California is investing more than $4.4 billion in regional rail, transit and freight mobility projects in Southern California, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) noted recently, as it celebrated the 80-year anniversary of Los Angeles Union Station.
“The story of Union Station as a major transportation hub for 75,000 people a day is even more exciting as we look toward the future and build for tomorrow,” Caltrans Director Laurie Berman said on May 3. “As a state, we’re proud to recognize the historic past of this station and proudly work with our partners as we build for the future.”
The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, a landmark transportation infrastructure bill, calls for investing $5 billion per year toward transportation infrastructure including more than $1 billion for rail, transit and freight movement.
Recent investments include nearly $400 million through the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program to improve intercity and regional services by creating new tracks that allow trains to enter and exit Union Station without the need to turn around. Additionally, the California State Transportation Agency awarded $330.2 million in 2018 to the Los Angeles County Transportation Authority for its Transit Integration and Modernization Program.
Caltrans explained that integrating a fast and regular rail network with transit and urban rail systems at Union Station will help reduce traffic congestion in the area and help freight movement by providing more reliable service for freight trains carrying cargo on shared rail.
The state’s $4.4 billion investment is expected to leverage approximately $16.8 billion in regional mobility improvements, Caltrans said.
In addition, the 2018 California State Rail Plan aims to increase passenger rail travel by 92 million passenger miles daily. This would potentially eliminate 19,000 transportation-related injuries and 250 fatalities annually while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions, according to Caltrans.