Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Carlsbad to consider trenching train tracks

Times of San Diego:
The number of trains traveling through the Carlsbad is about 50 per day, and that number may double by 2030, so the city is considering its options to increase safety and reduce future noise as more tracks are built.

In an interview with KPBS, Carlsbad City Councilman Mark Packard pointed to a January 2017 feasibility study he said shows that it’s beneficial to put an additional train line in a deep trench.

“When we saw (the second track) coming, we realized that this is our one chance, as the double tracking is being done, to put it down below grade where it ought to be, or leave it at street level and suffer the impacts,” he told KPBS.
Meanwhile, the Encinitas City Council canceled yet another regularly scheduled council meeting.

35 comments:

  1. Encinitas=failure.

    Carlsbad=success.

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  2. Yeah, our elected officials have no time to think about trenching the tracks. no trains trenches donated to their campaign. If we could all come up with a few hundred bucks for each council member then maybe.

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  3. The article makes it sound as if only the second track would go in the trench. Of course, both would. Solana Beach trenched its tracks in 1995. That's been a great benefit and is a good model to follow.

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  4. Encinitas = FAILURE

    Carlsbad = SUCCESS

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    1. Solana Beach = the greatest success in north county coastal. Their train tracks are below grade and their streetscape is finished along with their rail trail.
      Encinitas= laughing stock of the neighborhood.

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    2. Solana Beach = two traffic lanes in each direction, bike lanes, walking routes both sides, nice landscaping, lots of parking and no roundabouts.

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    3. 2:08- Q-what does SB council and staff know that Encinitas council and staff don't know??
      A- EVERYTHING.

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    4. Solana Beach decided against roundabouts because the residents didn't want them.

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    5. All these are great points. My guess is SB has not been corrupted and poisoned by their own residents. SB does not have the land to make buying a council worthwhile. They probably don't make decisions based on personal bottomline or fear of a small time attorney either. Basically, they don't have the bad apples spoiling the bunch like we do.

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    6. Solana BEach =SUCCESS
      ENCINITAS =FAILURE

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  5. Oh, but that would interfere with the planned under crossing, on which a certain council member has spent her efforts in bringing forth.

    Millions $ wasted on small piecemeal projects, when the one answer for the whole corridor is obvious. Stop the waste and demand SANDOG reapportion some of the 5 widening funds to do something that actually benefits our city.

    If they do not represent our best interests, why be a part of their operation?

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  6. No chance for regional or federal money in this keep it crappy town of Encinitas.
    No housing element means no funding, Encinitas will need to come up with big bucks that it does not have due to penshion hogs and "nice but not necessary" big loans such as on Pacific View.

    No vision or long term planning, just crap.
    And yes... Solana Beach got it exactly right with the trenching and their city is prospering greatly while still being a cool low slung city.

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    1. Not having a compliant housing element prevents Encinitas from applying for state grants. That's all the lack affects.

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    2. 11:12,

      Not all state grants. I believe we have received many state grants while we have been out of compliance. And nobody has been able to name a single grant that any of our neighboring cities got for which we were not eligible due to the housing element.

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    3. Council and staff members have repeatedly said that not having a compliant housing element makes the city ineligible for state grants. Maybe that's a narrow category of state grants.

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    4. We'd be competing against 17 other cities for the grants that, at most, amount to $7M (according to SANDAG).

      Heck, we spend that easily on trophy projects and David Meyer, not to mention having paid an exorbitant amount for Pacific View (cue angry Tony post).

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    5. so we cut staff, don't even waste resources on those grant applications, and use the saving to fund our own projects.

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  7. Another example of a failing grade for Encinitas City Council... it is not like the Citizens have been pleading for the City to work toward trenching and covering our railroad tracks. The politicians just do not listen.

    A congratulate Carlsbad on leadership and vision that is sorely missed here!

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  8. Carlsbad knows how to get things done. Our council should sit down with their leaders and get some lessons on how to run a city.

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  9. Suicide at Leucadia Blvd and 101... Occurred 5 minutes ago. COE TRENCH THE FUCKING TRACKS!!!

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  10. ....and another life lost/murdered today that could of been saved. Zero train accidents since the trench was put in in Solana Beach in 1998. One more time...ZERO

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    Replies
    1. Solana Beach trenched their tracks in 1995.

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    2. care to wager smarty pants :)

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    3. Argue with this:

      http://www.subwaynut.com/california/coaster/solana_beach/index.php

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    4. Argue with this too:

      http://www.greatamericanstations.com/stations/solana-beach-ca-sol/

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  11. Our City Council cant even get quiet zones approved like other Cities have had for years.

    What they do well is congratulate staff for doing nothing and when they try to do something, they F it up so bad it has to be redone 5 times to make it acceptible.

    I think the coast should annex into Solana Beach... at least the beach area. The inland area can go to Carlsbad or San Marcos. Who cares inland is all the same.

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  12. Mayor Blakespear says to forget about undergrounding the tracks - WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY! Good thing we bought Pacific View - it's called PRIORITIES!

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    Replies
    1. PV cost 1% of trenching.

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    2. Trenching the tracks 99% more important then PV. PV... such a joke played on the taxpayers of Encinitas.

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    3. Actually about 10% once the bonds are paid. Combine that with the cost of Chesterfield, Verdi, Swami's, El Portal and Hillcrest crossing changes, and you've made a big dent in the cost of trenching. The benefits of trenching are huge and infinitely long term. In time, the project would pay for itself.

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    4. Trenching is $500M per mile up in Palo Alto. If we are half that, you're still talking Billions.

      http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2015/10/18/palo-alto-seeks-1-billion-for-train-trench-from-vta-tax

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    5. This guy nailed it two years ago:

      http://www.thecoastnews.com/2015/05/22/now-is-the-time-to-trench-the-tracks-through-encinitas/

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    6. Carlsbad already has figures for trenching and covering the railroad tracks there. A cost that would be larger than that in Encinitas. And they can get it done for about $200 million.

      Time to plan and proceed with trenching and covering our railroad tracks in Encinitas. Waiting will just cost us more in $$$ and lives!

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    7. The Carlsbad study does not mention covering, only trenching. It details two lengths, and neither costs $200 million.

      http://www.carlsbadca.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=32785

      It's not a good idea to post alternative facts. Do your homework before you post.

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