The Point: Station improvements will improve Metrolink operations, encourage transit use, reduce traffic congestion, and improve air quality
Coming soon, Metrolink riders on the 91/Perris Valley Line will begin seeing a series of station improvements and benefits that also may encourage drivers to make the switch to passenger rail.
RCTC, in partnership with Metrolink, began construction on the Moreno Valley/March Field Station Improvements Project in Riverside on October 10. This station serves Metrolink’s 91/Perris Valley Line and is the midpoint between the Perris-Downtown Station and the Riverside-Downtown Station. Construction is anticipated to be completed by spring 2024.
The project will add a second train platform and extend the current train platform to accommodate the length of Metrolink’s standard six-car trains. The project will also upgrade 2.5 miles of track – part of a larger effort to upgrade a total of nine miles of track south toward the Perris-Downtown Station. This area currently has one set of Metrolink track and one set of historic freight track, which require passenger trains to travel at a slower rate. The upgrades will provide two sets of modern tracks for the 91/Perris Valley Line to meet speeds for passenger trains.
Once completed, the project will improve Metrolink operations and efficiency, reduce traffic congestion on the Interstate 215, and help improve air quality for Riverside County’s rapidly growing communities by encouraging drivers to commute by train.
Passengers may be affected by construction activities on and near the platform and are urged to please follow pedestrian detours and signs and to allow more time to access trains. This work is not expected to affect the parking lot and bus areas.
For more information about this project and to sign up for construction updates, visit rctc.org/projects/moreno-valley-march-field-station-improvements.
Funding for the project is derived from a combination of sources, including a $32 million Federal Transportation Administration grant.
Additionally, as part of RCTC’s ongoing efforts to implement multimodal solutions, RCTC is seeking grant funding for the Metrolink Double Track Project: Moreno Valley-Perris Project. The project will improve another 6.5 miles of track beyond the 2.5 miles to be improved for the Moreno Valley/March Field Station Improvements Project. Riverside County residents can voice their support for this project by including their names in RCTC’s application for funding.
These projects are part of Metrolink’s multi-faceted Southern California Optimized Rail Expansion (SCORE) program. The program will introduce significant improvements throughout the Metrolink system in time for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. These improvements will not only assist with the transportation of the millions projected to arrive in Southern California in 2028 but will also generate regional prosperity in the decades to come.