CTC awards grant to Stockton grade separation project

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) yesterday announced it has awarded a $100 million grant for the Stockton Diamond Grade Separation Project.

The $237 million project calls for the construction of a grade separation to improve mobility through the most congested at-grade rail junction in California. 

The grant was issued through the Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP) after an application was prepared by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).

SJRRC is working with BNSF Railway Co. and Union Pacific Railroad on the project. The purpose of the TCEP is to fund infrastructure improvements on federally designated trade corridors of national and regional significance. The Stockton Diamond is located south of downtown Stockton, where BNSF and UP intersect at the same elevation.

"The CTC's investment in this project is a ringing endorsement to the important role rail plays in expanding the reach of Central Valley industry to the rest of the nation," said UP General Director Adrian Guerrero in a press release.

The Stockton Diamond also impacts the frequency, reliability and potential expansion opportunity of the Altamont Corridor Express and Amtrak San Joaquins passenger-rail services that operate on the same rail lines. Train backups also cause local travel delays at crossings and potential traffic conflicts for vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians.

The proposed project would grade separate the two rail lines with a flyover bridge at the Stockton Diamond to create uninterrupted flow of rail traffic through the crossing. In August. The SJRRC launched an environmental review process for the project in cooperation with the Federal Railroad Administration and the California High Speed Rail Authority.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the project a $20 million grant through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development program.