North CTX Construction to Shutdown 16th Street Near Tracks

Caltrain construction will shut down 16th Street in San Francisco where it crosses the railroad to do track work in the area. The work is scheduled to begin Friday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. and continue through Monday, Nov. 18 at 5 a.m. The shutdown also will be in place the same hours on the following weekend Friday, Nov. 22 through Monday, Nov. 25.

Vehicles traveling east on 16th Street (Map) should turn right on Mississippi Street, left on Mariposa Street, then left on Third Street, which intersects with 16th Street. Motorists traveling north on Third Street towards the closure should detour left onto 18th Street and right onto Mississippi Street, which will cross 16th Street west of the track work.

Caltrain construction crews are also moving into the second half of the track relocation project through the current Millbrae Station. The existing tracks are being shifted several feet to the west to accommodate a third track into the new Millbrae Intermodal station.

Boarding at the current Millbrae station recently moved to the north end of the platform while crews continue the reconstruction project in that area. Boarding is expected to remain at the north end of the station until the new Millbrae station opens in 2003.

In addition to the track work in Millbrae, crews also have installed platform five at the new station, repaved the Center Street crossing, and installed new grade crossing panels at the Santa Paula pedestrian crossing. More than 6,800 new ties also have been installed between San Francisco and San Mateo, and Caltrain has completed more than 5,900 feet of track reconstruction.

One of the main goals of the CTX construction project is to complete centralized traffic control signal systems between San Francisco and San Jose. CTC will allow Caltrain dispatchers to remotely switch and control trains, which is expected to increase safety, efficiency and reliability for trains en route along the rail corridor.

Signal work is being done as construction passes through each area along the right of way. In San Francisco, the signals are 40% complete and in Millbrae the signals are 30% complete. Preliminary signal work also has begun in the Bayshore area.

Construction of the small rail bridge south of the Bayshore station is also underway. However, work in that area is on hold because the bridge spans a creek, permits are not issued for work in waterways during the rainy season, which is considered to be mid-October through mid-April.

The CTX project, the largest rail improvement in Caltrain's history, is modernizing Caltrain for the 21st century. The project will result in a centralized traffic control system, known as CTC, passing tracks in three locations along the rail line and track rehabilitation. CTC eliminates the need to manually operate track switches, a key to decreasing travel time. When the improvements are completed in the spring of 2004, Caltrain will be able to offer safer, more flexible service, including Baby Bullet express service between San Francisco and San Jose.