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Originally Posted by Novacek
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Interesting! I really wish the presentation included the next map north so we could see the length of the tunnel portal. A vertical profile would also be really useful to understand the intentions and trade-offs.
By my calculation, the elevation of the rails at the tunnel portal would need to be at least 10 feet below the elevation of Cesar Chavez to be able to pass under Cesar Chavez. That makes the bridge clearance over the new section of trail along the shoreline pretty low.
To do the same the same at Guadalupe, the tunnel portal would need to start about mid-span of the Drake Bridge, (or center line of the Colorado River channel). That would presumably require a peninsula be built out into the channel and a very long trail boardwalk between the Shoal Creek peninsula and the boardwalk under the Congress Avenue bridge.
Alternatively, if the rails cross Cesar Chavez at grade, the tunnel portal would block 2nd Street and probably 3rd Street as well.
That is why I predict the Guadalupe crossing will be a tunnel under the LBL, with the Riverside station underground.
I also would not be surprised if they determine they cannot afford two crossings in the initial phase of construction. I initially thought they might eliminate the Trinity crossing, but I now think it would make more sense to eliminate the Guadalupe crossing since it will be more expensive, and both the Blue and Orange Lines would serve MACC / Rainey and the entire 4th Street tunnel. The Orange Line would have a slight detour back to South Congress, but in the scheme of things, it would not be that significant.