Alameda Corridor

A first-of-its-kind freight rail expressway opens this week in Los Angeles County, speeding everyday consumer products from the nation's two busiest ports to the transcontinental rail yards near downtown Los Angeles, providing a model for public-private partnerships and delivering multiple benefits to the nation, state and region.

One of the nation's largest public works projects, the $2.4 billion Alameda Corridor is opening on time and on budget. Reflecting the project's significance, more than 1,000 people -- including U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta, California Gov. Gray Davis, Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn and Long Beach Mayor Beverly O'Neill -- are expected to attend a grand opening ceremony on April 12.

Stretching through eight cities along its 20-mile route, the Alameda Corridor is a series of bridges, underpasses, overpasses and street improvements that separate freight rail, passenger rail and street traffic. The centerpiece is the Mid-Corridor Trench, a 10-mile-long below-ground trainway that runs parallel to Alameda Street. By consolidating four railroad branch lines serving the ports, the Alameda Corridor eliminates more than 200 at-grade crossings where rail and street traffic conflict, thereby easing traffic congestion and significantly reducing air and noise pollution from idling trains, trucks and cars.

The Alameda Corridor was built by the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority (ACTA), a joint powers authority governed by the cities of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. When operations begin April 15, the Alameda Corridor will be operated by a unique partnership between the Port of Los Angeles, the Port of Long Beach, Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway and Union Pacific Railroad.

"The Alameda Corridor was a monumental undertaking and an example of what can be accomplished when government agencies join together to work in cooperation with the private sector," ACTA Chief Executive Officer James C. Hankla said. "The project also demonstrates that we can facilitate economic growth and international trade without sacrificing quality of life."

The adjacent ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are the two busiest seaports in the nation, handling more than $200 billion in cargo in 2001. Approximately half of the cargo -- including everyday consumer products such as electronics, apparel and shoes -- is transported by train outside of Southern California to destinations across the country. The volume of cargo containers handled by the ports doubled in the 1990s to approximately 8 million units. Those volumes continue to increase, and the ports project more than 24 million units by 2020.

Today, there are 20-35 daily train trips on the branch lines serving the ports, with trains averaging 10-20 mph. The Alameda Corridor is designed to accommodate the 100 daily train trips to and from the ports projected for 2020, with trains averaging 30-40 mph.

 

It also helps cut smog, in fact part of the cost is paid for with smog fighting money. By reducing the number of cars, waiting to cross the tracks, millions of punds of pollutants are avoided.