and maintenance to SCRRA – a joint powers authority that includes the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Orange County Transportation Authority and the Riverside County Transportation Commission.

SCRRA also will contribute $7 million toward the project, which is estimated to cost $44 million.

ACTA is planning to seek proposals to construct the bridge in November, after SCRRA and its member agencies have formally approved the agreement.