In a strategic move to alleviate the daily grind of commuter traffic, the City has joined hands with Union Pacific to thoroughly overhaul the railroad crossing at Rittiman Road and I-35. The plan, which came to fruition after the City Council's approval of a Reimbursement Agreement for Preliminary Engineering Services, is aimed to significantly reduce the deadlocked minutes residents endure during their transit while trains interrupt the flow of life. This development, announced yesterday, seeks to bridge the needs of a congested populace with modern infrastructure solutions.

Surrounded by community and media, District 2 Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez highlighted the critical nature of this project. “District 2 has the highest number of railroad crossings in the city, and this specific project is a welcome sign that the city is one step closer to eliminating this railroad crossing. I want to thank Union Pacific for their collaboration on this effort," he noted in a statement conveniently obtained by SA.gov. His words conveyed a sense of urgency for progress and foresight into the district's potential once the hurdle of this crossing is bypassed.

The estimated cost currently stands at a substantial $55 million mark. Following the exciting revelation of Union Pacific's cooperation, Councilmember McKee-Rodriguez shared the forthcoming steps, "Our next step will be to complete the project design and to identify opportunities to fund this roughly $55 million project." The grandeur of the task is to be carefully dissected into achievable milestones, with design completion and funding identification at the fore.

Despite the daunting financial figures, the local government maintains optimism that the grade separation project will transform the daily commute for many. "It is an ambitious project, but we hope it will be a game changer for those living and working in the area, who often spend 45-50 minutes stuck waiting for the train to pass," McKee-Rodriguez confidently proclaimed, as detailed by SA.gov.