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Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) obligated High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail funds to two states to advance planning and/or environmental work on corridors in three states. The funds are being provided through the FY2010 transportation appropriations bill.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) received $21 million to launch engineering on three projects along the Pacific Surfliner intercity passenger-rail corridor in southern California.

Caltrans will use $10 million to complete design, environmental and engineering work on a project between Elvira and Morena that calls for connecting two sections of double track, resulting in a 10.3-mile stretch. The project is part of a long-range plan to double-track the San Diego segment of the corridor to alleviate train delays, increase operational flexibility, improve on-time performance and remove a capacity constraint for future intercity passenger-rail service along the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo Corridor.

Caltrans will use another $7 million to conduct preliminary engineering and environmental work on a project in Del Mar that includes constructing a 1.1-mile segment of second main track, replacing a timber trestle railway bridge built in 1916 and upgrading signals. The project also includes a permanent seasonal rail platform with direct access to the Del Mar Fairgrounds, a major trip generator in San Diego County, according to a press release. Once complete, the project will help alleviate train delays, increase operational flexibility and improve on-time performance for intercity, commuter and freight operations.

Finally, Caltrans will use $4 million to conduct preliminary engineering and environmental work for a project in Oceanside that calls for building a second main track and replacing a rail bridge over the San Luis Rey River. The project is expected to help alleviate residual train delays in the area and improve on-time performance for intercity passenger trains. The project will also connect two existing sections of double track.

Meanwhile, the USDOT obligated $5.6 million to the Texas Department of Transportation to conduct planning and environmental work for a proposed Oklahoma City-South Texas intercity passenger-rail corridor. The corridor eventually would connect Oklahoma City, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and South Texas.

The study will analyze ridership and revenue forecasts, capital costs, environmental issues, and routing and station location options.