The planned removal of trackage of the Sacramento Northern Railway, the construction of substitute tracks and track connections, the elimination of 10 existing grade crossings, the acquisition of necessary rights-of-way, and all necessary associated work and appurtenances, to enable Sacramento Northern Railway trains to operate via existing trackage of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, in and adjacent to the City of Pittsburg, shall be eligible for an allocation under Section 2453. The Public Utilities Commission shall determine to what extent, if any, the railroad shall contribute to the project. Such eligibility shall not be contingent on whether the railroad agrees to contribute, and the California Highway Commission shall not deny an allocation on such grounds.

The Legislature hereby finds and declares that it is necessary to enact this special law regarding the Pittsburg track removal and grade crossing elimination project because of the existence of the following special facts and circumstances:

The predominant traffic carried by the Sacramento Northern Railway consists of high explosives, bombs, shells, and ammunition destined for the United States Navy ammunition depot at Port Chicago. Such trains traverse residential areas, cross 10 streets at grade, and constitute a grave hazard to the life and safety of the residents of Pittsburg. Sacramento Northern Railway is willing to remove its tracks and operate its trains via the tracks of the Atchision, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, which is already partially grade separated and which offers a safer route. However, Sacramento Northern Railway will sacrifice certain of its own facilities, will receive no benefits, and therefore is unwilling to contribute any portion of the cost incidental to the removal of its trackage or for the construction of substitute track connections and appurtenances or for the acquisition of rights-of-way.

Based on the foregoing, the Legislature therefore finds and declares that it is necessary that the Sacramento Northern track removal and relocation project in and adjacent to the City of Pittsburg shall be eligible for a grade separation allocation, and that subdivision (d) of Section 2454, relating to a contribution by the railroad, shall not apply for purposes of qualifying for an allocation under Section 2453.

(Added by renumbering Section 2404.2 by Stats. 1975, Ch. 678.)