SIMI VALLEY DOUBLE TRACK PROJECT: VENTURA COUNTY LINE
The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink) has plans to upgrade its regional passenger rail service along the Ventura County Line through the Simi Valley Double Track Project (Project) at the Simi Valley Station. The Project is a part of the Southern California Optimized Rail Expansion (SCORE) capital plan to upgrade the Metrolink System for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond.
The Project includes:
- Addition of 2.15 miles of track - up to 1.55 miles in segment 1 and 0.6 miles in segment 2
- Segment 1 improvements include three at-grade crossing improvements
- Segment 2 includes up to two crossing improvements, creating a Quiet Zone ready corridor
- New track panels and warning devices at the following at-grade crossings: Sequoia Avenue, Tapo Canyon Road, Tapo Street, East Los Angeles Avenue, and Hidden Ranch Drive
- Simi Valley Station improvements, included in segment 1, require new safety standard pedestrian crossing and a new 680 feet long second platform
Project Map
Project Timeline
CHECK OUT THE BENEFITS:
More service: when combined with other SCORE projects, this Project will enable more frequent service. In the future, passengers can expect train service every 30 minutes in each direction.
Improved service reliability: trains will no longer have to wait for one another to pass, improving on-time performance.
The new platform access with an underpass crossing will create a more convenient and safer walkway for pedestrians.
Enhanced safety: improved at-grade crossings will facilitate Quiet Zone ready corridors that will also minimize train horn blowing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Simi Valley Double Track Project is included in Phase 1 of the Metrolink SCORE improvement project that will increase capacity at the station along the Ventura County Line. The Project will install approximately 2 miles of siding track and shift approximately 1,400 feet of existing track between East Los Angeles Avenue and the Simi Valley Station. The Project improvements will be divided in two segments that will be completed over two phases. The improvements include new track panels and warning devices at street crossings at Sequoia Avenue (option), Tapo Canyon Road, Tapo Street, East Los Angeles Avenue, and Hidden Ranch Drive. A second platform will also be constructed at the Simi Valley Station.
Quiet Zones ease noise in the community by limiting where and when trains are required to blow their horns. A city is responsible to apply for Quiet Zones, which are a Federal designation, once at-grade improvements are made. Metrolink is proposing to build the safety improvements necessary to make two crossings Quiet Zone ready.
The Simi Valley Double Track Project would generate jobs and business opportunities, improve safety for pedestrians, vehicles, and trains, provide environmental benefits, and increase the frequency and the reliability of Metrolink service. Ventura County would see reduced traffic congestion and emissions on adjacent freeways, which would result in fewer accidents, reduced air pollution and emissions, and decreased energy consumption. The addition of the second platform will offer less congested access to Simi Valley Station, which has more than 86,000 boarding’s per year. The upgrades at the crossings will allow the City to apply for Quiet Zone designation to reduce noise.
In the future, passengers will go to a train station and wait no more than 30 minutes for the next train in both directions. Commute times for passengers would be reduced with the increased speed and fluid operations. The Project improvements and updates would allow Metrolink to provide passengers more reliable and safer service.
The Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) was commissioned to produce a study assessing the impact of the construction investment of the SCORE program. The benefits from SCORE will make the region increasingly attractive for the millions projected to arrive in SoCal for the 2028 Summer Olympics and create regional prosperity in the decades to come. When service demand and future funding exist, Ventura County residents can expect to see 4,800 new jobs and $912 million in gross domestic product by 2028. By 2050, there would be 77,600 new jobs and a collective total of $33.7 billion in economic activity.
Final Environmental Impact Report
Comments received on the Draft Environmental Impact Report have been responded to in Chapter 2 of the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR). The FEIR was presented to the Metrolink/SCRRA Board of Directors on July 23, 2021, for certification. Access the meeting online at https://metrolinktrains.com/about/board-meetings/agendas-documents/
Simi Valley Double Track and Platform Project Final Environmental Impact Report
Draft Environmental Impact Report
Simi Valley Double Track and Platform Project Draft Environmental Impact Report
Appendix A_NOP and Scoping Meeting Summary Report
Appendix B_Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Technical Report
Appendix C_Health Risk Assessment Technical Report
Appendix D_Biological Resources Technical Report
Appendix E_Jurisdictional Delineation Report
Appendix F_Cultural Resources Technical Report
Appendix G_Paleontological Resources Constraints Analysis
Appendix H_Preliminary Geotechnical Design Report
Appendix I_Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Report
Appendix J_Water Quality Assessment Report
Appendix K_Preliminary Drainage Report
Appendix L_Noise and Vibration Technical Report
Appendix M_Traffic Impact Study
Fact Sheet