Discussion
ACTA was created in 1989 as a Joint Power Organization as a result of studies and planning activities that showed the need for a consolidated railroad link between the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach (Ports), and the regional and national railroad systems. Construction of a twenty mile, two track railroad link is planned upon the former Southern Pacific Transportation Company San Pedro Branch right-of-way that ACTA has acquired.
The fundamental purpose of the Alameda Corridor project is to provide improved goods movement without the adverse consequences of increased future freight rail traffic while at the same time sustaining economic growth. In addition to facilitating access to the Ports and accommodating the Ports' growth, the planned corridor will reduce highway congestion, air pollution and noise which is most beneficial in residential areas. It will also reduce delays at existing at-grade railroad crossings and will provide enhanced safety. Train operations currently conducted over ninety miles of existing trackage will be consolidated into the new corridor which will be entirely grade separated and will greatly reduce present vehicular delays along the existing San Pedro Branch Line Corridor.
The entire Alameda Corridor Program has forty railroad-highway crossings along its three major sections:
1. The North End consists of several segments and ten public crossings. The Redondo Junction Grade Separation is one of these segments and extends from a point south of Olympic Boulevard along the west bank of the Los Angeles River, then continues southeasterly to the intersection of The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF) right-of-way, east of Soto Street. PUC authority for construction of the Redondo Junction Grade Separation was requested in application (A.) 98-04-047, filed April 23, 1998. Another segment consists of the connection of the railroad tracks from the Ports to the BNSF San Bernardino Subdivision and to the Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) tracks.
By Decision (D.) 98-10-015, dated October 8, 1998, the Commission granted authority to construct the railroad-railroad grade separation for the tracks of the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) to pass over the tracks of ACTA, the Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) and BNSF.
Another North End segment involves construction of the Santa Fe Avenue Viaduct, a railroad bridge over Washington Boulevard to carry the ACTA main tracks, and a railroad bridge over Washington Boulevard that will carry two BNSF tracks connecting the BNSF San Bernardino Subdivision with the ACTA main tracks. PUC authority for construction was requested in application A.99-01-027, filed January 22, 1999.
By Decision D.99-07-042, dated July 22, 1999, the Commission granted authority to construct the Santa Fe Avenue Viaduct, and the railroad bridge over Washington Boulevard to carry the ACTA main tracks and two BNSF tracks.
Application A.00-03-049 was filed on March 24, 2000 for another North End project that will connect the ACTA main tracks to the Union Pacific (UP) tracks located on the east side of the Los Angeles River. The CPUC decision is pending.
Another North End segment involves the alteration of the existing Downey Road bridge (CPUC No. 2-144.5-B) to carry five BNSF tracks in place of the existing four tracks. The Commission granted the authority to construct by Decision (D) 00-06-072, dated June 22, 2000.
Also among the North End projects are the realignment of the east to west connecting track between the BNSF San Bernardino Subdivision tracks and the ACTA San Pedro Branch track across 26th Street (CPUC No. 2-144.72-C), and the realignment of the BNSF spur across 26th Street (CPUC No. 2-144.38-C).
2. The Mid-Corridor along Alameda Street between Santa Fe Avenue in Los Angeles and State Highway 91 in Compton will be a ten-mile, thirty-three feet deep, fifty-foot wide, depressed double-track railroad with twenty-nine road crossings and three railroad crossings above and across the depressed railroad. Included in this Mid-Corridor will be a 5.6 mile, at-grade UP by-pass track parallel to the depressed railroad along the East Side of the ACTA right-of-way. This at-grade connection has 17 grade crossings, two grade separations, and one separated railroad crossing, between the existing tracks at the State Highway 91 overpass and the track's connection to the UP Santa Ana Branch, north of Firestone Boulevard. The Mid-Corridor extends from Los Angeles through the Cities of Los Angeles, Vernon, Huntington Park, South Gate, Lynwood, Compton, and the unincorporated County of Los Angeles. PUC authority for construction of this by-pass track was sought in application A.98-11-010, filed November 2, 1998.
By D.99-04-019, dated April 1, 1999, the Commission granted authority to relocate 17 single-track highway grade crossings; two single-track grade-separated highway crossings, and one grade-separated railroad crossing between Firestone Boulevard grade crossing and Auto Drive South, inclusive, in the County of Los Angeles, Cities of South Gate, Lynwood, and Compton.
3. The South End Corridor trackage extends at-grade along Alameda Street through unincorporated portions of the County of Los Angeles and the cities of Carson and Los Angeles to the Ports. These tracks serve Dolores Yard, the Intermodal Container Facility and various industries en route. Construction is underway to grade separate existing at-grade crossings that are the subject of applications filed and approved by the CPUC.
ACTA has filed application A.99-02-013 for the construction of a two track grade separation above the reconstructed intersection of Henry Ford Avenue with on and off ramps of State Route 47 Freeway along with related grade crossing construction and relocation in the intermediate area in the City of Los Angeles.
County of Los Angeles has filed application 99-01-022 for the construction of a four track grade separation above Alameda Street in the County of Los Angeles in the Rancho Dominguez area.
Commission decisions for South End projects have been issued as follows:
Del Amo Blvd. Grade Separation A97-07-006, D. 98-01-039
Sepulveda Blvd. Grade Separation A97-04-048, D. 98-01-038
Carson Street Grade Separation A86-12-09, D.87-09-058
This project involves the construction of the three ACTA main tracks and two ACTA storage tracks underneath the proposed Del Amo grade separation structure, currently under construction by Los Angeles County. The County requested authority to construct Del Amo Boulevard at separated grades under Application (A.) 97-07-006 which was granted by Commission Decision (D.) 98-01-039.
ACTA is the lead agency for this project under the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970 (CEQA), as amended, Public Resources (PR) Code Sections 21000, et seq. On June 27, 1997, the State of California Clearinghouse advised ACTA, that it had complied with State Clearinghouse review requirements for "draft environmental documents, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)." The United States Department of Transportation issued a Record of Decision approving Alameda Corridor Project. ACTA had previously prepared an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on January 1993, and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in February 1996.
The Commission is a responsible agency for this project under CEQA and has reviewed and considered ACTA's environmental documentation. The site of the proposed project has been inspected by the Commission's Rail Safety and Carrier Division - Rail Crossings Engineering Section staff. Staff examined the need for and the safety of the proposed grade separation and related railroad construction, and recommends that the application be approved.
The application was found to be in compliance with the Commission's filing requirements, including Rules 38 to 41 of the Rules of Practice and Procedure. A site map of the grade separation is as shown on plans attached to the application and appendix A.
In Resolution ALJ 176-3054, dated January 4, 2001 and published on the Commission Daily Calendar on January 8, 2001, the Commission preliminarily categorized this application as ratesetting, and preliminarily determined that hearings were not necessary. Since no hearings were held, this preliminary determination remains accurate. The Commission's Rail Safety and Carriers Division recommends that this application be granted. Given these developments, public hearing is not necessary, and it is not necessary to disturb the preliminary determinations made in Resolution ALJ 176-3054.
This is an uncontested matter in which the decision grants the relief requested. Accordingly, pursuant to Public Utilities Code Section 311 (g) (2), the otherwise applicable 30-day period for public review and comment is being waived.
