(The following story by Imran Ghori appeared on The Press-Enterprise website on June 7.)
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — San Bernardino County transportation officials are resuming work on a study that will lay the groundwork for unclogging the’ Inland region’s biggest rail bottleneck, even as funding for the project remains unresolved.
Work on the $3.7 million study for the Colton Crossing was scheduled to begin last year but was halted at the request of the Union Pacific and BNSF railroad companies while funding issues were being discussed, said Deborah Barmack, executive director for the San Bernardino Associated Governments, which oversees county transportation projects.
Transportation officials in both San Bernardino and Riverside counties agree that the $300 million project is important.
Once it is complete, trains will be able to move through the area faster, reducing congestion at railroad crossings throughout the region and cutting air pollution.
Trains are forced to stop and wait while others pass at the spot where the two rail lines intersect near Interstate 10 in Colton.
The proposal calls for building a bridge at least 30 feet tall to elevate the east-west Union Pacific line above the north-south BNSF line.
While transportation officials support the project, they have argued that the railroad companies should shoulder the cost because they will gain the most benefit.
In April, the California Transportation Commission, at the urging Gov. Schwarzenegger’s administration, allocated $97.3 million in Prop. 1B money for the rail crossing, but the funding is not assured.
State officials still are negotiating with the railroads on how much they will contribute.
Inland officials also would like the railroad companies to allow increased passenger train traffic on their tracks.
BNSF and Union Pacific will determine their share of the costs as the design takes shape and a more accurate cost estimate is available, Caltrans spokeswoman Rose Melgoza said.
BNSF spokeswoman Lena Kent said the company hopes to submit funding specifics as part of an overall set of project agreements in September.
While those questions are being negotiated, all parties agreed last month to proceed with preliminary design, engineering and environmental work — expected to take 18 months, Barmack said.
The study, funded by the state, will look at several alternatives and determine the project’s environmental impact.
“It will answer a number of those questions that have been out there for some time about how it will impact the community,” Barmack said.