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Re: Railroad grade separation underway for Santa Fe Springs-Finally.....
Author: BOB2
Date: 08-26-2016 - 11:40
Finally, after about 25 years or more since the need was first identified.....
Another excellent example of just how long it takes to put together the planning, community input, environmental hurdles, design, and most important funding, to get even just one of these grade separation projects built.
Many of these grade separation projects are so expensive, because the public/politicians will more often demand that they should be underpasses, out of site.... In this case, at a location where there is high ground water, in a flat floodplain, crossing major active rail line and two major street corridors that must remain open and operating for much of the project.....
By contrast, Arcadia was okay with a really cheap overpass at Santa Anita for the Gold Line. This grade separation lowered the street slightly, by reducing the grade crossing "hump" in the street, and going over, with a pile of dirt to raise the RR ROW, on an easy to construct bridge, over Santa Anita. This much cheaper grade separation project required none of the vast utility relocation or drainage solutions from "going down". And, the Gold Line was largely built in bite sized chunks, without the complexity of design, construction, and ongoing operational issues of the Rosecrans/Marquardt rail intersection.
That being said, these grade separations have grown very pricey, causing funding agencies to have "sticker shock" on some local Sou Cal projects. Partially that's because it's a win-win for the vendors (more work equals more money.....to them....go figure?). And, there has not been much public outcry for more value engineering, as these costs have steadily been climbing. Thus, all too often, these more complex projects then will tend to "set" the next "floor" on future project bids. Which is really bad for us taxpayers.......
Oh well?
Another excellent example of just how long it takes to put together the planning, community input, environmental hurdles, design, and most important funding, to get even just one of these grade separation projects built.
Many of these grade separation projects are so expensive, because the public/politicians will more often demand that they should be underpasses, out of site.... In this case, at a location where there is high ground water, in a flat floodplain, crossing major active rail line and two major street corridors that must remain open and operating for much of the project.....
By contrast, Arcadia was okay with a really cheap overpass at Santa Anita for the Gold Line. This grade separation lowered the street slightly, by reducing the grade crossing "hump" in the street, and going over, with a pile of dirt to raise the RR ROW, on an easy to construct bridge, over Santa Anita. This much cheaper grade separation project required none of the vast utility relocation or drainage solutions from "going down". And, the Gold Line was largely built in bite sized chunks, without the complexity of design, construction, and ongoing operational issues of the Rosecrans/Marquardt rail intersection.
That being said, these grade separations have grown very pricey, causing funding agencies to have "sticker shock" on some local Sou Cal projects. Partially that's because it's a win-win for the vendors (more work equals more money.....to them....go figure?). And, there has not been much public outcry for more value engineering, as these costs have steadily been climbing. Thus, all too often, these more complex projects then will tend to "set" the next "floor" on future project bids. Which is really bad for us taxpayers.......
Oh well?
