SCRRA HIGHWAYRAIL GRADE CROSSINGS

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• SCRRA HIGHWAY-RAIL GRADE CROSSINGS
• RECOMMENDED DESIGN PRACTICES
• AND STANDARDS MANUAL
• Ron Mathieu
• June 9, 2009

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Background

• R/W purchases in 1990-1993 from UPRR, BNSF SPTC
  (now UPRR)
• 2 yrs. design construction prior to start up of
  service
• Upgrades to run passenger trains using existing
  standards from RRs and CPUC

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Background

• Initial service to Santa Clarita, Pomona and
  Moorpark in 1992
• Currently operate over 388 route miles (not
  including other railroads)
• 311 at-grade crossings (public, pedestrian,
  private, station crossings)
• Average weekday riders 43,397 (an increase by a
  factor of 2.5 in the past two decades)

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Why Develop Standards Manuals?
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Current Practice

• Several Reference Documents
• CA MUTCD
• Federal Highway Administration
• California Public Utilities Commission
• Federal Railroad Administration

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SAFETY !!
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Why Develop Standards Manuals?
Grandview Ave., Glendale
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Why Develop Standards Manuals?
Irvine
Glendale
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Why Develop Standards Manuals?
Buena Vista, Burbank
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Why Develop Standards Manuals?
Vehicle on track near Chevy Chase, Glendale
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Why Develop Standards Manuals?
TRESPASSING ISSUES San Clemente, CA
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Why Develop Standards Manuals?
CONSISTENCY OF DESIGN
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Why Develop Standards Manuals?
CONSISTENCY OF DESIGN
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Why Develop Standards Manuals?
CONSISTENCY OF DESIGN
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A tool for consistent and easily maintained
design
Why Develop Standards Manuals?

• Provides consistency in the application of
  standards for grade crossing safety within the
  SCRRA 5 County system
• Reference for municipalities on the SCRRA system
  when improving crossings
• Standard tool for upcoming capital programs in
  Riverside (PVL), Los Angeles (Sealed Corridor)
  and Orange County (Service Expansion and Crossing
  Program)

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Manual Development
GOALS

• Establish Defined Design Procedures
• Proper field diagnostics
• Develop the engineering flow and approval process
• Establish Defined Design Procedures
• Publish SCRRA Standard Configuration
• Define proper applications of technology
• Provide clear direction on the applications of
  technology
• Provide direction that can be used in a variety
  of cases

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TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP (TAG)
Manual Development (Cont.)

• Purpose Provide input on the draft document by
  a group with varying expertise in design,
  construction and operation of grade crossings.
• SCRRA (Civil Engineering, CS, Rail Corridor
  Crossings, Safety, Legal, Risk Management)
• Civil Consultants AECOM, JLP, Rail Pros, LAN
• Signal Consultant XoRail, PRE
• LACMTA
• CPUC
• City of Los Angeles

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Technical Advisory Group (TAG)

• Site Visits
• Review current industry standards
• Review what works
• Note what does not work
• Observe pedestrian habits
• Observe motor vehicle actions

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PEDESTRIAN BEHAVIOR
Visit To Other Railroad System

• Pedestrians tend to look down not up

• Pedestrians may lack awareness or be distracted

LA Metro Blue Line LRT, Los Angeles, CA
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PEDESTRIAN BEHAVIOR
Visit To Other Railroad System

• Pedestrians tend to take the shortest route

• Pedestrians create their own pathways

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Visit To Other Railroad System
LA Metro Gold Line LRT, Pasadena, CA
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Visit To Other Railroad System
Caltrain, San Jose/San Francisco, CA
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Visit To Other Railroad System
New Jersey Transit, Newark, NJ
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Visit To Other Railroad System
New Jersey Transit, Newark, NJ
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Visit To Other Railroad System
Long Island Railroad, New York, NY
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Visit To Other Railroad System
Long Island Railroad, New York, NY
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Visit To Other Railroad System
Union Pacific, Pico Rivera, CA
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RULES, REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND GUIDELINES
Manual Content

• Federal Rail safety regulations, FRA Database
• State CPUC jurisdiction, General Orders,
  crossing database, CA MUTCD (application of
  warning devices and traffic control)
• Local
• SCRRA CM Agreements, ROE Agreements, Right of
  Way

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Manual Content (Cont.)
VEHICULAR CROSSINGS

• Design process goals
• Geometry
• Median islands
• Driveways, sidewalks pavement approaches
• Line of sight
• Active traffic control devices
• Traffic signals, preemption
• Railroad features and future improvements

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Manual Content (Cont.)

• VEHICULAR CROSSINGS

Flower Street, Glendale
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Vehicular Crossings
Flower Street, Glendale
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PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS
Manual Content (Cont.)

• Pedestrian grade separations
• Ten-minute walk rule (proximity to schools,
  hospitals other high density locations)
• ADA issues
• Warning devices
• Channelization

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PEDESTRIAN TREATMENT
Manual Content (Cont.)

• Pedestrian treatments work well with proper
  channelization and signs
• Pavement striping continued across the track
  portion of roadway is good visual and effective
• Important to add extra pedestrian treatments near
  stations-- people run to catch trains
• All crossings unique and need diagnostic reviews

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PEDESTRIAN TREATMENTS

• Flower Street crossing- Glendale, CA

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California Vehicle Code

• VC 22451. Stops Railroad or Rail Transit
  Grade Crossings
• (b) No driver or pedestrian shall proceed
  through, around, or under any railroad or rail
  transit crossing gate while the gate is closed.

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PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS
PEDESTRIAN CROSSING DESIGN CONSIDERATION TABLE
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Manual Content (Cont.)
STATION CROSSINGS
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Manual Content (Cont.)
STATION CROSSINGS
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Manual Content (Cont.)
STATION CROSSINGS
No train approaching
Train approaching
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RAILROAD SIGNAL INTERCONNECT
Manual Content (Cont.)

• Local agencies should design traffic signals
  adjacent to crossings to prevent vehicles from
  queuing over the tracks
• Discusses vehicle queuing prevention strategies
  including pre-signals and queue-cutter signals
• Local agencies provide railroad (for review) with
  advance preemption time calculations phasing

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TRAFFIC SIGNAL PREEMPTION
Manual Content (Cont.)
Pre-Signals
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TRAFFIC SIGNALS
Manual Content (Cont.)
Pre-Signals
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TRAFFIC SIGNAL PREEMPTION
Manual Content (Cont.)
Queue-Cutter Signals
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TRAFFIC SIGNALS
Manual Content (Cont.)
Queue-Cutter Signals
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Manual Content (Cont.)
IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

• Crossing Design Process
• Design goals
• Diagnostics
• New Crossings
• Crossing Closures
• Sealed Corridor
• Quiet Zones
• Submittals and funding

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Manual Content (Cont.)
SPECIAL ISSUES

• Adjacent Freight or Transit Tracks
• Adjacent Developments
• Landscaping
• Bikeways and Trails
• Fencing and Security Gates
• Lighting

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Manual Content (Cont.)
CONSTRUCTION

• Excavation and Backfill
• Erosion Control
• Temporary Traffic Control
• Utility Adjustments

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Manual Content (Cont.)
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

• Public Agency Inspections
• Joint Inspections
• Crossing Condition Changes

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OUTCOME

• Hundreds of Hours over 1-1/2 years
• Began in Fall 2007
• Completion June 15, 2009
• Expected Release to Local Agencies and Website -
  July 2009

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VISION

• Establish a clear and comprehensive document
  defining the means and methods of designing
  pedestrian and vehicular at-grade crossings
  within the Metrolink system.

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CHALLENGES

• Railroad cost (1.5 to 2.5 million)
• SCRRA Recipient of many Small Grants
• Cities with limited funds wanting to do make
  improvements
• Making sure they are consistently applied on the
  Metrolink system
• Addressing additional maintenance in CM
  Agreements

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• Questions?