STATE OF CALIFORNIA Gavin Newsom, Governor
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
320 W. 4th St, Suite 500
Los Angeles, CA 90013
February XX, 2022
Re: Project Initiation Document – Radio Road (CPUC #002B-22.80 / RIV-1134) To: Bruce Roberts & Todd Rogers, Caltrans Division of Local Assistance The attachment to this letter details the recommendations of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Rail Crossings and Engineering Branch staff for the Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Program (Section 130) Radio Road crossing safety improvements.
The attachment identifies both railroad and local agency scope of work to be contracted by Caltrans Division of Local Assistance. The City of Corona (City) and the BNSF Railway (BNSF) have participated in the development of this project proposal. Both participants agree with the proposal are in concurrence to proceed with the funding and are committed to the implementation of the project. The City and BNSF will be responsible to design and construct their identified scope of work items. The CPUC will review and authorize crossing improvements, and Caltrans will facilitate concurrent progression of contracts from approval of scope of work through project closeout.
It is the recommendation of CPUC staff to proceed with the funding of this project.
Sincerely,
Matt Cervantes, P.E.
Senior Utilities Engineer
Rail Crossings and Engineering Branch
Via Electronic Mail:
Aaron Cox, City of Corona, [email protected]
Dionisio Martinez, BNSF, [email protected]
Sergio Licon, CPUC, [email protected]
Matt Bond, CPUC, [email protected]
Todd Rogers, Caltrans, [email protected]
Bruce Roberts, Caltrans, [email protected]
Exhibit 1
California Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Program
CPUC Project Initiation Document
Project Location
CPUC ID 002B-22.80 / RIV-1134 FED ID 026471P
City Corona Street Name Radio Rd
County Riverside RCEB Engineer Sergio Licon
Latitude 33.87803 Longitude -117.54271
Public Agency
Jurisdiction(s)
City
Rail Agency
Jurisdiction (s)
BNSF
Purpose and Need
Background
This crossing was identified for possible funding of hazard elimination and safety improvements through the Federal Section 130 funds. The Section 130 program is a federally funded program, administered by the States, for the elimination of hazards at highway-rail at-grade crossings. This location was identified as a candidate location via a data driven methodology which includes but is not limited to: train and vehicle volumes, geometric factors, pedestrians, buses and hazmat vehicles, and incident history.
The Radio Road at-grade crossing is located in the City of Corona, Riverside County. It is an asphalt paved road with two through lanes, no sidewalks and is approximately 26 feet wide. The crossing is located approximately 100 feet south of the Sampson Avenue and Radio Road intersection. This intersection has a STOP sign control for Sampson Avenue traffic only. The crossing is located approximately 140 feet north of the Quarry Street and Radio Road intersection. This intersection has a STOP sign control for Quarry Street traffic only. There is a bridge approximately forty feet to the north of the crossing. The width of the bridge is a limiting factor for this project as widening the bridge exceeds the program parameters.
The crossing is equipped with two CPUC Standard No. 9, automatic gate type warning devices.
There are three tracks at this location, two main tracks and one other track. The track surfacing consists of concrete panels with a width of 48 feet and meets the road at 90 degrees.
Incident History
Incident List (2015 to Present)
Date FTL INJ Suicide Incident Summary
1 8/17/2016 0 1 No The westbound driver on Sampson Avenue turned left (southbound) onto Radio Road, failed to stop for
activated crossing gates, then stopped on the grade
crossing. The approaching train activated the warning
devices, and a crossing gate came down onto the vehicle roof. The vehicle then proceeded forward onto the path
of oncoming westbound Metrolink train. The driver
claims that he did not notice activated grade crossing
gates due to sun glare that he experienced traveling
southbound at that time.
Purpose
The purpose of the project is to improve the safety at the Radio Road crossing by mitigating existing potential hazards to reduce the chance of future incidents. At Radio Road potential hazards identified include:
- The possibility of vehicles driving around lowered gate arms - The lack of separated pedestrian pathways.
- Clear delineation of vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian pathways on approach and through the crossing.
The CPUC identifies each candidate location. After review of the specifics of the location, CPUC recommends improvements related to the crossing. These are generally broken into two types of improvements: vehicular and pedestrian. At this location the vehicular related safety improvements include medians, striping and signage. The implementation of these improvements will better delineate vehicular movements at the crossing to reduce drive confusion and reduce the possibility of a gate drive around.
The use of federal funding also requires addressing pedestrian and bicycles pathways. Currently pedestrians and bicyclists share the roadway to cross the tracks. At this location it has been identified that safety would benefit by providing a separate sidewalk on one or both sides of the crossing and installing curb and gutter where applicable to separate the types of movements. The sidewalk will link to existing sidewalk facilities located on both sides of the crossing. Pedestrian pathway treatments may differ across the bridge structure (such as raised curb or striping) to delineate a pedestrian pathway and the vehicular lanes. Providing these pathways will provide a safer crossing pathway for pedestrians. As part of installing sidewalk several utility poles will need to be relocated to provide required ADA access.
Scope of Work
The scope of work identified below is the basis for the design during the Preliminary Engineering phase. The Preliminary Engineering phase consists of a pedestrian study, updating the scope of work, completing design plans, conducting onsite and virtual meetings as needed, and submitting and approval of the CPUC General Order 88-B request. A pedestrian study will be completed by the City which will provide additional data upon which CPUC and the diagnostic team can determine the final pedestrian treatments. The diagnostic team is comprised of all parties involved in this project: City, BNSF, CPUC and Caltrans. If during design additional scope items are identified, or need to be modified that will be done upon collaboration and agreement of all diagnostic team members.
City Scope of Work
• Conduct pedestrian study, including but not limited to:
o Measure daily pedestrian counts for seven consecutive days o Quantify percentage of observed pedestrians for adults versus youth o Map distance to nearest schools
o Determine if location is a walk-to-school route.
• Install raised median islands on both approaches.
• Relocate utility poles
o Light pole in southeast quadrant
o Support pole in southwest quadrant
• Install striping and signage
• Install pedestrian treatments, including but not limited to:
o Sidewalk
o Detectable warning tiles
o Curb and Gutter
o Pedestrian curb ramps
BNSF Scope of Work
• Install concrete panel surfacing
• Install CPUC Standard 8 (flashing light signal assembly) warning device in the northeast and southwest quadrants.
Cost Estimates
The following cost estimates are for planning purposes. Federal Aid Phases: Preliminary Engineering, Right-of-Way, and Construction. Caltrans will authorize each phase individually with the road agency and railroad, at different times in the development of a project. All costs are reimbursement based, after the contract is executed. Actual costs will be refined and adjusted at the end of the Preliminary Engineering phase, and after as necessary.
City Cost Estimate
BNSF Cost Estimate
Total Project Cost by Phases:
Preliminary
Engineering
Right-of-Way Construction
Local Agency $500,000 $0 $1,080,000
Rail Agency $200,000 $0 $1,560,000
Total Phase Cost $700,000 $0 $2,640,000
Estimated Total Project Cost: $3,340,000.00
Design 200000
Pedestrian Study 300000
Medians 200000
Utilities 150000
Sidewalk 500000
Striping/Signage 50000
Contingency (20%) 180000
Preliminary Engineering
Construction
Design 200000
Warning Devices 700000
Surfacing 600000
Contingency (20%) 260000
Preliminary Engineering
Construction
Schedule
Milestone Completion Date
Project Initiation Document to Caltrans February 2022
Contract(s) Executed June 2022
Preliminary Engineering Phase June 2024
Right-Of-Way Phase June 2025
Construction Phase June 2027
End Project July 2027
Photos
Aerial Image from Google Maps
Southbound Vehicular Approach
Northbound Vehicular Approach
Looking East at Tracks
Looking West at Tracks
West side of Radio Rd Northbound Approach
East side of Radio Rd Northbound Approach
Signatures
By signing below you acknowledge your agency’s understanding and concurrence to proceed with the recommended scope of work as detailed above. All phases of the project will be funded at 100% through the Section 130 Program.
Local Agency Railroad Agency
Name Name
Position/Title Position/Title
Signature Signature
Date Date