City of Placentia Clarifies Rail Corridor Safety Improvements

CITY OF PLACENTIA IS CREATING A QUIET AND SAFETY ZONE IN ORANGE COUNTY FOLLOWING LAST MONTHS RAIL ACCIDENT.

                            
These factors have reduced the project costs from $9.2 million to $5 million says Chris Becker

PLACENTIA - June 1, 2002 - The City of Placentia is in the process of implementing the installation of Supplemental Safety Measures at eight (8) existing at-grade highway/railroad crossings, in cooperation with the Federal Railroad Administration, California Public Utilities Commission, the cities of Anaheim and Fullerton, the County of Orange, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF), and the Southern California Regional Rail Authority.

The City project team seeks to clarify previously reported information regarding the installation or conversion of the railroad traffic control system. Project engineers incorrectly described how the railroad dispatch and communication system would function upon completion of the project. After further research, it was found that the entire railroad corridor through the Placentia area has a modern, centralized traffic control (CTC) system.

There is no gap area" as previously indicated and no need to install a new computerized control system. The only work to be completed as part of the proposed project is the removal of above ground railroad communication lines and poles and the conversion of the communication signal directly into the rail track itself. Since the CTC system is already in place, it would not have prevented the April 23, 2002 train to train accident, as previously reported. Its cost has been deleted from the project scope of work.

Cost savings were also achieved because two at-grade crossings are fully funded through grants from the state and Orange County Transportation Authority. Underpasses will be constructed at Placentia Avenue and Melrose Street. Additionally, one other crossing, Bradford Avenue, will be closed upon completion of the Melrose underpass. Since construction will begin on these projects this summer, it is not cost effective to install the Supplemental Safety Measures at these locations. These factors have reduced the project cost from $9.2 million to $5 million.    

Contact: Chris Becker, Dir. of Public Works
         (714) 993.8245 or Aida Mayo,
                 MAYO Communications    

                                                                                         # # #