Metro will hold two community meetings on the grade separation project On September 30th from 3-5 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m. at LM Resource Center

Santa Fe Springs~A Grade Separation Project is being considered at the railroad crossing at the intersection of Rosecrans and Marquardt Avenues in the city of Santa Fe Springs, just beyond the La Mirada western border.

Los Angeles County Metro is partnering with the BNSF Railway along with the City of Santa Fe Springs and Caltrans. The project is fully funded by the State's Section 190 Program, Proposition 1A, Measure R and BNSF.

The crossing has been rated by the California Public Utilities Commission as the most hazardous grade crossing in California, thus it is ranked first on the priority list for crossings eligible for funding. The project is expected to cost $130 million.

Once constructed, motorists will be able to travel safely through the intersection without the possibility of train to vehicle collisions. It will also improve the efficiency of train movement and eliminate the need for required train horns at the intersection. Metro officials say approximately 130 trains and 45,000 vehicles use this crossing daily.

There have been numerous accidents at the intersection over the years the last being on January 7, 2013 when 26-year-old Emily Scott of La Mirada was killed when her automobile collided with a freight train. There have also been suicides and attempted suicides at or near the intersection.

In June of this year Caltrans released its Benefit-Cost Analysis of the project. The report stated four fatalities, six injuries, and five property damage only incidents have occurred over a 10-year period that involve this at-grade intersection.

On October 30 2012 two LA County Sheriff's deputies pushed a disabled vehicle off the tracks preventing a mass transit disaster. We reported here in 2009 of a train vs. car incident.

Residents can learn about the proposed alternatives, provide feedback and talk one-on-one with project representatives at the September 30th meetings.

Future meetings will be held. For more information visit here or call (888) 512-1198.

Metro representatives say construction could begin as early as spring of 2018.