CA High-Speed Rail Construction Package 1

Construction Package 1 (CP1), a 32-mile stretch between Madera to Fresno, was the first significant construction contract executed for the CA High-Speed Rail Program.  This package includes 12 grade separations, two viaducts, one tunnel, a major river crossing, and the realignment of State Route 99.

JMA has completed the design of the three shooflies of the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) mainline in Fresno, including at: Downtown, Westside Wye and Herndon.  These 3 shooflies, totaling over 14,000 feet of new track, enable the construction of four underpasses of UPRR required for establishing the high-speed train alignment adjacent to UPRR through Fresno.  The work has involved substantial interface with UPRR design criteria and standards and engagement with UPRR staff and consultants to identify the specific constraints at each crossing and develop effective solutions to these constraints that meet UPRR criteria and construction phasing, staging and methods that minimize impacts to UPRR to the greatest extent possible. JMA prepared other elements of the design related to UPRR, including modifications to 2 temporary at-grade crossings and 1 permanent reconfigured crossing, and designed and coordinated numerous utility relocations and special protections required by the shooflies, for Kinder Morgan and PG&E facilities.

The downtown shoofly was completed in January 2022 and the Westside Wye shoofly was completed in May 2022. JMA is currently advancing final shoofly design for the Herndon Crossing which is expected to be constructed by 2025.

CA High-Speed Rail Construction Package 4

Supporting the design-build contractor, California Rail Builders, JMA led the design of two adjacent shooflies of BNSF mainline for Construction Package 4 (CP4) in Wasco.  JMA developed the at-grade alternative technical concept during tender phase that avoided the expensive and impactful BNSF viaduct structure through Wasco shown in the base bid documents.  Working closely with BNSF, a single long shoofly was modified to two shorter shooflies, eliminating impacts to the BNSF Wasco yard and adjacent Amtrak station.

In addition to designing over 32,000 feet of new mainline and shoofly tracks, JMA led SJRRC and SJJPA engagement for conceptual layout of the pedestrian tunnel, street parking and overall rider access to the Wasco Amtrak station, coordinated all utility relocation submittals with the BNSF (45 applications), designed a 15,000-foot relocation of a Lumen fiber line through Wasco, and led the CPUC applications for 10 new and modified crossings.  JMA additionally performed independent technical review of the HST and associated project drainage for a 3-mile segment through Wasco. 

JMA was successful in leading an expedited design and construction schedule with Lumen, BNSF, and the Authority, with construction completed in under 9 months from the start of design. The Lumen fiber optic relocation was completed in October of 2019 and the Poso Ave shoofly entered operation in 2022, with the construction of the Poso Ave Underpass completed in 2023.

Port of Stockton 700 Yard Improvements

JMA designed a new rail yard at the Port of Stockton to support expanded interchange capabilities and capacities between the Port, BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. The yard is also served by Central California Traction Company, which interchanges with BNSF and UPRR. The project consisted of approximately 20,000 ft of new ballasted track for storing and handling BNSF cars at the Port’s 700 Yard facility, including two new lead tracks, 18 new turnouts, and 9 new yard tracks.

The design included grading and drainage, utility encasement, access roads and associated demolition and the accommodation for Caltrans’ adjacent widening of SR-4 and the resulting modifications to the grade separation with the yard tracks and tie-in to BNSF’s mainline at the east of the yard.  Several temporary track phases were designed to accommodate the bridge construction while maintaining BNSF operations.

Old Sacramento Track Replacement

The CA Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) required replacement of the Sacramento Southern Railroad track between the Capitol Mall at-grade crossing and the Circle of Lights at-grade crossing in Sacramento, California.  This segment of track was constructed with no drainage system and standing water had been observed by the Client following past rain events.  The poor drainage condition impacted the rail gauge and access to wire line pull boxes and damaged the adjacent asphalt pavement.  Additionally, the rails were installed with non-staggered joints. 

As Track Design Lead, JMA designed the 800 ft track replacement which included the full removal and replacement of the existing rails, ties, ballast, subballast, asphalt pavement walkways, pull boxes and wire lines while protecting in place the adjacent pedestrian walkways. This included the at-grade crossing improvements and associated grading and drainage design.

ACE Valley Rail Program, UPRR Mainline Track & Station Projects

San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) is proposing to expand ACE passenger rail services in the San Joaquin Valley utilizing the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) rail network. JMA is currently designing the track and at-grade crossing improvements for the Elk Grove, Ceres and Ripon stations. This work includes over 15-miles of new track, including secondary mainline, 4 industry track improvements, a 3/4-mile track shift, 3 at-grade crossing improvements, the Ceres Layover Facility, and associated track grading and drainage. 

JMA coordinated extensively with UPRR and developed numerous alternatives for track configuration to support the station designs. This included alternatives for maintaining existing industry connections where applicable.  UPRR has continuously updated its CAD and design standards and JMA has adapted quickly to these changes to ensure complete submittals in a timely manner. 

Additionally, JMA is leading the Ceres to Turlock Double Tracking segment as Prime. This Project includes construction of new track and track upgrades to provide a continuous second mainline track along the UPPR Fresno Subdivision stretching approximately 6 miles. The project also includes improvements to 11 at-grade crossings.

Port of Stockton, On-Call Services

JMA has completed dozens of rail design and planning tasks for the Port of Stockton over the last 10 years to support their rail expansion initiatives.
JMA has provided these Project Management services supporting the below projects:

  • Establishment of rail development standards for prospective Port tenants. JMA developed guidelines to ensure consistency and avoidance of unintended impacts to Port assets from new rail uses.
  • Development of a rail operations model using AnyLogic of all existing and proposed traffic at the Port.
  • Identification, evaluation and cost benefit analysis of proposed large-scale rail capacity improvements and grant applications
  • Preparation of a Track Rehabilitation Summary Memorandum to identify needed track improvements as part of Port’s capital improvements goals.
  • Evaluation of safety conditions, including lighting and night-time safety factors, of the Port’s private at-grade crossings. JMA evaluated over 30 such crossings using a crossing evaluation matrix developed in-house by JMA.

JMA has delivered the following projects under PA&ED, PS&E and DSDC:

  • Design and construction oversight of the 700 Yard.
  • Development of rail expansion final design plans for Port, BNSF and CPUC review.

VTA/BART Silicon Valley Extension – Phase 1

VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Extension Program (BSV) will expand BART service into Santa Clara County and is being built in two phases.

  • Phase I (Complete) extended service from Alameda County into Santa Clara County
  • Phase II (Currently in design and engineering) will extend service from the Berryessa Transit Center to the end of service in Santa Clara. Read more about Phase II here.

On Phase 1, JMA was the Design Unit Coordinator for the Guideway design unit from 60% to Request for Comments, which included the five cut-and-cover trench structures – Dixon Landing Road, Milpitas BART Station, Trade Zone Blvd, Hostetter Road and Sierra Road – over 10,700’ of trenching in total.  JMA led the final design of the direct fixation track per BART Facilities Standards.  JMA was responsible for 9 Wayside facilities and prepared all civil drawings and specifications and led the multidisciplinary design team including architectural, structural, electrical, and mechanical subconsultants.  Several JMA staff co-located at VTA offices to complete the work on-time over the tight final design schedule. JMA also provided technical design review for numerous Union Pacific Railroad-related aspects of the project, including the Milpitas industrial lead track and shoofly and grade crossing of Dixon Landing Road.

Alameda CTC, Rail Safety Enhancement Program

The Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) initiated a Rail Safety Enhancement Program (RSEP) to improve 45 at-grade crossings throughout Alameda County involving 8 local agencies. ACTC has elected to divide the crossings into two groups, RSEP A and RSEP B for funding purposes. The project is currently evaluating improvements for RSEP A which includes 29 at-grade crossings.

JMA is responsible for preparing the crossing improvements designs for crossings located in Berkeley, San Lorenzo, and Hayward. The crossing improvements follow UPRR standards and include pedestrian channelization behind existing vehicular crossing gates, installation of pedestrian gates with emergency swing gates, installation of additional crossing panels, roadway medians, roadway signage and striping, maintenance access for UPRR vehicles, and evaluation of bulb-outs, lighting, and queuing.

JMA conducted site-diagnostic meetings with all respective stakeholders for each of its crossings and secured stakeholder concurrence on conceptual designs for 7 crossings and 1 trespass location. Design was completed in 2024.

Warm Springs Quiet Zone Study & At-Grade Crossing Improvements

JMA prepared recommendations regarding the feasibility of establishing a partial or full Quiet Zone through the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) Warm Spring Subdivision corridor in San Jose, to provide relief from train horns for the residential neighborhoods. JMA performed calculations and evaluated risks associated with the safety measures in comparison with the Risk Index for the 14 at-grade crossings in the corridor.  In addition, JMA prepared conceptual engineering drawings, construction takeoffs associated with the proposed crossing improvements and led a 3-day intensive site diagnostic meeting with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), UPRR, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), and City to obtain consensus for the proposed safety improvements.

In collaboration with JMA on this project, the railroad developed exhibits showing standard crossing details that will be used by UPRR as a guideline when evaluating future at-grade crossing improvement projects in California.  JMA proposed the development of this tool with the railroad in order to standardize the process for providing safety input when evaluating the range of crossing configurations encountered, especially in dense, urban corridors.

JMA was awarded the final design contract for the scoped improvements at two of the crossings, Jackson Street and 7th Street, that are required for establishment of a partial quiet zone.  The crossings are currently at 100% design.