Discussion

Proposed Grade-Separated Main Viaduct Bridge Project

The Port of Los Angeles (POLA) is a municipal corporation of the City of Los Angeles. POLA owns the railroad right-of-way network within the Port area. Pacific Harbor Line, Inc. provides freight rail transportation, maintenance, and dispatch services for POLA. POLA requests authorization to construct two new grade-separated roadway bridge structures, identified as Main Viaduct and as North Access Road, over its San Pedro Subdivision-Pier A Street Lead freight track and its San Pedro Subdivision-Pier A Wye (West) freight tracks, thereby creating four new grade-separated crossings. As part of the project, POLA will eliminate Neptune Street crossing that currently crosses at-grade over its tracks.

This proposed project is part of the expansion and modernization of the terminals at Berths 136-147, in the port, a major part of which is the construction of the Main Viaduct Bridge. The proposed Main Viaduct roadway and grade-separated crossings will serve to distribute traffic between local streets to the north via the North Access Road/Harry Bridges Avenue intersection, and to the Port areas to the south the via Fries Avenue/South Access Road intersection. The proposed roadway over the tracks will serve POLA in goods transportation and provide general access to port facilities.

The proposed Main Viaduct grade-separated structure is a north-south four-lane roadway with approximate width of 64 feet crossing above the tracks. The structure includes the intersection of Main Viaduct and North Access Road. North Access Road connects with the surface street network north of the grade-separated intersection. The vertical and horizontal clearances between the railroad tracks and Main Viaduct/North Access Road bridge structure comply with the minimum clearance requirements specified in California Public Utilities Commission (Commission) General Order 26-D at all four track locations beneath the structure. Train speed is 5 to 10 miles per hour with approximately 10 trains per day using these rail lines.

Neptune Avenue At-Grade Crossing Closure

The existing Neptune Avenue at-grade crossing is located within the Berths 136-147 project area. By constructing the Main Viaduct Bridge and North Access Road grade separated structure, the at-grade Neptune Avenue (and its at-grade crossing) is no longer needed. By using the new grade-separated Main Viaduct roadway, the local fire and law enforcement agencies will improve response times and increase the overall safety at the Port. Therefore, the project will also include the closure of the Neptune Avenue crossing (CPUC Crossing No. No. 121S-2.00 and DOT No. 747737M).