HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05101988 - S.2 TO: '�� BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Supervisor Tom Torlakson Contra
Costa
DATE: May 10, 1988 County
SUBJECT: SYSTEM OF RATING ROADROAD CROSSINGS
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Refer to the Transportation Committee a
proposal to develop a system of _rating rough railroad crossings
throughout the ,state.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Please refer to the attached
memorandum from Michael Walford, dated April 13 , 1988, for additional
background.
TT:gro
Attachment
0
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S)
ACTION OF BOARD ON May 10, 1988 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED x_ OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
CC: Transportation Committee ATTESTED /m 1QBr
Robert Chung, CDD Phil Batch for, Clerk of the Board of
Public Works DirectorSupervisors and County Administrator
County Administrator
M382/7-83 BY DEPUTY
w:
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY RECEIVED APIR 1 9 198B
DATE: Apr' 13, 1988
TO: Supervisor Tom Torlakson, District V
FROM: J. Michael Walford, Public Works Director
SUBJECT: Good News!
Last week I attended a meeting in San Diego with city and county Public
Works Directors and staff from throughout California . They had an excellent
program--in fact perhaps the best that this particular group has ever put
on.
One of the most exciting tidbits of information that I received, however,
came from a committee meeting which I attended. Under discussion was a
proposed submittal to the Office of Traffic Safety of the State Division of
Local Streets and Roads. The proposal , a copy of which is attached ,
requests a grant in the amount of $60,000 to develop a system of rating
rough riding railroad crossings throughout the state. Some common method of
designating the roughness of a railroad crossing would go a long ways
towards determining when a railroad crossing is in need of repair, and
thereby getting the attention of the PUC and the railroad company.
During the discussion of this grant, Art Goulet, Public Works Director of
Ventura County, mentioned that there is an obscure section in the 1911 Act
in the Streets and Highways Code. The code section permits a city or
county to order a railroad company to fix a railroad crossing which is
rougher than the surrounding public street pavement. If the railroad fails
to act within 30 days the city or county can do the work and bill the
railroad for all costs, even though it may be within the railroad's area of
jurisdiction. If the railroad fails to reimburse the local agency promptly,
the cost of the work would become a lien against their property. Art says
that the threat of this code section is very effective, because not only is
the railroad faced with the expense of the county or city fixing the street,
but their labor agreements with their union require that the union workers
also be paid as if they had done the work. The railroad therefore is faced
with double the cost.
This is exactly the kind of club we have been needing for situations such as
the crossing in Avon. I 've also attached a copy of the pertinent sections
from the streets and highways code.
I'm well aware of your interest in the problems that we have with railroad
crossings, and I was sure you would he most interested in this information.
JMW:djh
rrcross.t4
attachments
cc: M. Shiu , Road Engineering
P. McNamee, Maintenance