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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-08-27; City Council; 21350; Coastal Corridor Quiet ZonesCITY OF CARLSBAD - AGENDA BILL 26 AB# 21.350 MTG. 8-27-13 DEPT. PW-TRAN COASTAL CORRIDOR QUIET ZONES DEPT.DiRECTOR 0/ CITY ATTY. CITY MGR. RECOMMENDED AaiON: To receive a presentation from Reed Caldwell, Deputy General Manager of North County Transit District regarding the Coastal Corridor Quiet Zones. ITEM EXPLANATION: Mr. Caldwell will give an update on the Coastal Corridor Quiet Zones. FISCAL IMPACT; None. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT; Pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21065, this action does not constitute a "project" within the meaning of CEQA in that it has no potential to cause either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and therefore does not require environmental review. EXHIBITS: None. DEPARTMENT CONTACT: Skip Hammann 760-602-2730 skip.hammann(a)carlsbadca.gov FOR CLERK USE. COUNCIL AaiON: APPROVED • CONTINUED TO DATE SPECIFIC •_ DENIED • CONTINUED TO DATE UNKNOWN • CONTINUED • RETURNED TO STAFF • WITHDRAWN • OTHER - SEE MINUTES • AMENDED • REPORT RECEIVED JS^ COASTAL CORRIDOR QUIET ZONES City of Carlsbad Council Meeting August 27, 2013 Reed Caldwell Deputy General Manager 2 What is a Quiet Zone? •Train horns no longer sound –Except in Emergencies, Trespassers, etc. –At discretion of locomotive engineer •Active warning devices still operate –Crossing bells and lights •Crossing safety measures implemented at crossing 3 Regulatory Background 4 Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) “Final Rule” •Adopted August 17, 2006 •Details the Federal rules for locomotive horn use and requirements for establishment of Quiet Zones •Preempts State laws governing the sounding of locomotive horns 5 California Public Utilities Commission CPUC General Order No. 88-B – Adopted: January 8, 2004 •Establishes criteria of altering highway-rail crossings •Railroad supervises work between rails and within 2-ft of rails 6 NCTD Board Policy •NCTD Board Policy No. 18 – Adopted: October 18, 2012 – Purpose: Support for Cities – Cities’ are lead agencies for securing funding, permitting, and approvals – Cost Neutral to NCTD – Added Wayside Horn System – NCTD performs construction 7 Quiet Zone Efforts for Inland and Coastal Corridors •City of Encinitas –Chesterfield Crossing Feasibility Study - Feb 2005 •City of Vista –Grade Crossing Review - Apr 2006 •City of Oceanside –MOU for Preliminary Design - Nov 2006 •City of Del Mar –MOU for Site Diagnostic - Aug 2007 –Wayside Horn Operational - Sep 2012 •City of San Diego –MOU for Preliminary Design - Nov 2006 –12 Crossing Quiet Zone Operational - Nov 2012 8 Cont. Quiet Zone Efforts To-date NCTD Limits •City of San Diego –12 crossings –$21 million program –Completed Nov 2012 –Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC) paid 100% of quiet zone costs 9 Sample Intersections 10 Quiet Zone Safety Improvements Examples Median Islands & Crossing Gates (2) 11 Quiet Zone Safety Improvements Example Median Islands & Crossing Gates (4) 12 Quiet Zone Safety Improvements Example One Way Street, Median Islands, & Crossing Gates (4) 13 Coastal Corridor Programmatic Study 14 Quiet Zone Programmatic Study for the Coastal Corridor •Use Corridor-Wide Risk Index –Cost/Benefit •Uniform coordinated safety improvements •Eliminates noise “leakage” between Cities with and without Quiet Zones 15 Cont. Coastal Corridor-Wide Quiet Zones •Coastal Corridor (Orange County to Broadway) –27 total at-grade crossings •7 crossings in San Diego Quiet Zone •1 crossing with a Wayside Horn in Del Mar Oceanside 5 Carlsbad 4 Grand Avenue Carlsbad Village Drive Tamarack Avenue Cannon Road Encinitas 4 Solana Beach 0 Del Mar 1 San Diego 13 16 Key Policy Considerations •FRA: Local Jurisdictions Lead Quiet Zone Process •Past work on Quiet Zones by Communities •Increased Train Traffic in Regional Plans – 2013 Passenger Trains – 44/day – 2030 Passenger Trains – 76/day 17 Cont. Key Policy Considerations •City of San Diego Quiet Zone Investment: $21 Million, 100% of a Quiet Zone with 12 crossings •SANDAG & NCTD do not have funding to support Quiet Zones –Insufficient SANDAG funding for 2050 Plan 18 Quiet Zones Questions? Reed Caldwell North County Transit District August 27, 2013