HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 1995 0517 CC REG ITEM 11E�5�• 5(c) _
ITEM •
CITY OF MOORPARK
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Richard Hare, Deputy City Mapdger
DATE: May 4, 1995 (CC Mtg. 5/17/ )
SUBJECT: Consider Letter Appealing to Southern California Railroad for
Changes to the Scheduling of Construction, Repairs and
Maintenance of Railroad Crossings on Heavily Traveled
Streets and Roads
Background
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Over the last several years, the City has made numerous contacts with Southern Pacific Railroad
regarding the blockage of Moorpark Avenue and Spring Road for excessive periods by trains
changing cars using the siding located between these two intersections. The blockages have
diminished which reflects well on the cooperative spirit of the present administration at Southern
Pacific.
Recently, a new problem has developed. Maintenance crews have blocked the intersections while
doing maintenance, repairs or construction. Several times these crews have been working in the
area of the signal arms initiators and have caused the intersections to be blocked for long periods
of time.
The most recent instance was Wednesday, May 3, 1995. The motoring public was blocked for
over thirty minutes when a maintenance crew caused the crossing arms to come down and then
left the area without raising the crossing arms again. Someone lost their patience and broke the
crossing arm so that traffic could drive through the crossing. When our patrol officers arrived on
the scene they recognized the danger of cars driving through an uncontrolled crossing and
immediately started to direct the traffic.
All of this amounts to a tremendous inconvenience to the traveling public and an unnecessary
expense to the taxpayers. The time of patrol officers was also needlessly expended at this
intersection because of a maintenance problem.
It has been suggested that Southern Pacific Railroad schedule their maintenance, repair and
construction crews at times which do not interfere with peak traffic flows. To this end, we will
provide Southern Pacific with the traffic flow information on these intersections.
00100
Recommendation
Staff recommends authorizing the Mayor to write on behalf of the City Council to Southern
Pacific Railroad informing them of the problem and concern, and requesting that they consider
such when scheduling of maintenance, repair and construction crews.
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