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City prioritizes Rangsthorpe grade separation; Castro undercrossing to receive interim improvements
Summary
Staff told the Transportation Committee it will prioritize Rangsthorpe Avenue grade‑separation design and construction; Castro Street undercrossing work will be advanced only to support interim safety improvements and necessary utility relocations while the City pursues funding and NEPA clearance.
The Transportation Committee received an update on two railroad grade‑separation projects — Castro Street and Rangsthorpe Avenue — and supported staff prioritizing Rangsthorpe for completion of final design and construction pursuit, while advancing only interim improvements and preparatory utility work at Castro Street until funding is secured.
Senior civil engineer Joy Hunton and principal civil engineer Robert Gonzales briefed the committee. Staff said Rangsthorpe now shows a much larger funding gap than previously estimated: the project’s updated 35% design cost estimates are approximately $453,000,000, leaving a shortfall of about $159,000,000 compared with the prior project estimate (previously reported at roughly $325,000,000 with a $31,000,000 shortfall). Staff said the city’s Rangsthorpe grant applications to FRA programs were unsuccessful in the most recent round; the team has requested meetings with FRA to learn how to improve competitiveness in the next round and is pursuing value engineering and schedule adjustments to reduce costs.
For Castro Street, staff described a set of interim, lower‑cost operational changes the city can pursue now: permanently close the railroad crossing to motor vehicles at the Castro/Moffett/Central Expressway intersection while retaining the at‑grade crossing for bicycles and pedestrians, convert Evelyn Avenue at Castro to westbound only with bike accommodations, and eliminate railroad signal preemption at Central Expressway to reduce cyclist and pedestrian wait times. In parallel, the city is constructing a utility‑relocation CIP to move water and sewer facilities that must be relocated before a future undercrossing can be built. Staff noted that NEPA (federal environmental review) clearance is required for federal funding and that state and federal timelines are uncertain.
Committee members asked about sequencing — whether to continue design work, pursue additional property acquisitions, or consider eminent domain for parcels not yet secured. Staff said the city has begun limited acquisitions but will accelerate right‑of‑way work after the 65% design milestone; eminent domain would be a policy decision if negotiations do not succeed. Staff told the committee the city will return to Council with fall 2025 updates and recommended actions as value engineering and grant discussions proceed.
No formal committee vote was taken on a construction action; staff were asked to continue value engineering, pursue grant opportunities, and report back to Council with a recommended path forward.
