Agenda

Return

C.24

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Comm
Date:	November 3, 2009

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Central I-80 Rail Corridor Study

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 11/03/2009

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Gayle B. Uilkema, District II Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor
Susan A. Bonilla, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:	335-1201
cc:	Beth Walukus, Alameda County Congestion Management Agency

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: November 3, 2009
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

ACCEPT report on the Central I-80 Rail Corridor Study, as recommended by the Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee.

FISCAL IMPACT:

NONE.

BACKGROUND:

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency (ACCMA) have received a $300,000 federal grant to conduct a study of the Union Pacific (UP) Railroad Corridor from the Port of Oakland to Martinez. The Union Pacific refers to this segment of its tracks as the Martinez Subdivision. The study, on the other hand, refers to this corridor as the Central I-80 Rail Corridor.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

The purpose of the study is to “establish a strategic vision/corridor management plan” with a list of proposed improvements to the corridor. The vision and management plan “will bring together diverse stakeholders to agree on common principles for investment decisions for rail interface and land use,” according to the grant application.

The grant application also states that the list of potential improvements will address “mobility/access, circulation delays, noise, environmental, and quality of life impacts for local communities, while facilitating current and future rail operations, traffic and Port access. The challenge is to strike balances between the two.”

A proposal also is made to develop some type of governance structure to “manage” the railroad corridor.

The Martinez Subdivision has been the focus of ongoing efforts by the Port of Oakland, MTC and ACCMA to somehow relieve the freight train congestion that exists on the corridor. The congestion on the UP tracks makes it difficult for the Port to increase its business, which depends on rail transport of goods to and from the Port. With approximately 20 to 30 freight trains using the rail corridor daily, along with 44 scheduled passenger trains each day, Union Pacific has said its tracks cannot accommodate any significant increase in the number of freight trains.

MTC and the Port of Oakland in 2007 proposed a major expansion of the rail corridor including an additional set of tracks throughout western Contra Costa County, but were unable to obtain enough funding to move forward with the project. In addition to building more tracks, the Port wanted to gradually increase the capacity of its freight trains to 1.5 miles in length, and ultimately 2 miles in length. Currently, freight trains in this area may be up to about 1 mile in length (this means a freight train can block several street crossings at a time as it moves at slow speeds through populated urban areas). Given the limitations of available funding, the Martinez Subdivision Project was significantly downsized, and now consists of plans to construct a rail connection between the UP tracks and the nearby Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks in Richmond (the exact location is not yet known). MTC is taking the lead on that project, which it now calls the Richmond Connector Project. Caltrans and Burlington Northern Santa Fe are working with MTC on the concept.

At the time of the original Port/MTC proposal for a larger project in 2007, the Board of Supervisors sent a letter to the Port, expressing the County’s concerns with the prospect of additional freight trains passing through communities along the Martinez Subdivision such as North Richmond, Montalvin Manor, Rodeo, Crockett, Port Costa and Martinez, which already suffer from railroad noise, traffic disruption, diesel emissions, safety issues, hazmat issues and other impacts. Among other things, the Board’s letter urged the Port to devote more attention to the subject of how it would mitigate the impacts of additional freight service on these communities.

A copy of the Board’s letter to the Port is attached. (Similar concerns were expressed in East County, as well as the City of Tracy, in 2008 regarding UP’s proposal to resume active freight service on the Mococo line, which is the UP track subdivision from Martinez to Tracy. Staff has not heard anything new from UP officials on this proposal recently.)

The Alameda County Congestion Management Agency will serve as the lead agency for the study. They specifically name the Contra Costa Transportation Authority and the West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee (WCCTAC) among the participating agencies in the study. They also state they will involve cities and counties directly, along with community groups, the railroads, and other interested parties. The extent of Union Pacific's participation is unknown.

County staff will provide reports to the Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee and Board of Supervisors on an ongoing basis as needed.

The Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee received this report on October 19 and determined to forward the report to the full Board of Supervisors. The segment of railroad tracks that will be the subject of this study are located in District 1 and District 2.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

NONE.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

Among many railroad-related issues of concern to the Board , are the impacts of railroad diesel emissions on the health of children who live near the railroad tracks, and safety concerns from having numerous railroad-street crossings in populated areas. The potential expansion of freight rail traffic along the Union Pacific tracks in West County and Martinez could exacerbate these problems, unless appropriate mitigations are identified.