The Federal Railroad Administration has awarded $90.4 million toward construction of the Broadway Grade Separation in Burlingame, the San Mateo County Transportation Authority said Nov. 5. Caltrain, which applied for the Railroad Crossing Elimination grant with SMCTA and the city, described the award as $90 million and said early construction work is expected to begin in May 2027.
Why it matters: The California Public Utilities Commission ranks the Broadway crossing as the state’s highest-priority grade separation. More than 30,000 vehicles use it each day. Construction is expected to be finished in January 2032.
SMCTA said it has committed more than $380 million in voter-approved Measure A and Measure W funds, the largest single source of project funding, and that local, state and city money together already covers about 80% of the project cost. The partners will still seek money for additional pedestrian and bicycle improvements. Rep. Kevin Mullin called Broadway “the most dangerous rail crossing in all of California” and noted $3 million in federal Community Project Funding he said he secured earlier this year.
“This federal investment marks a major milestone for the Broadway Grade Separation Project and reflects the sustained partnership among SMCTA, Caltrain, the City of Burlingame and our state and federal leaders,” said Julia Mates, chair of the SMCTA board. Caltrain Board Chair Rico E. Medina said the award “brings one of California’s most critical grade separation projects closer to construction.” Burlingame Mayor Michael Brownrigg thanked federal partners “for joining our State, County and City financing team to finally make Broadway grade separation a reality.”