Riverside is building an underpass on Third Street, routing traffic beneath the railroad tracks to eliminate delays caused by passing trains. To complete the $93.5 million project, the city will use eminent domain to seize all or parts of several businesses, empty lots and warehouses east of downtow n. The project will lower Third Street between Vine Street and Park Avenue and build a bridge over the railroad tracks, allowing vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians to pass freely underneath and end traffic jams that occur when trains go by. Vince Mazzetti, vice president of Blue Banner Company, is seen Friday, March 28, 2025, in his business’ main driveway in Riverside. Blue Banner is among the properties affected by the city’s project to construct a four-lane underpass below nearby railroad tracks. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) The BNSF railroad tracks on Third Street in Riverside are seen Friday, March 28, 2025. The city will construct a new four-lane underpass at the location. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) Blue Banner Company’s main driveway is seen Friday, March 28, 2025, in Riverside. The company is among the properties affected by Riverside’s project to construct a four-lane underpass beneath the railroad tracks. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) Third Street will go beneath the BNSF railroad tracks, seen Friday, March 28, 2025, in Riverside as part of a project expected to be completed in late 2027. The four-lane underpass will eliminate traffic jams when trains go by. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) Show Caption1 of 4Vince Mazzetti, vice president of Blue Banner Company, is seen Friday, March 28, 2025, in his business’ main driveway in Riverside. Blue Banner is among the properties affected by the city’s project to construct a four-lane underpass below nearby railroad tracks. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG) Expand City officials say the upgrades will reduce train horn noise, cut emergency response times, improve safety and relieve traffic congestion. The project is the city’s latest railroad underpass, following similar efforts on Jurupa, Columbia, Magnolia, Iowa, Streeter and Riverside avenues. In neighboring Corona, work is underway on the McKinley Street bridge project that will take the bridge over the existing railroad tracks, with construction expected to finish in fall. In Riverside, the truck-heavy roadway faces increasing congestion, with drivers being delayed more than three hours a day by roughly 100 passing trains, the city’s website states. Without improvements, delays would reach 10 hours per day by 2046, according to the city. The crossing also has seen five train-related crashes in recent years, including three fatalities in the past five years, a city report states. Between 2017 and 2022, nine crashes occurred near the crossing, with two resulting in injuries. The high truck traffic in the area makes walking and biking unsafe, the city report states. In addition to the four-lane underpass, the project will add bike lanes, sidewalks and raised medians, and improve the intersection at Commerce Street. The Riverside City Council approved the project 5-1 Wednesday, March 25. Construction is expected to start in fall and be completed in late 2027, the city’s website states. Through eminent domain, the city is acquiring four properties, part of four other properties and seven temporary easements for construction, Farshid Mohammadi, engineering manager, said in an email. Some business owners support the project but are frustrated by the process. Jack Gilmore, who owns two properties needed for the project, including one near the intersection of Fifth and Commerce streets, opposed the project at the council meeting. “I’m objecting to what you’re taking from my property and the amount you’re offering,” Gilmore said. “You’re offering me $8,800 for three years, the taxes are $6,600 and I don’t think that’s worth tying up my property for sale.” Gilmore’s business, Gilmore’s Truck Parts & Accessories, which was destroyed in a large fire in 2024, is one of the properties the city plans to partially take. Frustrated by the lack of options, he added, “I don’t know what I’m going to do. The person that came out to talk me about it basically told me take it or leave it.” Other property owners are optimistic about the project’s benefits. Losing its main entrance will be a challenge for Blue Banner Company, a citrus packing house in Riverside, but the long-term improvements will be good for the area, Vice President Vince Mazzetti said. The city is expected to replace the entrance with a new driveway in a nearby area on the property, Mazzetti said. “We’ve been packing citrus here since 1964, and we’ve worked amicably with the city for four years on this,” Mazzetti said. “We love the project. It’s going to be great for the public and for Third Street.” However, Mazzetti is in talks with the city over easement rights on the family-owned property, saying the terms lack clarity. Related links Riverside sets sights on 2023 for Third Street railroad bridge Construction to start on Corona’s McKinley Street bridge in 2021 $58.1 million grant paves way for 91-71 freeway interchange rebuild in Corona “We just want to protect our rights,” he said. “If a railroad employee runs into a forklift on my property, who’s responsible? It’s got to be the city or the railroad.” While the project will cause temporary disruptions, it will reduce pollution, the city website states. Other upgrades include: New retaining walls, a stormwater pump station and relocating utilities Relocating the BNSF tracks to minimize rail disruptions during construction “By realigning the rail line and adding a fourth track, it keeps trains moving at 50 mph and eliminates closures caused by crashes,” a city report states about the project. “This results in less truck delays and a more efficient roadway system.” Updates on the project can be found here. ...read more read less