Discussion

The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) proposes to construct a new grade-separated roadway underpass for its Valley Subdivision main line and Brighton Siding tracks at mile post 12.08 over Empire Avenue in the City of Burbank, County of Los Angeles. The grade-separated crossing is part of the California Department of Transportation's (Caltrans) Interstate 5 (I-5) Freeway widening project from Walnut Avenue (Kilometer Post 47.65) to Church Street (Kilometer Post 49.97). Caltrans I-5 Freeway is located north of and adjacent to the SCRRA railroad right-of-way.

The larger project is to provide a new interchange on I-5 at Empire Avenue. I-5 is major north/south freeway corridor extending from San Diego, California at the Mexican border to Blaine, Washington at the Canadian border. The project was initiated by the City of Burbank to improve traffic access and circulation in the project area and to facilitate future traffic increases associated with the planned redevelopment of the former Lockheed B-1 Sites. The I-5 Freeway and the SCRRA tracks currently bisect the City of Burbank (City), limiting the access between the west, where the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport, a regional air traffic hub, and the proposed redevelopment are located and to the east, where the City central business district is located.

The I-5 Freeway at the proposed project location consists of four lanes with shoulders in each direction separated by a concrete median barrier. An additional project goal of the larger project is to provide additional capacity on the I-5 to minimize vehicle delay and to reduce traffic congestion by providing a high-occupancy vehicle lane.

Empire Avenue currently ends in a T-intersection with Victory Place immediately south of the SCRRA railroad right-of-way. The crossing project will raise SCRRA's Valley Subdivision main line tracks on to a bridge structure. Caltrans will extend Empire Avenue north beneath the railroad right-of-way. Empire Avenue will continue north and connect to the Caltrans I-5 Freeway.

Caltrans proposes to build a grade-separated structure 239 feet 10 inches long for the two SCRRA tracks over the future extension of Empire Avenue, with six lanes of vehicular traffic. The proposed new CPUC Crossing Number will be 101VY-12.08-B and DOT No. 943914D.

In addition to SCRRA passenger trains, the Union Pacific Railroad Company (UPRR), and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) operate freight and passenger trains over this line, respectively. Approximately 62 passenger trains per day at a maximum speed of 79 MPH and 17 freight trains per day at a maximum speed of at 55 MPH operate over these tracks.