91/Perris Valley Line

The 91/Perris Valley Line,[2] formerly known as the 91 Line,[1] is a commuter rail line operated by Metrolink that runs from Los Angeles to Perris in Southern California, paralleling State Route 91 between Riverside and Santa Fe Springs. Operating since May 2002, the line runs on the Southern Transcon track owned by BNSF Railway, as well as the Riverside County Transportation Commission-owned San Jacinto Branch Line. Services are primarily routed through the whole line between Union Station and South Perris while some trips use Downtown Riverside as a terminus.

91/Perris Valley Line
Pedestrian bridge and tracks at the Fullerton station
Overview
StatusOperating
LocaleSouthern California
TerminiLos Angeles Union Station
South Perris
Stations12
Service
TypeCommuter rail
SystemMetrolink
Ridership
  • 2,809 (avg. weekday, 2015–2016)
  • 625 (avg. Saturday, 2015–2016)
  • 469 (avg. Sunday, 2015–2016)
  • [1]
History
OpenedMay 2002 (2002-05)
Technical
Line length83.8 miles (134.9 km)[1]
CharacterElevated and surface-level
Track gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Operating speed33 mph (53 km/h) (avg. Q4 2015-16)[1]
Route map
Antelope Valley Line
Ventura County Line
 Los Angeles Union Station
San Bernardino Line
Riverside Line
 Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs
 Buena Park
 Fullerton
Orange County Line
 Placentia
(planned)
Inland Empire-
Orange County Line
 Corona–West
 Corona–North Main
 Riverside–La Sierra
Riverside Line
 Riverside–Downtown
Inland Empire-
Orange County Line
 Riverside–Hunter Park/UCR
 Moreno Valley/March Field
 Perris–Downtown
 Perris–South
 Hemet
(planned)
 San Jacinto
(planned)
All stations are accessible

History

Service on the 91 Line began on May 6, 2002, between Union Station and Riverside–Downtown.[3] Metrolink began operating limited weekend service on the 91 Line in July 2014.[4]

Perris Valley Line extension

The Perris Valley Line is a 24-mile-long extension of the original 91 Line into the Perris Valley. The extension runs on the San Jacinto Branch Line, which parallels Interstate 215.[5]

The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) purchased the BNSF San Jacinto Branch Line in 1993, soon after Metrolink began operating.[6] Planning for the extension formally began in 2002. After studying the service alternatives available for the Perris Valley, RCTC selected commuter rail service in 2004. The Federal Transit Administration provided funding for the extension in 2007. In 2009, both the Federal Transit Administration and RCTC decided to conduct further studies into the project. The Federal Transit Administration decided to require a Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) to refresh the 2004 information and to obtain new public comment. RCTC had decided to prepare a full draft environmental impact report (EIR) to clarify concerns and address new station site options. The draft EIR was released for public comment on April 5, 2010, with the public comment period closing on May 24, 2010. The draft SEA was completed and the comment period for the SEA ended on January 6, 2011. As of October 2012, comments received on both the EIR and the SEA were under review.[6]

Seven stations were originally planned by RCTC—five to open along with the extension, and two to be built in the future. However, in the April 2010 CEQA-mandated environmental impact report,[7] three stations were dropped: the two future stations, one on the Cajalco Expressway near its junction with Interstate 215 in Perris and one in Box Springs within Riverside; and a station adjacent to UC Riverside, which was removed due to complaints by local residents.[8] In response to these removals, RCTC officials stated that more stations could be built in the future if necessary.[8] A local community group filed a CEQA lawsuit against the extension in 2011;[9] the group and RCTC settled the suit in 2013.[10]

Led by RCTC, construction on the extension began in October 2013.[6] Originally planned to start in December 2015,[6][11][12] public service on the extension was delayed to February 2016, then March 2016, then scheduled for sometime in the spring.[13][14] The delay had been attributed to construction on the South Perris station.[15] After numerous delays, the extension opened June 6, 2016.[16][17] Metrolink inconsistently uses the terms "91/Perris Valley Line" and "91 Line" to refer to both the extension and the entire rail line.[18]

The extension was projected to cost $248 million with funding coming from the state, a $75 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration, and Measure A, Riverside County's special sales tax for transportation projects.[19][20]

Future development

In 2005, an RCTC-commissioned study determined that extending the line to San Jacinto[21] via an underused rail line owned by RCTC, and/or to Temecula via a brand-new trackage, would be feasible.[22] Construction on a station in Placentia is planned.[23]

Stations

There are twelve stations on the 91 Line:[2][24]

Station Location Address Connections
91/Perris Valley Line
Riverside County
Perris–South Perris 1304 Case Rd, Perris 92570
Perris–Downtown 121 S. C Street, Perris 92570
Moreno Valley/March Field Moreno Valley 14160 Merdian Pkwy, Moreno Valley 92518
Riverside–Hunter Park/UCR Riverside 1101 Marlborough Ave, Riverside 92507
Riverside–Downtown 4066 Vine St, Riverside 92507 Metrolink: Inland Empire–Orange County Riverside
Amtrak: Southwest Chief
Riverside–La Sierra 10901 Indiana Ave, Riverside 92503 Metrolink: Inland Empire–Orange County
Corona–North Main Corona 250 E. Blaine St, Corona 92879 Metrolink: Inland Empire–Orange County
Corona–West 155 Auto Center Dr, Corona 92880 Metrolink: Inland Empire–Orange County
Orange County
Placentia (planned) Placentia 209 W. Crowther Ave, Placentia 92870
Fullerton Fullerton 120 E. Santa Fe Ave, Fullerton 92832 Metrolink: Orange County
Amtrak: Pacific Surfliner, Southwest Chief
Buena Park Buena Park 8400 Lakeknoll Dr, Buena Park 90621 Metrolink: Orange County
Los Angeles County
Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs Norwalk 12650 Imperial Hwy, Norwalk 90650 Metrolink: Orange County
LA Union Station Downtown Los Angeles 800 N. Alameda St, Los Angeles 90012 Metrolink: Antelope Valley Orange County Riverside San Bernardino Ventura County
Amtrak: Coast Starlight, Pacific Surfliner, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited, Texas Eagle
Metro:  B Line  D Line  J Line  L Line
FlyAway to LAX

The stations at West Corona, North Main Corona, Riverside-La Sierra, and Riverside-Downtown are also served by the Inland Empire-Orange County Line; the station at Riverside-Downtown is also served by the Riverside Line. Although the 91 Line follows the same route through Los Angeles County as the Orange County Line, the 91 Line does not stop at the Commerce station.[25]

References
  1. "Metrolink Fact Sheet" (PDF). Southern California Regional Rail Authority. 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-08-28. Retrieved 2016-10-21.
  2. "91/Perris Valley Line Schedule". Metrolink. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  3. McKibben, Dave (May 7, 2002). "Riverside-L.A. Commute by Rail Cut to 90 Minutes". Los Angeles Times. p. 13. Retrieved August 6, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Metrolink Introduces 91 Line Weekend Service". Metrolink. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  5. "Perris Valley Line". Riverside County Transportation Commission. Archived from the original on 2015-12-19. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  6. "Schedule". Riverside County Transportation Commission. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  7. "Draft environmental impact report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  8. Begley, Dug (April 12, 2010). "Perris line report includes few changes". The Press-Enterprise. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011.
  9. Begley, Dug (2011-08-26). "INLAND: Lawsuit filed over planned Perris Valley Line train project". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  10. Bowen, Douglas John (2013-07-12). "Deal frees Metrolink Perris Valley Line". Railway Age. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  11. Downey, David (August 13, 2015). "Perris Valley Line project is on track". The Press-Enterprise.
  12. Downey, David (September 14, 2014). "Transportation: Perris Valley Line taking shape". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  13. Sheridan, Tom (February 12, 2016). "PERRIS VALLEY LINE: High-speed tests to help set opening date for new commuter route". The Press Enterprise. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  14. "Perris Valley Metrolink start-up delayed". Inland News Today. March 22, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  15. "Construction delays start of Perris Valley Metrolink service". Inland News Today. April 12, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  16. Sheridan, Tom (2016-05-11). "METROLINK: Perris Valley Line set to open June 6 (UPDATE)". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved 2016-05-12.
  17. Sheridan, Tom (2016-06-06). "TRANSPORTATION: Perris Valley Line rolls out right on schedule". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved 2016-06-06.
  18. "Metrolink to begin 91/Perris Valley Line service June 6" (Press release). Los Angeles: Metrolink. 2016-05-12. Retrieved 2016-06-06.
  19. Rojas, Rick (December 9, 2013). "$75-million federal grant to help fund Metrolink expansion to Perris". Los Angeles Times.
  20. Weikel, Dan (April 21, 2015). "Metrolink will extend 91 line to south Perris". Los Angeles Times.
  21. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-05-26. Retrieved 2018-10-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. "2005 Commuter Rail Feasibility Study". Riverside County Transportation Commission. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  23. "Metrolink Station and Parking Structure". City of Placentia. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  24. "Metrolink Extension to Perris Now on Fast Track" (PDF). Metrolink. August–September 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
  25. "Metrolink Route Map" (PDF). Metrolink. May 9, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2013.

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