SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve a construction agreement with CSX Transportation of Jacksonville, Florida in the amount of $374,644.00 for the establishment of a quiet zone along the CSX railroad line between Lakeview Road and Drew Street and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. (consent)
Body
SUMMARY:
Under the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Train Horn Rule, locomotive engineers must sound the train horn in advance of all public grade crossings. To mitigate the impacts of the high decibel train horn, the FRA offers the option of establishing a quiet zone. For crossings within a quiet zone the CSX locomotive engineer would cease sounding the train horn at public grade crossings unless an emergency situation arises.
Establishing a quiet zone between Lakeview Road and Drew Street, based on direction from City Council in October 2014, requires that the City upgrade the CSX railroad crossing at Pinellas Street along with upgrading the wiring and circuitry along the CSX corridor.
The crossing at Pinellas Street is required to be upgraded with quad gates (railroad arms) to improve safety. The T-intersection crossings at Hendricks Street and Grove Street are also required to be permanently closed in order to establish the quiet zone.
Traffic Operations has coordinated with the FRA, CSX, and the State of Florida on the establishment of the quiet zone and there is a possibility that the State of Florida may reimburse the City all or part of the $374,644.00.
Additional forms and coordination shall be carried out by Traffic Operations staff upon execution of the agreement and work shall begin thereafter on the above mentioned improvements and upgrades.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
0315-92559-563700-541-000-0000 $374,644
Sufficient funds are available in Capital Improvement Program project 0315-92559, City-Wide Intersections Improvements.