Discussion

The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) proposes to construct a pedestrian-rail crossing under the North County Transit District (NCTD) mainline tracks. The pedestrian crossing is part of City of Encinitas' future improvements contemplated by the Coastal Rail Trail Project. The City seeks the crossing now to address a serious trespass problem in the area, and has been working with SANDAG and NCTD to design and fund the crossings in the near term. In addition to NCTD passenger trains, the BNSF Railway (BNSF) and National Passenger Railroad Corporation (Amtrak) operate freight and passenger trains, respectively, over this line. Approximately forty-four (44) passenger trains per day at a maximum speed of 90 MPH and seven (7) freight trains per day at a maximum speed of at 55 MPH operate over these tracks.

The crossing is adjacent to the intersection of Santa Fe Avenue and South Vulcan Avenue (which parallels the NCTD tracks in this area) at mile post 238.6, under NCTD's two mainline tracks. The proposed new CPUC Crossing Number will be 106-238.6-BD. The crossing will allow access under the NCTD tracks, providing a legitimate pedestrian route within the City to the Pacific Coast Highway and beach areas on the west side of the tracks. Currently pedestrians frequently trespass on NCTD right-of-way crossing the tracks illegally at-grade. The construction of the pedestrian crossing and fencing improvements will limit the existing trespassing hazard and provide for safe pedestrian movement under the tracks in the area. The nearest crossing to the north is the highway-rail crossing of East E Street (CPUC Crossing No. 106-237.35 and DOT No. 026830D) and the nearest crossing to the south is the crossing of Chesterfield Drive (CPUC Crossing No 106-239.80 and DOT No. 026849V).

The proposed pedestrian-rail crossing will consist of a 7 (seven) foot wide walkway under the two sets of NCTD railroad tracks located on a bridge structure , with a minimum vertical clearance of 8 (eight) feet to the pathway surface below.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant walkways will be installed on both approaches. West of the crossing, the walkway will lead up to South Coast Highway 101, where a crosswalk will be painted across South Coast Highway 101. Pedestrian movement across South Coast Highway 101 will be protected by a proposed mid-block, pedestrian-activated crosswalk signal. East of the crossing, the walkway will fork into two paths. One path curves north from the fork to a series of stairs that lead up approximately 22 feet to the crosswalk located at the intersection of Santa Fe Avenue and South Vulcan Street.

The other path is ADA compliant and extends from the pathway fork on the east side of the crossing to the south for approximately 180 feet, where it will connect to a section of the future Coastal Rail Trail, leading back to the north to the intersection of Santa Fe Avenue and South Vulcan Street. That short section of the future Coastal Rail Trail will be constructed as part of this project, and will allow for a continuous ADA compliant pathway from the proposed railroad underpass to the intersection of Santa Fe Avenue and South Vulcan Street, where a crosswalk will be painted across the intersection.

Retaining walls will be constructed along the pedestrian ramp and stairs on the east side of bridge underpass. In addition, 6-foot-high, welded mesh fencing will be installed on the west side of the tracks, extending a distance of approximately 90 feet north and 200 feet south of the underpass crossing, to channel and direct pedestrians to the legitimate crossing.

For safety and security purposes, lighting will be installed on bollards near the underpass entrances and mounted underneath the bridge structure. Additional lights will be mounted to the pathway railings.