A critical rail grade-separation project in Glendale that would speed up Metrolink, Amtrak and freight service – as well as vehicular traffic – has received $38 million in federal money that completes funding for the $62 million first phase of the project.
The Doran Street Grade Separation Project, in western Glendale – just south of the 134 Freeway and east of the Los Angeles River – is one of the busiest at-grade rail crossings in Los Angeles County with an average of 90 trains per day. According to an announcement from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or Metro, this grade crossing “has one of the highest numbers of safety-related incidents involving vehicles, bicycles or pedestrians in Los Angeles County.”
Grade-separation plans in that section of Glendale have been in the works since 2012, when it first surfaced in Metro project documents. The total project cost has been pegged at about $310 million, with a $62 million first phase involving an overpass at Doran Street and a $248 million second phase just to the west that would construct an overpass to connect Salem Street in Glendale with Sperry Street in adjacent Los Angeles.
The grant from the Federal Railroad Administration rail crossing-elimination program announced earlier this month completes the funding for the first phase; Metro contributed about $17 million, with the remaining $7 million coming from other sources.
The first phase involves building an overpass to connect West San Fernando Road with the Fairmont Avenue Bridge, thereby replacing the at-grade crossing.
Next up is construction scheduling and the selection of a contractor team. Construction of this first phase is slated to begin in 2025 and wrap up in 2027, in time for the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games being held in the Los Angeles region.
“This project, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is critical to increasing pedestrian and vehicle safety along this busy intercity passenger rail corridor,” Metro Chief Executive Stephanie Wiggins said in the announcement. “Thanks to the strong partnership between our agency, Metrolink and FRA, thousands of Los Angeles County residents will soon have a safer route to work, school, or wherever they need to go.”
