Riverside-Downtown Station Improvements Project
Status: Project is paused and not currently active
Location: Western Riverside County
Type of Project: Rail Station Improvements
Status: Project is paused and not currently active
Location: Western Riverside County
Type of Project: Rail Station Improvements
Location: Riverside-Downtown Metrolink Station
Complete Environmental: Late 2022
Complete Final Design and Right of Way: Late 2023
Construction: To follow after completion of Final Design and Right-of-Way phases
Investment: $65-80 million
OVERVIEW
The Riverside-Downtown Station Improvements Project is paused and not currently active.
The Riverside County Transportation Commission, in partnership with the Federal Transit Administration and Metrolink, is conducting studies to support an Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Assessment for proposed improvements to the Riverside-Downtown Station.
RCTC and Metrolink are working to improve the transportation network in southern California. Increasing freight train service causes delays to Metrolink service at the Riverside-Downtown Station. Station improvements are needed to avoid conflicts with freight train traffic, reduce delays, and allow for future Metrolink service expansion. The purpose of the project is to expand platform capacity, and improve operations, efficiency, connectivity, and the passenger experience at the station.
The proposed project focuses on improvements primarily on the east side of the station and tracks. The improvements include adding a passenger loading platform and tracks and extending. the pedestrian overpass to access the new platform. Pedestrian access and parking improvements along Howard Avenue are also proposed as part of the project.
Public Comments
RCTC hosted two public hearings for residents to learn more about the proposed project and provide official public comments. A virtual public hearing was held December 15. An in-person public hearing was held December 16. Written public comments were accepted through February 18, 2022 using the following methods:
Email: stationproject@rctc.org
Online: https://bit.ly/RDSComment
U.S Mail: Mr. David Lewis, Capital Projects Manager
Riverside County Transportation Commission
Attn: Riverside-Downtown Station Improvements Project
4080 Lemon Street, 3rd Floor
Riverside, CA 92501
RCTC began the environmental process with the distribution and posting of the Notice of Preparation in January 2020 and a public scoping meeting on February 6, 2020. The team has prepared technical studies on the potential impacts of the proposed project improvements and released the Draft Environmental Impact Report in December 2021.
The Draft Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Assessment have been released to the public. The public comment period will be open for 60 days, and two public hearings will occur in late 2021. The public hearings will be held to ensure all participants have a voice in this process. A court reporter and Spanish speaking interpreters will help staff the public hearing.
The next major milestone will be the public review and comment period of the Draft Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Assessment, released in late 2021. Final design and right of way activities will take place after the environmental document is finalized. The anticipated completion of final design and right of way is late 2023, with construction to follow.
Anticipated Schedule
Dates subject to change.
In January 2020, RCTC posted the Notice of Preparation in the State Clearinghouse and The Press-Enterprise and La Prensa newspapers. A public scoping meeting was held at Lincoln High School in February 2020. The meeting was attended by community members and representatives of the City of Riverside, RCTC, and Metrolink.
RCTC met with multiple project stakeholders to provide information and updates. Presentations were made to the Eastside Neighborhood Forum (March 2020 and April 2021), Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce, and the Transportation Now Riverside Chapter. Additionally, RCTC and the FTA conducted Section 106 consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office to evaluate potential impacts to historic and cultural resources. Additional public outreach to historic groups was also performed by the project team. RCTC provided another project update to the Eastside Neighborhood Forum in November 2021 before the release of the Draft Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Assessment for public review.
In late 2021, RCTC released the Notice of Availability for the Draft Environmental Impact Report to the State Clearinghouse, The Press-Enterprise, and La Prensa. A 60-day public review and comment period will follow the release of this document. Two public hearings will be held during the public comment period. Once the public comment period is concluded, all comments will be addressed in the Final Environmental Document.
Draft Environmental Documents Â
Executive Summary
CEQA
NEPA
Appendices
- Appendix A. References
- Appendix B. List of Preparers
- Appendix C. Correspondence
- Appendix D. Environmental Assessment Figures
- Appendix E. Environmental Commitments Record
- Appendix F. CEQA Checklist
- Appendix G. Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Technical Report
- Appendix H. Biological Resources Study
- Appendix I. Community Impact Assessment
- Appendix J. Geotechnical Exploration Report
- Appendix K. Energy Analysis Technical Memo
- Appendix L. Historic Resources Report
- Appendix M. Hazardous Waste and Materials Documents
- Appendix N. Noise and Vibration Technical Report
- Appendix O. Paleontological Identification and Evaluation Report
- Appendix P. Draft Relocation Impact Report
- Appendix Q. Draft Individual Section 4(f) Evaluation
- Appendix R. Traffic Impact Analysis
- Appendix S. Visual Impact Assessment
- Appendix T. Hydrology/Hydraulics/Stormwater Quality Technical Memorandum
- Appendix U. Distribution List
- Appendix V. Metrolink Strategic Business Plan
- Appendix W. Project Definition Report
Notice of Availability
The Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR) and Environmental Assessment (EA) for this project are now available for public review. To view these and all other supplemental documents and provide an official public comment, click here . The 60-day review period of these documents will begin December 3, 2021 and end February 18, 2022. These documents are also available for review in physical form at the following locations:
RCTC Office at 4080 Lemon Street, 3rd Floor, Riverside, CA 92501
City of Riverside – Third Floor/Planning at 3900 Main Street, Riverside, CA 92522
Cesar Chavez Community Center at 2060 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92507
Public Scoping Meeting Summary
Public Scoping Meeting ExhibitsÂ
Community Presentations:
- Scoping Meeting (February 6, 2020)
- Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce
- Downtown Business Council
- Eastside Neighborhood Forum
- Riverside Transportation Now Chapter
- Riverside Unified School District
- City of Riverside Community Health
- Foundation/Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Zone Program
- Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice and League of United Latin American Citizens 3190
- Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce
- Downtown Area Neighborhood Alliance
- City of Riverside Cultural Heritage Board
- Old Riverside Foundation