HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 Technical Comments from SebastianMOF
SEBASTIAN
HOME OF PELICAN ISLAND
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF SEBASTIAN
1225 MAIN STREET
SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA 32958
August 26, 2015
John Winkle
Federal Railroad Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Room W 38-311
Washington, DC 20590
Re: Comments on Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Project: "All Aboard Florida' (AAF)
Mr. Winkle:
The City of Sebastian has reviewed the final EIS and appendices, for AAF (the Project) and would like
to offer the following technical comments per the NEPA process relating to the AAF EIS. Our City
Engineer has reviewed the various technical documents and identifies some additional questions and
comments. The City is officially submitting this letter to be addressed as part of the AAF review and
design process.
Per the EIS, the Main Street, Schumann Drive, and 990 Street crossings will be improved with
three -quadrant gates as part of the AAF Sealed Corridor. The City is interested in applying for a
Quiet Zone (QZ) through FRA at subject crossings. It is unsure how the three -quadrant gate(s)
system will be received by FRA for those QZ since they require, as a Supplemental Safety Measure
(SSM), four quadrant gates at grade crossings.
2. The City has two County Road grade crossings within our proposed Quiet Zone corridor. They are
County Road (CR) 512 Eastbound and Westbound. They were not listed in this final EIS report for
any sealed corridor improvements or quadrant gates. The City is requesting inclusion of those
crossings notwithstanding their one-way street classification.
3. FRA recommends a Sealed Corridor at all at -grade crossings but the report states that AAF will not
provide for a sealed corridor. If so, what happened to the fencing along Louisiana Street from Main
Street to CR 512 where there is observed mid -block pedestrian crossings of the track?
4. The report states AAF will pay the cost of all grade crossing safety improvements with an amended
crossing agreement; does this agreement include the cost to cover all design improvements at each
of the crossings within the City of Sebastian which will need Quiet Zone improvements?
5. AAF will ensure where defined sidewalks exist with pedestrian gates. Does this include our
proposed sidewalk projects at the railroad crossings of Barber Street, Schumann Drive and Main
Street?
6. Implement traffic Best Management Practice during the construction should also include
coordination with the local agencies to minimize traffic impact along the parallel US 1 corridor at the
grade crossing streets.
7. AAF will provide a Positive Train Control (PTC) system to enhance safety to comply with FRA 49
CFR part 229 Positive Control System Final Rule. Will it be tied into the County Signal System or
possible signal pre-emption system?
8. FRA recommends an independent consultant with extension experience of pre-emption and traffic
signal timing operation as part of the crossing design and operations. Our City Engineer has over
25 years of traffic engineering experience working for two transportation consulting firms and he just
completed an FDOT D4 Signal Timing in St Lucie County for all of US 1. He has extensive
expertise in traffic signal timing and we offer his service in the design phase for our Sebastian
crossings.
9. The technical report for Transportation and Railroad Crossing Analysis only reviewed two crossings
in Indian River County. The report should have also reviewed the crossings in Sebastian at CR 512
East/West and Main Street since they are in close distance from US 1 and there is currently
queuing of vehicles from these grade crossings into the intersections of US 1.
10. The technical report for At -Grade Crossing and Pole Mounted Horns did not list the at -grade
crossing of Barber Street. Why not?
11. The City is waiting to review the final design plans, construction cost and schedule for the grade
crossings within Sebastian and will submit them to FRA with a "Notice of Intent" to implement a
Quiet Zone for Sebastian.
12. Consultation and Public Involvement for DOE (Historic), the City of Sebastian is represented by our
local historian, Ruth Stanbridge regarding comments.
The City of Sebastian anticipates that the FRA, the All Aboard Florida consulting firm, and All Aboard
Florida principals will address these additional technical issues listed above and that those issues be
included in the design process of the project for the establishment of the safety improvements at the
grade crossings in the City of Sebastian, Florida.
With Regards,
r�
Richard H. Gillmor
Mayor
cc: Rusty Roberts, AAF