Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority THE ACE REPORT. ACE Board Chair s Message. Dear Friends:

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1 Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority THE ACE REPORT Summer 2012 / Volume 3, Issue 4 Inside this issue: Contract OKed for Trench Children Dig ACE Project Chair Thanks Sen. Feinstein Feds Focus on Freight Needs ACE Board Chair s Message Dear Friends: I am pleased to report that the Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority (ACE) and the City of San Gabriel will cohost a groundbreaking ceremony in November for our largest roadway-railroad grade separation project, the San Gabriel Trench project. The construction contract awarded this summer for the project was about a third less than our cost estimate. We will seek to ensure that the bid savings from the Trench project are programmed toward the construction of two grade sepa- Hon. David R. Gutierrez rations being designed at Puente Avenue near Valley Boulevard and at Fairway Drive near State Route 60, projects in ACE s adopted Phase II program. Demolition for Nogales Baldwin Bids to be Opened 5 6 We anticipate awarding a construction contract next month for the Baldwin Avenue project in El Monte and later for the Nogales Street project near State Route 60. We will also award contracts to start design and engineering of three grade separation projects located at Fullerton Road near State Route 60, at Hamilton Boulevard in Pomona and at Durfee Avenue in Pico Rivera. Initiating design of a fourth grade separation project at Fairway Drive near Valley Boulevard awaits Union Pacific Railroad concurrence. ACE Board Members David R. Gutierrez Chair City of San Gabriel Stephen Atchley Vice Chair City of Pomona Michael Antonovich Los Angeles County Gloria Molina Los Angeles County Barbara Messina SGVCOG On the funding front, we re pleased that federal transportation legislation passed this summer recognizes the importance of grade separations (see page 4 for details). And, ACE could be eligible for additional local funds if Los Angeles County voters this November approve a proposed extension of a half-cent sales tax for transportation. ACE is entering a period of unprecedented construction activity on its grade separations and continues to pursue funding opportunities to complete its program. Thank you for your interest in and support for the ACE projects. Sincerely, Jack Hadjinian City of Montebello Norma Macias City of El Monte Tim Spohn City of Industry Paul Eaton Ex Officio SANBAG The Hon. David R. Gutierrez Chair, ACE Construction Authority Board of Directors Councilman, City of San Gabriel

2 Page 2 The ACE Report Contract awarded to build San Gabriel Trench grade separation project The ACE Board of Directors this summer awarded a $172.6 million contract to construct the San Gabriel Trench grade separation project, a 1.4-mile railroad trench for Union Pacific freight and Amtrak passenger trains to be spanned by four street bridges at existing crossings in the City of San Gabriel. The contract was awarded to the lowest bidder, Walsh Construction Co. of Chicago, a leading heavy construction contractor whose unit handling the project is based in Walnut Creek, California. The ACE Construction Authority s largest single undertaking, the Trench project will create almost 9,000 jobs over nearly five years of construction. This contract award represents an historic step toward forever eliminating deadly crossing collisions, emissions and congestion from idling vehicles blocked by passing trains, and locomotive horn noise in the City of San Gabriel, said ACE Board Chairman David R. Gutierrez, a City of San Gabriel Councilman. In addition to reducing congestion and improving air quality, this vital project is an important link in our regional strategy of moving cargo containers by train rather than in diesel trucks on our freeways, said Los Angeles County Supervisor, ACE Board Member and current MTA Board Chairman Michael D. Antonovich. Workers relocate Sprint fiber optic lines along the Union Pacific Railroad to prepare for the Trench project. Several underground utilities are being relocated in preparation for the start of project construction this fall. All six construction bids received in late June for the San Gabriel Trench grade separation project were below the ACE engineer s estimate of $266.8 million. Construction of the project is funded from Prop 1B transportation bonds approved by California voters in 2006, with other project elements funded by MTA Measure R and other local and federal funds. The 2.2-mile project will result in the lowering of Union Pacific railroad track in a 65-foot-wide, 30-foot-deep, 1.4 mile-long trench through the City of San Gabriel. Street bridges will be constructed at Ramona Street, Mission Road, Del Mar Avenue and San Gabriel Boulevard, which cumulatively carry nearly 90,000 vehicles daily.

3 Volume 3, Issue 4 Page 3 ACE in the Community San Gabriel Children enjoyed the opportunity to play amateur archaeologists at the ACE exhibit area during the Circle the Square community festival held in San Gabriel s historic Mission District in June. An archaeological dig in the railroad right-of-way near the historic San Gabriel Mission was completed earlier this year as part of the San Gabriel Trench project. Give ACE a Call To request ACE participation in your school or community event, please call (888) ACE-1426 Safety First!

4 Page 4 The ACE Report ACE Appreciation At a recent luncheon in Duarte, ACE Board Chairman David R. Gutierrez expresses appreciation to U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein for her longstanding support of the ACE grade separation projects. Federal bill provides freight project focus The MAP-21 federal transportation bill signed into law this summer includes key provisions recognizing the importance of freight movement to our nation s transportation system and economic competitiveness. Specifically, the legislation authorizes two programs relevant to the ACE grade separations. First, the bill calls for the designation of a national freight network and associated improvement plan with incentives for federal highway funds to be invested in freight projects, defined to include roadway-railroad grade separations. The law also reauthorizes the Projects of National and Regional Significance (PNRS) grant program intended for megaprojects difficult to fund under existing programs. The PNRS program was a significant source of federal funding for the ACE projects in the last federal transportation bill. While ACE received funding from the prior PNRS program, securing funding through either program will likely prove challenging and ACE will continue to monitor the development of both programs.

5 Page 5 The ACE Report Buildings demolished, utilities being relocated for Nogales Street project Preconstruction activities and utility relocation are underway for the Nogales Street grade separation project near State Route 60. Left, ACE contractors demolish two industrial buildings in preparation for project construction. Bottom left, workers relocate Verizon underground lines along Gale Avenue, west of Nogales Street. Bottom, workers relocate telephone lines along Walnut Drive. Bids are expected to be solicited for a construction contract this month. Plans call for constructing a sixlane roadway underpass on Nogales Street between San Jose Avenue and Gale Avenue/Walnut Drive North. To ease an existing traffic chokepoint, Gale Avenue and Walnut Drive will be widened to two lanes in each direction in the vicinity of Nogales Street.

6 Volume 3, Issue 4 Page 6 Construction contract to be awarded for Baldwin Avenue project in El Monte The ACE Board is expected to award a contract in October to construct the Baldwin Avenue grade separation project in the City of El Monte. The $80.7 million project calls for lowering four lanes of Baldwin Avenue between Rose Avenue and Gidley Streets and constructing a double-track railroad bridge over the new underpass along with a pedestrian bridge connecting both ends of the Bessie Avenue cul-de-sacs. We re multilingual! Read the Spanish and Chinese versions of our newsletter on the ACE website: Somos multilingüe! Lea la versión en Español de nuestro boletín en la página de internet de ACE: 我們為您提供多語種服務! 欲閱讀中文版本的通訊, 請瀏覽 ACE 網站 :