The long-awaited fix for Burlingame’s notorious Broadway at-grade rail crossing just got a serious push. The San Mateo County Transportation Authority this week approved a fresh round of local funding to finish the design work and improve safety at the intersection, bundling Measure A and Measure W dollars to make the project more competitive for federal grants. For commuters, merchants and pedestrians who sit through those long gate closures on Broadway, officials say it is a concrete step toward removing what they have repeatedly called one of California’s most hazardous crossings.
TA locks in design and construction cash
At last Thursday's meeting, the TA programmed and allocated $21.6 million in Measure A grade separation funds to bring the Broadway Grade Separation project to 100% final design, and it also programmed up to about $321.6 million for right of way and construction phases, contingent on federal awards and a realistic project funding plan, according to the San Mateo County Transportation Authority staff report. The action also authorizes the agency to negotiate implementation agreements with the City of Burlingame and the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain) as the partners move the redesign forward.
Where the design stands
Caltrain and the project team are working from a value-engineered redesign that is approaching 65% design. That effort removes the Broadway station from the scope, narrows the rail structure, and shifts the alignment east to cut right-of-way impacts. The redesign leans on mechanically stabilized earth walls and deep soil mix foundations and seeks to avoid temporary shoo fly tracks, changes the agencies say reduce construction complexity and cost, per Caltrain’s quarterly project materials. The partners are using a Construction Manager/General Contractor approach to refine cost and schedule as design advances.
Federal help and local pressure
Federal money remains central to closing the gap. Rep. Kevin Mullin’s office says his Community Project Funding package includes roughly $3.15 million for the Broadway effort, a local infusion officials say will help the project’s case as they pursue larger federal awards.
Cost math and the 'Phase One' scenario
Project sponsors still work from a full build estimate of about $615 million for a completely finished scheme, per the City of Burlingame project study report, but the partners are advancing a pared-down Phase One that removes the station and temporary shoo-fly tracks to cut costs. Caltrain and TA staff told reporters that the most basic construction estimate for that stripped-down build sits near $380 million, and the team is seeking just above $90 million from the federal Railroad Crossing Elimination program. Officials say a federal award paired with the TA and city commitments and the Mullin allocation could eliminate a funding gap for the Phase One build, San Mateo Daily Journal shows.
Why removing Broadway matters
The Broadway crossing has repeatedly surfaced as a top statewide priority for grade separation because of vehicle strikes and pedestrian risk. Environmental filings for the project note it is designated as a top priority for elimination under the CPUC safety prioritization methodology. Local project documents also flag heavy use around the interchange, roughly 70,000 vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists a day, and modeling shows gate downtime will worsen as train frequency rises without separation, magnifying congestion and safety concerns. These findings are outlined in city and CEQA materials.
Next steps and timeline
The TA says the $21.6 million programming will get the project to 100% design by 2029, and its planning documents estimate construction could begin in 2029 and finish by 2032 if funding aligns. Partners will continue refining the funding plan, press the federal Railroad Crossing Elimination application and brief local officials as the design is finalized. If the federal award arrives, TA staff told the board the trimmed Phase One could proceed without a funding gap.
