Rosecrans Ave. Bridge Fixes Dangerous Railway Crossing

Although work continues on the $156-million Rosecrans/Marquardt Grade Separation project, the new Rosecrans Avenue Bridge opened to the public in January, bringing much needed safety enhancements to one of the most dangerous rail crossings in California.

Approximately 45,000 vehicles and 135 trains traveled through this location in Santa Fe Springs daily between 2013 to 2019, with the California Public Utilities Commission recording 31 incidents involving vehicles and trains that resulted in six fatalities and seven injuries.

“This new bridge will provide the much needed safety and traffic relief that residents and businesses in the area require,” said Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chair Karen Bass in a statement. “As major rail projects like High-Speed Rail make their way to Los Angeles, we must be sure that our county is ready for a transportation future that is safer, faster and more reliable.”

Rosecrans Avenue Bridge is 581 ft long and 104 ft wide and has two lanes in each direction with a raised central median and sidewalks on both sides. By carrying vehicles over the BNSF Railway, the bridge will eliminate the possibility for train-to-vehicle collisions.

L.A. Metro representatives say the crossing will also help improve air quality by eliminating idling trains and vehicles while increasing rail efficiency. The entire project is on track for completion in 2025.

$1.2B Investment Planned For California Infrastructure

The California Transportation Commission (CTC) on Feb. 1 announced a nearly $1.2-billion investment in urban and rural transportation infrastructure projects across California. Allocations include $428 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) and nearly $165 million from Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.

Recently approved projects include a $7.88 million effort on I-8 west of SR-98 in Imperial County to remove boulders, repair pavement and fencing and restore eroded and washed-out areas due to Tropical Storm Hillary and a $3-million job on I-805 in Chula Vista to replace two culverts near H Street.

Since 2021, California has received more than $32 billion in IIJA funds, including more than $24 billion for transportation-related projects. The CTC Included $245 million in this round of funding for full trash capture devices; shoreline embankment restoration; improvements to bus, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure; railroad overcrossings; and better alignment with the Americans with Disabilities Act throughout the state highway system.

Mega Grant Program Awards $600M to Help Replace Key Bridge Over Columbia River

To help construct a replacement bridge over the Columbia River on Interstate 5 between Oregon and Washington, the U.S. Dept. of Transportation Mega Program in December awarded $600 million to the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) program.

The Washington State Dept. of Transportation and Oregon Dept. of Transportation submitted a joint application request in August 2023. The Mega Program was created through the IIJA to support large, complex projects likely to generate national or regional economic, mobility or safety benefits.

“Replacing the Interstate Bridge is a critical infrastructure investment for our local communities, two states and the entire West Coast,” said Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek in a statement. “This project will help advance our goal of reducing emissions through a modern, multimodal bridge and will provide an infusion of federal funds to our region that will support local jobs.”

In 2023, the Oregon State Legislature committed $1 billion to complete the program, matching Washington’s $1-billion commitment made during the 2022 legislative session. Washington authorized tolling on the Interstate Bridge in 2023 to match existing tolling authorization in Oregon. Together, these resources as well as the Mega Program grant and other federal grant applications will help cover the estimated $6 billion in funding needed for the construction effort.

The IBR program is actively seeking approximately $2.5 billion from other federal grant sources, including the Federal Highway Administration Bridge Investment Program and the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant program.

The 115-ft Pigeon Point Lighthouse in Pescadero, Calif., will undergo a $16-million restoration in 2024.
Photo courtesy of California State Parks

$16M Upgrade of Pigeon Point Lighthouse to Begin in 2024

A two-year rehabilitation project will begin in early 2024 to restore Pigeon Point Lighthouse in Pescadero, Calif., located within Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park. The $16-million effort will include the refurbishment and replacement of all ironwork as well as the repair and replacement of all masonry elements.

Another major focus of the rehabilitation will be the upper belt course, or cast-iron ring, where two large pieces broke away in late 2001, compromising the building’s structural integrity.

California State Parks selected general contractor Sustainable Group Inc., Moraga, Calif., and subcontractor ICC Commonwealth of North Tonawanda, N.Y., to lead the project. The companies have jointly worked on nearly 100 lighthouses, including several built to the same blueprints as Pigeon Point, including those in Bodie Island and Currituck Beach, N.C., and Yaquina Head, Ore.

Named for the 1853 wreck of the clipper ship Carrier Pigeon, Pigeon Point Lighthouse was first lit on Nov. 15, 1872. The 115-ft structure is the tallest operating lighthouse on the West Coast.

Pigeon Point Light Station is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but it has been closed to the public since late 2001 after it was deemed unsafe following an incident in which two large pieces of brick and iron fell from the top of the building. The delay in repairing the structure was a result of funding issues, the pandemic and the owner’s desire to find a contractor with the skills necessary to work on such a lighthouse.

California Website to Track Infrastructure Investments

A new website launched Jan. 9 outlines California’s state and federal infrastructure investments and how they are tackling issues such as climate change, equity and jobs. With $41 billion in projects currently underway and another $180 billion expected over the next decade, build.ca.gov will serve as a resource to local communities on those projects and more moving forward.

Build.ca.gov tracks where money is going while showcasing individual projects and what they mean for the communities in which they are located. The website also showcases several spotlight stories that demonstrate a sample of dollars at work in every corner of the state.