II. BACKGROUND

The West Doran Street highway-rail at-grade crossing is located at the point where West Doran Street intersects with the multiple main line railroad tracks and right-of-way owned by the SCRRA. This crossing site lies at the boundary between the City of Glendale and the City of Los Angeles but lies wholly within the City of Glendale. The city limits of the City of Los Angeles begin at the western limits of the SCRRA right-of-way on the west side of the crossing.

A. Jurisdiction

The California Public Utilities Commission (Commission or CPUC) has "the exclusive power...to determine and prescribe the manner, including the particular point of crossing, and the terms of installation, operation, maintenance, use, and protection of each [rail] crossing" and to "alter, relocate, or abolish by physical closing any [such] crossing." Cal. Pub. Util. Code §§ 1202 (a) and (b).

B. Crossing Site

The West Doran Street highway-rail crossing is located near the intersection of Interstate 5 (I-5) and State Route 134 (SR-134). The crossing is one of three crossings that provide access to a light industrial/commercial area between San Fernando Road to the east and the Los Angeles River and I-5 to the west. The crossing is immediately west of the signalized intersection of West

Doran Street and San Fernando Road, and just east of the uncontrolled intersection of West Doran Street and West San Fernando Road.

C. Motor Vehicle Traffic

San Fernando Road is a major arterial road that is frequently congested with local and through traffic, especially during peak hours. Traffic congestion is increased by the proximity of a SR-134 exit to San Fernando Road, and the frequent use of San Fernando Road as an alternative route to I-5. West San Fernando Road is a local collector street running parallel to San Fernando Road and the SCRRA tracks and serves the light industrial area located between San Fernando Road and the Los Angeles River in the City of Los Angeles.

D. Rail Traffic

The West Doran Street crossing intersects two main tracks owned by SCRRA. The tracks are used by commuter trains operated by Metrolink, inter-city passenger trains operated by the National Passenger Railroad Corporation (Amtrak), and freight trains operated by the Union Pacific Railroad Company (UPRR). A total of 84 trains a day pass through the crossing at a maximum speed of up to 79 miles per hour (mph) during a normal work week.

E. The Crossing As Considered in the Settlement Agreement in Application (A.) 05-06-020 (the Glendale Flower Street Highway-Rail Crossing)

On November 20, 2006, CPSD entered into a Settlement Agreement with the City of Glendale, permitting the City of Glendale to construct an at-grade crossing at Flower Street in the City of Glendale, in A.05-06-020. RCES staff and the City of Glendale agreed to the construction of the at-grade crossing at Flower Street on the San Fernando Road corridor adjacent to the Metrolink line because:

· The City of Glendale agreed to the closure of two other at-grade crossings in this corridor.

· The City of Glendale agreed to substantially improve the crossing warning devices at several other at-grade crossings in the corridor.

· The City of Glendale agreed to use its best efforts to pursue state, federal, and local funding for the construction of SR-134 flyover at Fairmont Avenue.

· The City of Glendale and staff agreed to pursue the closure of the at-grade crossing at West Doran Street located in the City of Glendale, immediately next to its boundary with the City of Los Angeles.¹

At the time of the settlement, some members of the Los Angeles City Council appeared agreeable to the closure of the West Doran Street at-grade crossing on the San Fernando Road corridor. The City of Glendale and the SCRRA support the closure of the at-grade crossing at West Doran Street, and the City of Los Angeles has been informally working with staff in support of closure.

¹ "The second settlement agreement...requires...active pursuit of closing the Doran Street crossing...". D.07-03-027 (March 15, 2007), 2007 Cal. PUC LEXIS 280 at pp. 9-10.