By WIll Reisman, @WillReisman
As part of Caltrain’s commitment to safety and reliability, Caltrain is embarking on a $30 million project to replace four bridge crossings in San Mateo, with work on the plan starting later this year.
The bridges are each over 100 years old, and don’t meet current seismic-safety standards. They must be replaced to conform to local, state and federal regulations. The four crossings are at Tilton, Monte Diablo, East Santa Inez and East Poplar avenues. Because of federal and state safety standards, the bridges must be updated with single-span structures. As part of this project, the bridges will be raised to provide greater vehicle access and increase clearance levels for emergency response equipment, trucks and other high-profile vehicles. T
o accommodate the height increase, Caltrain will have to alter the berms and add retaining walls and fences near the bridges, resulting in tree and vegetation removal. That work will begin in November and last three months. In April, crews will begin the actual replacement of the bridges, a process expected to last two years. During that time, each street will be closed for up to eight weeks to accommodate construction. Those road closures will begin in late 2015. Residents should expect localized noise impacts during construction.
On July 10, Caltrain will make a presentation on the bridge replacement project to San Mateo’s Public Works Commission. That meeting will include information on design specifications of the new structures, including details about graffiti abatement and lighting plans.
Caltrain will also host a community meeting in October, before the vegetation removal, to provide local residents with a project update. The date and location of that meeting is still being determined. Funding for the $30 million project will come from a combination of local, state and federal sources. The Federal Transit Administration will provide $20.6 million and state bond proceeds will account for $9 million.
The remaining $374,000 will be split between Caltrain’s three local funding partners—the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and SamTrans. Contact information for the project: Email: sbridges@caltrain.com Phone: 650-508-7726