Colton Crossing Completed Under Budget

Last week the community celebrated the completion of the Colton Crossing after it completed eight months ahead of schedule and under budget, Cal Trans and the San Bernardino Associated Governments said in a statement issued last week. Leaders from both the local and federal level joined project coordinators and other community members to celebrate the project’s completion, which was originally estimated to cost $202 million and complete in 2014. The project was completed last week at $93 million, thanks to a low bids and new construction methods. The project, a 43-foot high, 1.4-mile-long overpass, replaces the Colton Crossing built in 1883 and will help unclog congestion typically seen where the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) mainline crossed Union Pacific (UP) Railway tracks in Colton. The tracks above the BNSF line allow the railroads to use their tracks safely and eliminate the congestion as trains pass. Both railways operate trains 24 hours a day through this corridor, totaling approximately 80 trains crossing the area each day. “Not only will this project improve safety and reliability for passenger and freight trains, it will also improve air quality and reduce congestion on the streets and highways of the Inland Empire,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. The project is estimated to deliver $241 million in travel time savings and reduce greenhouse emissions by 34,000 tons annually, according to transportation officials. The project was a partnership among Caltrans, SANBAG, Colton, and the UP and BNSF railroads, a statement issued by the California Department of Transportation says. Aaron Hunt, a media spokesperson with UP, said, “The new flyover structure will greatly improve the fluidity of trains through the inland region of Southern California. Historically, our train crews faced delays of two to three hours once they arrived at the crossing. Those delays are now a thing of the past. Amtrak and Metrolink and the passengers will also benefit.” The Union Pacific line is used by Amtrak, and BNSF is allowing additional Metrolink trains to run on its line. Hunt added, “Community members in and around Colton will see fewer blocked crossings due to waiting trains. There will also be fewer emissions due to idling locomotives. Overall this makes Union Pacific operations in the Southern California region much more efficient.” To help celebrate the project’s completion last week, Jerry Rushing joined community members as he portrayed historical figure Vigil Earp. “It made me very proud to be a part of this event,” he said. Rushing has been portraying Virgil Earp in reenactments for the last six years. When he heard about the Colton Crossing project, he shared, he took it upon himself to delve deeper into its history. “There’s so much history there, and a lot of people don’t know about it,” he said. “The railroad industry is very important and we can see that, even 130 years after Virgil Earp stood at that crossing with Colton to his back,” he said. “It truly was a highlight in my Western [reenactment] life,” he said. Dr. Raymond W. Wolfe, Executive Director of the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) acted as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening, while Colton High School’s NJROTC Color Guard gave the Presentation of Colors and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Local leaders and dignitaries included Colton City Mayor Sarah Zamora; Bill Jahn, SANBAG president and Big Bear Lake City Council Member; Congressman Gary Miller (R-Redlands); San Bernardino County Supervisor Josie Gonzales; Corona City Mayor and Riverside County Transportation Commission Chair Karen Spiegel; California Department of Transportation Director Malcolm Dougherty; California Transportation Commissioner Joseph Tavaglione; Federal Highway Administration District Administrator Vincent Mammano; BNSF Railway Executive Vice President, Law and Secretary Roger Nober; and UP Railroad President and Chief Executive Officer Jack Koraleski. The separation of this crossing was crucial to both the state and national economy, officials at the California Department of Transportation say. “Nearly half of all U.S. imports flow through California ports and travel by trucks and trains across the state to the rest of the nation. The amount of cargo handled at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach is expected to more than double by 2020,” according to the statement. Partial funding for the project was from state and federal sources. This includes $34 million from the Recovery Act and $41 million from 2006’s voter-approved Proposition 1B, with remaining funding provided by the two railways.