PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SJRRC Contact:
Ahdel Ahmed, San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority
E-mail: aahmed@sjrrc.com
Phone: (209) 234-9282
(April 9 -- Stockton, CA) – The San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG) has approved a significant investment in regional transportation, awarding $14 million in Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) for the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission's (SJRRC) Stockton Diamond Grade Separation project. The funding approval was finalized during the SJCOG Board meeting on February 27, 2025.
Currently, the tracks of two major railroads intersect at-grade in the City of Stockton, just south of Downtown Stockton near Aurora Street South and East Scotts Avenue. Known as the Stockton Diamond, this intersection is the busiest and most congested rail bottleneck in California. The existing at-grade crossing and associated congestion creates operational inefficiencies affecting freight movement locally within the Central Valley and across the national railway network, limiting passenger rail service frequency, reliability, and potential for expansion. Additionally, the congestion causes local delays at rail crossings posing safety risks for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
“The last thing our farmers and local businesses need is the worst railway bottleneck in the state grinding our economy to a halt,” said U.S. Representative Josh Harder. “I helped bring federal investments back to the Valley to fix our aging infrastructure, and this project will deliver in spades by reducing congestion and improving safety. I look forward to getting this project done ASAP so our goods can get back on the move instead of sitting in traffic.”
The Stockton Diamond Grade Separation project will resolve these issues by separating the principal rail lines of BNSF Railway (BNSF) and Union Pacific Railroad (UP), allowing uninterrupted rail traffic flow. This project promises enhanced efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions associated with freight travel, enhanced mobility at key railway/roadway crossings for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians, and improved on-time performance facilitating passenger rail service expansion for Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) and Amtrak San Joaquins.
"This funding approval from SJCOG is a major step forward for the Stockton Diamond Grade Separation, addressing longstanding congestion and safety challenges at one of California's most critical rail intersections," said Stacey Mortensen, Executive Director of the SJRRC. "We are grateful for SJCOG’s and FHWA’s commitment to our vision of improving regional transportation efficiency, safety, and air quality for San Joaquin County residents, which aligns perfectly with our ongoing mission to enhance regional connectivity."
In total, SJCOG approved $25.4 million of CMAQ funding across 11 regional projects. The CMAQ program supports transportation initiatives that demonstrably reduce emissions, including roundabouts, traffic signal synchronization, electric vehicle infrastructure, and rail system enhancements.
More information about the Stockton Diamond Project, including the concept, information on the funding, timeline, and final design as well as how the public can be involved can be found at https://stocktondiamond.com.
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About the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) Governed by a Board of Directors consisting of six full-voting members from San Joaquin County and two special-voting members from Alameda County, SJRRC owns, operates, and is the policy-making body for the Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) service, which has been transporting passengers between the Central Valley and Bay Area since 1998. For more information about SJRRC and ACE, visit acerail.com or connect through Facebook (@AltamontCorridorExpress) and Twitter (@ACE_train).