The Shasta Regional Transportation Agency (SRTA) applied for, and received, a $450,000 competitive grant under the Fiscal Year 2025/26 Sustainable Communities program to fund a regional railroad crossing plan.
Land use adjacent to the railroad in the Shasta Region has increased and intensified considerably since the railroad was first constructed, particularly in the area along what is now State Route (SR) 273. This has resulted in various mobility challenges at at-grade railroad crossings such as low overall connectivity, lack of route options, unnecessary additional vehicle miles traveled, longer vehicle delays due to increased freight rail activity, increased at-grade collisions, and increased emergency response times.
Planning Objectives:
Identify Railroad Crossing Deficiencies and Needs in Shasta Region: Population growth, the built environment, mobility needs and travel patterns have changed greatly in the estimated 85 years since the last crossing was added. A thorough analysis is needed to identify current and future needs.
Produce a Toolbox of Prioritized Strategies/Projects to Address Those Needs over the Short-, Medium-, and Long-Term Planning Horizons: In order to maximize constrained resources, identified improvement strategies/projects will be prioritized and planned over various planning horizons. Larger projects may require more time to finalize design and assemble funding stacks.
Enhance Safety and Connectivity: Existing crossings can seem perilous to vulnerable road users and there is a need to better connect existing facilities for greater mobility and efficiency.
Engage Under-served Communities: Conduct targeted outreach to ensure the voices of under-resourced and disadvantaged communities are central to the planning process.
Align with State and Regional Goals