Harder Secures $960,000 to Fix Most Congested Railroad Bottleneck in the State
The Stockton Diamond is the busiest and most congested railroad bottleneck in the state; Funding will help fix constant rail backups and improve Stockton’s air quality
WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Josh Harder (CA-9), a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, announced he secured nearly $960,000 for a project to help fix the massive congestion at the Stockton Diamond rail crossing. The Stockton Diamond is the busiest and most congested railroad bottleneck in the state. Trains are constantly idling at the Diamond emitting harmful pollution into the air. Rep. Harder secured these federal funds through a Community Project Funding (CPF) grant.
“We have some of the worst air quality in the entire country and pollution from idling trains and cars is a huge part of the problem,” said Rep. Harder. “The Stockton Diamond is the most congested railroad bottleneck in California and we need to fix it so trains can keep moving through our city without idling.”
“The Stockton Diamond Sewer Upsizing Project will expand capacity and strengthen the resilience of our water infrastructure, while seizing the opportunity provided by the work to improve our railroad infrastructure. With these investments, we are ensuring that both our water and our rail infrastructure can support our economy and our community into the future. SJRRC is grateful for Congressman Harder's leadership in championing this vital project,” said Stacey Mortensen, Executive Director of the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission.
“The City of Stockton is very appreciative that Congressman Harder was able to prioritize funding for the Stockton Diamond Grade Sewer Upsizing project to help advance the overall project,” said the City of Stockton.
The funding will help move forward on the Stockton Diamond Grade Separation to separate the BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. It will go towards a critical water infrastructure project that must be completed before the railways can be separated. This project is expected to reduce delays for passenger and freight rail, reduce travel time for cars, and protect the community from air emissions from idling trains and cars.
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