Item C: Railroad Quiet Zone - Laserfiche WebLink

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constructing median barriers, converting two-way streets to one-way traffic, and leaving some crossings unchanged. Each potential strategy at each specific at-grade crossing was evaluated based on a number of criteria, including ability to reduce risk based on a “risk index” used by the FRA, costs (initial capital costs and on-going maintenance costs), engineering feasibility, public acceptance, and conformance with traffic safety standards and other policies related to the local transportation system. Closing at-grade rail crossings is the safety measure most preferred by the FRA, ODOT Rail and the Union Pacific Railroad, which owns and operates the rail lines that run through the downtown area. Closing redundant or unsafe railroad crossings is a goal of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The likelihood of obtaining non-City funding from these agencies increases with the number of at-grade crossings that are closed. However, closing at-grade rail crossings is the safety measure least supported by the public. The FRA process to obtain a quiet zone requires ODOT Rail, Union Pacific and the City to all agree on the SSMs proposed. None of the parties can force a quiet zone or other changes to railroad crossings without the consent of the others. Based on analyses of the federal criteria necessary to obtain a quiet zone and a sense of public acceptance, staff has developed a conceptual design that would likely result in a quiet zone. The scenario displayed in Table 1 describes the different supplemental safety measures needed to reduce the risk index from the current level of 17,689 to 11,029. Guidelines stipulate that implementation of a quiet zone shall result in a reduction of the risk index for the segment under consideration. Table 1 Crossing Location Treatment Van Buren Median Monroe None Madison Close Jefferson One-way Washington One-way Lawrence Median Lincoln None Pearl None High Quad gates 8th and Hilyard Quad gates Risk Index 11,029 Estimated Cost $1,350,000 This scenario assumes only one street closure and is likely to qualify for only $50,000 of ODOT Rail- administered Section 130 funds. If the City decides to pursue more street closures to increase the likelihood of non-City funding, staff considered five potential closures: Monroe, Madison, Jefferson, Lawrence and Lincoln streets. Given the lack of public support for multiple street closures in this area, staff did not fully analyze a scenario involving multiple closures, other than to determine that there would be significant impacts to business access, neighborhood connectivity, bicycle and pedestrian routes and emergency response. In 2007 the FRA updated its risk index calculator to take into account a train-pedestrian crash at the Eighth and Hilyard crossing. The risk index at that crossing increased almost five-fold, and the average F:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M080225\S080225C.doc