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6/24/2024
San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC), the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority and South San Joaquin Irrigation District (SSJID) representatives officially broke ground last week on the Lathrop Wye box culvert project in Northern California.
The project marks the first major step in the construction phase of the Valley Rail program, according to an SJRRC news release.
The box culvert project is the first component of the two-part Lathrop Wye and Track Extension Project, which calls for constructing a concrete structural box culvert to serve as a platform for the future track associated with the Lathrop Wye. The 384-foot-long box culvert will allow the current irrigation drainage ditch to continue to provide irrigation for farms receiving water from the SSJID.
The second phase involves the Lathrop Wye track and the track infrastructure to allow direct Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) train service between Ceres/Merced and San Jose. The second phase is scheduled to begin construction in late 2025 or early 2026.
"The exciting part of this project ... is that it supports the expansion of ACE service down to Stanislaus County with stops in Modesto, Ceres and Turlock,” said Vito Chiesa, a SJJPA board member. “This opens up all of Northern California for Stanislaus County residents to ride rail just about anywhere."