Pennsylvania Avenue Grade Separation Project (EA 1P300)

The City of Beaumont (City), in coordination with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), is proposing a grade separation at the existing Pennsylvania Avenue/Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) at-grade crossing through the construction of an underpass (i.e., roadway would be depressed under the existing rail line) (Project). The roadway improvements would extend along Pennsylvania Avenue from 3rd Street to the south, to just north of the I-10 off-ramp to the north. Following construction, the horizontal alignment for the rail line would remain in its current location, while the vertical alignment/elevation would involve slight adjustment (elevation would vary from zero to two feet compared to the existing elevation). The width of the new bridge would be approximately 105 feet. The existing roadway condition on Pennsylvania Avenue consists of two through lanes in each direction (northbound [NB] and southbound [SB]), a center median, and a dedicated left-turn pocket from SB Pennsylvania Avenue to the eastbound (EB) Interstate (I-) 10 on-ramp, In addition, a sidewalk is present along the SB side of Pennsylvania Avenue that extends from East 1st Street to the south to East 6th Street to the north. Consistent with the existing roadway cross-section, following construction of the Project Pennsylvania Avenue would consist of two through lanes in each direction (NB and SB), a center median, a dedicated left-turn pocket from SB Pennsylvania Avenue to the EB I-10 on-ramp, and a sidewalk in the SB direction. In addition, the following improvements would be included: • Sidewalk along the NB side of Pennsylvania Avenue • Reprofiling of existing I-10 EB on-ramp and westbound (WB) off-ramp for a distance of approximately 300 feet and 800 feet, respectively, to match the lowered elevation of Pennsylvania Avenue • Addition of traffic signals at the Pennsylvania Avenue/I-10 EB on-ramp and Pennsylvania Avenue/I-10 WB off-ramp intersections • Retaining wall along the NB side of the I-10 EB on-ramp • Relocation of the existing sewer line that is located along Pennsylvania Avenue to accommodate the lowering of the existing roadway. The sewer line would be rerouted west along East 6th Street to Massachusetts Avenue where it would then travel south. A jack and bore approach would be used to install the sewer line under I-10, and the line would tie-into the existing sewer line that exists just south of I-10 and north of the UPRR alignment. A shoofly (approximately 4,000 feet in length) would be created just south of, and parallel to, the existing UPRR tracks for use during construction to minimize impacts to UPRR. The portion of the work within Caltrans’ right of way includes installing traffic signals, sewer relocation, retaining walls, new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) curb ramps, sidewalks, and modification to the EB I-10 on-ramp and WB I-10 off-ramp at Pennsylvania Avenue.