91 Line

91 Line

Pedestrian bridge and tracks at the Fullerton station
Overview
Type Commuter rail
System Metrolink
Status Operating
Locale Los Angeles Metropolitan Area-Inland Empire
Termini Los Angeles Union Station
Riverside Station
Stations 8
Operation
Owner BNSF Railway (track)
Operator(s) Metrolink
Character Elevated and surface-level
Technical
Line length 61.6 miles (99.1 km)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Operating speed 39 mph (63 km/h)[1]
Route map

The 91 Line is a commuter rail line operated by Metrolink that runs from Los Angeles to Riverside in Southern California, paralleling State Route 91 between Riverside and Santa Fe Springs. Operating since May 2002, the line runs on the Southern Transcon track owned by BNSF Railway. The 91 Line has four westbound trains and five eastbound trains on weekdays, including two weekend round trips effective July 5, 2014.[2] As of April 2010, the line shares all of its stations with the Orange County Line and Inland Empire-Orange County (IEOC) Line, but an extension to Perris Valley opening in 2016 as well as a future Placentia station will create five stations that will only served by the 91 Line.

Stations

There are eight stations on the 91 Line:[3]

The stations at West Corona, North Main Corona, Riverside-La Sierra, and Riverside-Downtown are also served by the IEOC Line; the station at Riverside-Downtown is also served by the Riverside Line. Although the 91 Line follows the same route through Los Angeles county as the Orange County Line, the 91 Line does not stop at Commerce station.[4]

A new Placentia station will be built to serve the 91 Line's north Orange County passengers; this station is in final design with construction to begin in 2012 or 2013.[5] This will be the only station on the 91 Line not shared by another Metrolink line outside of the Perris Valley extension.

Perris Valley Line extension

The Perris Valley Line is a 24-mile-long extension of the 91 Line into the Perris Valley currently under construction. The extension will run on the San Jacinto Branch Line, which parallels Interstate 215.[6] Led by the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), construction on the extension began in October 2013;[7] originally planned to start in December 2015,[7][8][9] public service on the extension is scheduled to begin in February 2016.[10][11]

Planned stations

Four new metrolink train stations are being built for the extension:

Seven stations were originally planned by RCTC—five to open along with the extension, and two to be built in the future. However, in the April 2010 CEQA-mandated environmental impact report,[13] three stations were dropped: the two future stations, one on the Cajalco Expressway near its junction with Interstate 215 in Perris and one in Box Springs within Riverside; and a station near UC Riverside, which was removed due to complaints by local residents.[14] In response to these removals, RCTC officials stated that more stations could be built in the future if necessary.[14]

History

RCTC bought the BNSF San Jacinto Branch Line in 1993, soon after Metrolink began operating.[7] Planning for the extension formally began in 2002. After studying the service alternatives available for the Perris Valley, RCTC selected commuter rail service in 2004. The Federal Transit Administration provided funding for the extension in 2007. In 2009, both the Federal Transit Administration and RCTC decided to conduct further studies into the project. The Federal Transit Administration decided to require a Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) to refresh the 2004 information and to obtain new public comment. RCTC had decided to prepare a full Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to clarify concerns and address new station site options. The Draft EIR was released for public comment on April 5, 2010, with the public comment period closing on May 24, 2010. The Draft SEA was completed and the comment period for the SEA ended on January 6, 2011. As of October 2012, comments received on both the EIR and the SEA are under review.[7]

In the August/September 2013 issue of Metrolink Matters,[15] the extension was said to be "moving full-speed ahead".[12]

The extension is projected to cost $248 million with funding coming from the state, a $75-million grant from the Federal Transit Administration, and Measure A, Riverside County's special sales tax for transportation projects.[16][17]

Future development

In 2005, an RCTC-commissioned study determined that extending the line to San Jacinto via an underused rail line, and/or to Temecula via a brand-new trackage, would be feasible.[18]

References

  1. ↑ "Metrolink Fact Sheet for June 2012" (pdf). Metrolink. June 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Metrolink Introduces 91 Line Weekend Service". Metrolink. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  3. ↑ "91 Line Schedule". Metrolink. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Metrolink Route Map" (pdf). Metrolink. May 9, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Placentia Metrolink Station" (pdf). Orange County Transportation Authority. 28 January 2009. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Perris Valley Line". Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC). Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Schedule". Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC). Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  8. ↑ Downey, David (August 13, 2015). "Perris Valley Line project is on track". The Press-Enterprise.
  9. ↑ Downey, David (September 14, 2014). "Transportation: Perris Valley Line taking shape". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  10. ↑ Weikel, Dan (December 11, 2015). "Metrolink expansion to Perris is dedicated ahead of its 2016 opening". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  11. ↑ Sheridan, Tom (December 11, 2015). "PERRIS: Perris Valley Line welcomed in style; service to begin in February". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  12. 1 2 "Metrolink Extension to Perris Now on Fast Track" (pdf). Metrolink. August–September 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
  13. ↑ Draft environmental impact report
  14. 1 2 Begley, Dug (April 12, 2010). "Perris line report includes few changes". Archived from the original on July 17, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Newsletters". Metrolink. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  16. ↑ Rojas, Rick (December 9, 2013). "$75-million federal grant to help fund Metrolink expansion to Perris". Los Angeles Times.
  17. ↑ Weikel, Dan (April 21, 2015). "Metrolink will extend 91 line to south Perris". Los Angeles Times.
  18. ↑ "2005 Commuter Rail Feasibility Study". Riverside County Transportation Commission. Retrieved December 13, 2015.

External links

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