$33 Million Allocated for Rail Upgrading

In an effort to speed up the rail commute and lure new riders, state transit planners have set aside $33 million for improvements to the train tracks between Moorpark and Goleta, officials have announced.

The state priority list for funding already includes the money, which will be used to upgrade the railway corridor and reduce the time it takes to commute by train from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles.

Ginger Gherardi, executive director of the Ventura County Transportation Commission, said the improvements would include new railroad ties, upgraded road crossings, 22 miles of new rail and five new sidings.

“This should save about 35 minutes on the trip from Santa Barbara,” Gherardi said. “These new sidings should be long enough to let freight trains stay on it while a passenger train goes by.”

Improvements also will be made to the railroad platforms at Camarillo and Ventura, she said.

Initial rehabilitation work could begin as soon as next summer, although the entire project is scheduled to last two to three years, Gherardi said.

Union Pacific, which owns the railway corridor, identified $45 million worth of improvements needed along the tracks. But state officials have not yet found a source for the additional funds, Gherardi said.