Grade Separation
Meeting Agendas and Minutes
Project Study Report
There are four at-grade crossings along the Caltrain rail corridor within the City of San Bruno--Scott Street, San Bruno Avenue, San Mateo Avenue and Angus Avenue. San Mateo Avenue and San Bruno Avenue effectively function as one and are commonly referred to as the San Bruno Avenue crossing. Standard railroad warning flashers and bells and gates are provided at each of these intersections. In addition, there are two pedestrian at-grade crossings located at the Caltrain station at Sylvan Avenue. These two pedestrian crossings are equipped with warning signals and gates similar to the vehicular crossings.
Standard warning flashers, bells and gates have successfully reduced the hazards associated with at-grade crossings. In order to completely eliminate the hazard or risk of a vehicular or pedestrian accident, however, intersections of railroad corridors with roadways and pedestrian pathways must be completely separated. Recognizing this, the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (JPB) that operates Caltrain has adopted a policy to support and promote the elimination of vehicular and pedestrian grade crossings to the extent feasible.
Tragically, and even with active gates, bells and flashers, the grade crossings in San Bruno, especially San Bruno and San Mateo Avenues, have experienced several accidents in recent years resulting in both vehicular accidents and pedestrian fatalities. After a fatal accident on March 4, 2000, citizens concerned with safety at the crossings requested the that City Council address the safety hazard associated with the at-grade crossings at San Bruno Avenue crossing. As a result, the City Council formed a Caltrain Safety Ad Hoc Committee (Ad Hoc Committee) to investigate ways to make the crossing safer.
The Ad Hoc Committee met with representatives from the JPB, who conducted a study that was presented to the Council and the public at the City Council meeting on May 22, 2001. The study identified five (5) alternatives for grade separating crossings, one to depress the railroad through town, and four others that would partially raise the tracks over partially depressed streets. At the meeting, the Council preliminarily indicated a preference for Alternative 5, but directed the Ad Hoc Committee to work with JPB on developing more information, hold a public meeting to solicit public input, and bring a recommendation to the full Council.
Alternative 5 included raising the railroad tracks from I-380 in the north to approximately Georgia Avenue in the south. It also included the relocation of the San Bruno Station over the San Bruno and San Mateo Avenue crossings. The former San Bruno Lumber site would be used for parking. This alternative included grade separating San Bruno, San Mateo, and Angus Avenues, and closing of Scott Street.
On July 17, 2002, a Town Hall meeting was held at which JPB staff described the grade separation alternatives, along with the possibility of leaving the crossing as it is. The presentation was posted on the City's web site for citizen review. The resulting recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee included: that the City Council support a grade separation project, that Alternate 5 be selected as the preferred alternative, and that a Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) be formed to work with JPB and to provide public input.
The five Alternatives presented to the City Council and public did not include elevation of streets over the tracks. In response to public comment during the two meetings about the feasibility of an overpass, JPB stated that, in its preliminary evaluation the overpass was deemed not feasible due to high cost, disruptions to businesses and residents due to property acquisitions, and other factors. At the public’s request, the Overpass Alternative was subsequently investigated in more detail and is included in the Project Study Report.
At the August 13, 2002, City Council meeting, the Ad Hoc Committee recommended, and the Council adopted, a resolution to support the grade separation and selected Alternative 5 as the preferred alternative. The Council also took action to form a Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) to work with JPB and refine details of Alternative 5. The 15 members of the CAC were selected at the Council meeting on September 24, 2002.
A total of ten CAC meetings were held between October 1, 2002 and March 13, 2003. An additional meeting occurred on June 19, 2003, to review and receive comments to the draft Project Study Report. JPB incorporated many comments from the CAC members and City staff, and issued the final PSR dated July 7, 2003. The CAC’s process addressed a number of issues, including improved vehicular and railroad traffic, pedestrian crossings, minimizing height of the elevated railway, maintaining existing on-street parking, final embankment wall appearance, access by mobility-impaired persons, construction noise and dust, weekend and night work, and access for emergency vehicles during construction.
The CAC’s review resulted in the following recommendations:
1. In order to achieve a balance between the height of the elevated railway and access for emergency vehicles during construction and site constraints (BART facilities and right-of-way), San Bruno Avenue should be lowered approximately 5.5 feet, San Mateo Avenue lowered approximately 3 feet and Angus Avenue approximately 1-3 feet.
2. Reconfigure streets to improve vehicular traffic flows while balancing the needs and safety of pedestrian crossings.
3. Provide wide pedestrian undercrossings at three (3) locations: Scott Street, Euclid Avenue/ Walnut Street and just south of Sylvan Avenue.
4. Provide access to the station which includes a combination of stairs, ramps and elevators for passengers including the mobility-impaired.
5. Provide wide bridge openings at San Bruno, San Mateo, and Angus Avenue to accommodate wide pedestrian access and a feeling of openness.
6. An open bridge structure between San Bruno Avenue and San Mateo Avenues is preferred.
7. Relocation of the San Bruno Station over the San Bruno and San Mateo crossings.
8. Locate the shoofly (temporary detour tracks) on the east side of the tracks.
9. Continued CAC participation during the detailed design phase, with emphasis on participation in the two areas of Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) wall appearance and station architectural treatment.
10. Minimize loss of on-street parking.
11. Contain the construction laydown area largely within the former San Bruno Lumber site.
12. Maintain station operations during construction.
In addition to the public safety benefits, the proposed grade separation project affords a unique opportunity to both the community and the railroad to achieve many other long-term improvements that would otherwise be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve without the grade separation project. These improvements a reduction in overall noise through the elimination of train horns and bells and crossing gate bells presently required at the crossings and station, and improvements to overall storm water drainage in the area.
The proposed new San Bruno Station will be 740-foot long platforms (expandable to 1,000 feet to the south) extending across the new grade separated crossings at San Bruno and San Mateo Avenues. There will be a new transit hub and parking on the former San Bruno Lumber site. The new station will conform to the latest Caltrain Station standards on safety and amenities. It will be accessible from Walnut Street with egress onto Walnut Street and San Mateo Avenue. The platforms will be ADA accessible from the station as well as locations on Huntington, San Mateo and First Avenues by a combination of elevators, ramps and stairs.
Some roadway modifications are also proposed as part of the grade separation project. Huntington Avenue will be realigned, connecting with San Mateo Avenue at Kains Avenue. Posy Park will be modified. The alignment of San Mateo Avenue will be changed to eliminate the skewed crossing and replace it with a crossing that is more at right angles to the tracks. Due to limited sight distance at First Avenues intersection with new San Mateo Avenue, the intersection will be closed. San Bruno Avenue will be widened to provide dedicated left turn lanes for eastbound San Bruno Avenue onto San Mateo Avenue and westbound onto Huntington Avenue.
The Project Study Report was presented to the City Council on July 22, 2003, and public comments were taken on August 12. The complete document is available for public review at the San Bruno Public Library, or by clicking here.
