Grade Separation: Valley Boulevard
San Bernardino Associated Governments and the City of Colton are considering alternatives for eliminating the at grade crossing of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad tracks and Valley Boulevard, between La Cadena Drive and Third Street, in the City of Colton. This effort is known as a grade separation project.
The project is designed to separate motorist traffic and train traffic that cross Valley Boulevard, and eliminate the need for motorists to wait for trains by constructing a bridge. The new bridge is anticipated to accommodate two traffic lanes, a sidewalk and a bicycle lane in each direction. In addition, some adjacent local streets may be reconfigured to improve traffic operations and safety.
Valley Boulevard serves commercial, light industrial and residential developments and the new grade separation will provide significant congestion relief to this major east-west arterial that runs parallel to Interstate 10.
The alternatives being considered include raising Valley Blvd. over the existing railroad tracks, lowering Valley Blvd. underneath the tracks, raising the tracks over Valley Blvd. or lowering the tracks underneath Valley Blvd.
This project is currently in the Project Approval and Environmental Document (PA/ED) stage, where an alternative is expected to be chosen by December 2009. Final design and right of way will begin shortly after and is expected to be complete by mid-2012. Construction will begin after that and last approximately 18-24 months.
The Valley Boulevard grade separation project is estimated to cost $30 million. The PA/ED phase of this project is fully funded by Measure I (80%), San Bernardino County’s the half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements, and the City of Colton (20%). The construction phase may also include funds from the State’s Trade Corridor Improvement Fund.