NCRA Grade Crossings Project

The North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA) Grade Crossing Rehabilitation project is the first step in an important process of restoring freight rail service to the Northern San Francisco Bay counties. The project spanned 65 miles of existing NCRA rail which serve the agricultural communities in Napa, the city of Novato in Marin County, and the cities of Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, and Windsor in Sonoma County. The NCRA rail line parallels the crowded US-101 which is overburdened with truck freight traffic. Once open, the rail line will carry much of this freight at lower cost and with less negative impact on the environment. This will provide an economic boost to the communities it serves as well as dramatically improve congestion on the vital US-101 highway.

Mass Electric Construction was awarded two contracts to upgrade, repair, or replace warning devices and equipment at 52 grade crossings across all three counties being served. Construction commenced in August of 2007 and was completed in August 2008. The project required close coordination with more than 10 municipal and state entities whose roads and highways crisscross the rail line. The scope of work at a limited number of crossings was as simple as grade crossing predictor and relay logic upgrades. In many cases, the work consisted of complete replacement of all grade crossing warning devices including crossing gates, crossing cantilevers, and new control equipment shelters and equipment.