The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) has awarded more than USD 189 million in funding for projects along LOSSAN rail corridor to strengthen resiliency and increase passenger and freight capacity on the corridor connecting Los Angeles, San Diego and San Luis Obispo.
The grant awards, which were part of the overall USD 1.3 billion in funding through the Cycle 7 of the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital programme (TIRCP), support critical infrastructure projects by member agencies along the LOSSAN rail corridor, which is the second busiest intercity passenger rail corridor in the United States and the busiest state-supported Amtrak route.
The projects awarded funding through Cycle 7 of TIRCP that directly benefit the LOSSAN rail corridor include:
- USD 125 million for coastal rail infrastructure resiliency project carried out by Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and will result in improvements at four locations within 11 km coastal section within the OCTA-owned Orange Subdivision of the 351-LOSSAN rail corridor. The project includes specific work in the four areas to install rock gradation, replenish beach sand to bolster the shorelines, and maintain and restore trails.
- USD 26.8 million will go to Eastbrook – Shell double tracking works which includes the replacement of a 1 km single track section as well as other improvements. The Oceanside Transit Centre, just south of the project location, is a critical hub for connections between Metrolink, Pacific Surfliner, Coaster, Sprinter, and local transit services.
- USD 22 million will be used for the construction of Ortega siding project along coastline between the Santa Barbara and Carpinteria stations. This will directly enable the LOSSAN Agency to operate a 7 Pacific Surfliner round trip between Goleta and San Diego.
- USD 11.6 million funding will be used for Del Mar Bluffs stabilisation-phase 5 which includes the installation of up to 128 new soldier piles, to stabilise the bluff area in Del Mar. This method reduces the risk of deep-seated slope failure beneath the tracks along the Del Mar Bluffs and avoids the associated shut down in rail service between San Diego and the rest of the LOSSAN rail corridor.
- USD 4.1 million financing is provided for Orcutt Road Left-Hand Crossover that will create a universal crossover near the San Luis Obispo station in the City of San Luis Obispo. This provides the operational flexibility to run additional trains and introduces a more regular passenger rail service along the Central Coast. The LOSSAN Agency will lead the implementation of this project.
All the projects along the corridor “will significantly enhance the resiliency of the LOSSAN rail corridor and create capacity to move more passengers and more goods. The grant awards re-affirm the vital importance of our rail infrastructure. We greatly appreciate the state’s strong support for the LOSSAN rail corridor through TIRCP and congratulate our member and partner agencies for their successful grant proposals,” LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency (Agency) Chairman Bryan MacDonald said.
The 565 km LOSSAN corridor that serves 41 station is crossing six-county coastal region in Southern California and is the second busiest intercity passenger rail corridor in the United States and the busiest state-supported Amtrak route. More than 150 passenger trains are running each day along the corridor.
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