report for transportation and public works committee...

Rail Crossings (E. Gibbons/T. Caterina)

Recommendation:That the June 23, 2008, Transportation Department report 2008TD1755 be received for information.

Report SummaryThis report provides a response to an administrative inquiry regarding rail crossings in the City of Edmonton. The report identifies the applicable legislation and enforcement associated with railway crossings. Secondly, the report addresses issues relating to the impacts that rail crossings have on travel times for the public as well as access emergency services. Finally, the report also identifies general costs and impacts associated with constructing grade separation at major rail crossings.

Previous Council/Committee Action At the July 23, 2008, City Council

meeting, the June 23, 2008, Transportation Department report 2008TD1755 was referred to the August 26, 2008, Transportation and Public Works Committee meeting.

At the May 28, 2008, City Council meeting, Councillor E. Gibbons made the following inquiry:

Citizens are raising serious concerns about the long delays at rail crossings in the City of Edmonton. These events have the potential of disrupting the travel of emergency vehicles on the way to accidents, fires and police matters. They also cause citizens to wait for extended

periods of time until the train has passed or forces them to take long detours that add significant travel time. In addition, the noise associated with train movement late at night or early in the morning creates further problems for citizens along rail routes. Thus, we are directing the following inquiry to staff:

1. What are the laws and regulations pertaining to the blockage of public traffic at rail crossings by trains including the time limits?

2. Can liability for personal injury or property damage be assigned to governments or private companies if inappropriate blockages of a rail crossing cause the delay of emergency vehicles responding to a call for assistance?

3. What procedures exist for emergency personnel to force a rail crossing to be opened in response to accidents, fires and police matters?

4. What Provincial and Federal agencies are responsible for enforcing laws and regulations pertaining to rail operations including rail crossings and noise?

5. Provide a map of rail at-grade crossings, tunnels and bridges in the city of Edmonton.

6. Identify the five most significant rail crossings that have the potential to impede the flow of public traffic.

ROUTING – City Council/Transportation and Public Works Committee | DELEGATION – R. Boutilier/G. CebrykWRITTEN BY – G. Cebryk/B. Stephenson | June 23, 2008 – Transportation Department 2008TD1755 of 4

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7. Provide a cost estimate associated with constructing railway separations to ensure the free flow of both the trains and public traffic.

8. Provide a list of complaints from citizens about one rail crossing in the City of Edmonton that describes the typical problems of blockage to public traffic and noise.

9. Provide recommendations on what actions can be taken by the City of Edmonton to encourage improvements that reduce both the blockage of public traffic at rail crossings and noise along rail lines.

Report1. Rail Crossings are governed by the

Railway Safety Act which is administered by Transport Canada. This federal legislation outlines all operating standards and regulations that rail companies and road authorities must comply with. The legislation, through the “Canadian Rail Operating Rules” (CROR) specifically identifies operating guidelines, obligations and restrictions that apply to both railways and road authorities.

The CROR identify that in the case of at-grade rail crossings, trains are provided with right of way and a road authority or municipality cannot limit or restrict their movement across a road way. These guidelines specify that a train is not allowed to stand on any part of a public crossing at grade, for a longer period than five minutes, when vehicular or

pedestrian traffic requires passage. In addition, switching operations at such crossing must not obstruct vehicular or pedestrian traffic for a longer period than five minutes at a time. When emergency vehicles require passage, employees must cooperate to quickly clear the involved crossings.

2. Whether or not liability to any third party will result from a set of circumstances always depends on the particular facts of the case. In general, however, the probability of a municipality being found liable in the circumstances set out in this question would be slight. It is difficult to assess the likelihood of a private company being found liable without knowing facts. Being public bodies, municipalities have certain statutory defences to liability not available to private companies.

3. In the case of emergency situations, the CROR require that railway companies must clear the crossing as quickly as possible as indicated in Answer 1. Both the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) and the Emergency Response Department (ERD) have procedures and contacts with CN Rail and CP Rail as well as Transport Canada to address blockage problems. In addition, EPS and ERD manage crossing blockages in a similar fashion to any other road or traffic obstruction through established communication and dispatch procedures.

4. Transport Canada, through the Railway Safety Act, establishes all legislation specifically relating to railway crossings within urban areas. Enforcement of Railway related regulations are delegated to

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Municipal, Provincial and Federal Police Agencies as well as Railway Police Agencies.

5. Attachment 1 identifies the rail crossings in the city as follows.At-grade crossings – 78Grade separated crossings – 42Total rail crossings - 120Attachment 2 identifies at-grade rail crossings located on arterial roads.

6. The five most significant rail crossings that have the potential to impede the flow of public traffic were identified in the “City of Edmonton Railway Crossings Planning Study – Final Report” completed by an independent Engineering firm. These five crossings are as follows.

a.Meridian Street/Hayter Rd. – 130 Ave.

b.Whitemud Dr. Collector Distributor road Eastbound/Gateway Boulevard – 99 St.

c.50 St./ 82 Ave. – 84 Ave.d.99 St./ 60 Ave. – 62 Ave.e.Winterburn Rd / 111 Ave. –

113 Ave.

The crossing located on Meridian Street near Hayter Rd. also has impacts to the operation of the City’s Waste Management Facility. A formal Impacts and Alternatives Study of the crossing was conducted in 2001 and revealed. There is an average of 6000

daily vehicle movements over the rails.

Based on videotape records, the crossing closes an average of 31 times on a weekday for a total of 97 minutes or 14% of the 12-hour workday period.

Vehicle delays of more than 15 minutes are common.

16% of the closures, 39% of the closure time and 68% of the total vehicle delay are due to the crossing being blocked by train movements for periods longer than five minutes.

The accumulated traffic leaving the crossing after a closure causes extra downstream delays at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre weigh scale and tipping areas.

The cost of delay (to road users) is about $600,000 per year in 2001.

7. A "typical" grade separation of a four lane arterial is approximately $25 million. This does not include costs for major utility relocations (high pressure pipelines), major drainage upgrades, land acquisitions and other site specific costs.

8. The City mainly receives two types of complaints in relation to the at-grade rail crossing. An example of typical complaints for the crossing located at 51 Ave./Gateway Boulevard – 99 St. is:

a) Concerns regarding peak period blockages by trains.

b) Requests to adjust signal timings at adjacent intersections to help clear traffic queues.

Both Transportation Department and Edmonton Police Service (EPS) field these complaints. Attachment 3 identifies at-grade rail crossings complaints/inquires that were received in the last year. The majority of the inquiries that the EPS receive are normally directed

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to the specific rail company or Transport Canada.

9. The City is limited as to the influence that it can have on rail crossings as they are governed by national legislation. Railways are given priority due to size and magnitude of there operations in relation to goods movement.In terms of managing the delays and noise the City can take the following steps in relation to the at-grade rail crossings:

a) Continue to maintain close working relationships with Transport Canada and the national railways.

b) Implement more stringent tracking of crossing delays and public complaints in order to make rail companies more accountable in relation to following established regulations.

c) Adjust signal times at adjacent upstream and downstream traffic signals to help clear traffic queues when possible.

d) Adopt the “City of Edmonton Railway Crossings Planning Study – Final Report” as a basis for prioritizing railway grade separation in conjunction with other capital road projects.

PolicyThe following Legislative Acts and Guidelines govern railway crossings in the city of Edmonton.

Railway Safety Act Canadian Rail Operating Rules

Focus Area Environment - Balanced

Infrastructure Management Social and Cultural - Safe

Communities

Attachments1. All Railway Crossings Within City

Limits2. Arterial Roads At Grade Railway

Crossings3. Transportation Department Rail

Crossing Inquiries

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Attachment 1

All Railway Crossings Within City Limits

Page 1 of 1 Report: 2008TD1755 Attachment 1

Attachment 2

Arterial Roads At Grade Railway Crossings


Attachment 3

Transportation Department Rail Crossing Inquiries


Date of Inquiry Location Concern

May 03 19 Avenue - Gateway Boulevard Caller did not understand why Southbound Left Turn was omitted? (Response: train crossing at 19 Avenue - east of Gateway Boulevard)

Jul 03 19 Avenue - Gateway Boulevard Congestion during and after train pre-emptJul 03 23 Avenue - Gateway Boulevard Congestion during and after train pre-emptJul 05 128 Avenue - 149 Street Long delays (Northbound Left Turn) after train crossing

incident Nov 05 137 Avenue - 184 Street Long E/W delays in clearing congestion after train crossing

incidentNov 05 Ellerslie Rd - Parsons Road WBD congestion after train crossesApr 06 General Train crossing policy during peak hoursApr 06 68 Avenue - 75 Street N/S congestion after train crossesAug 06 137 Avenue - 184 Street Up to half hour delays due to train crossing, train crossing

policySep 06 Sherwood Park Freeway - 50

Street 80 Avenue vehicles can't join due to Southbound queuing from freeway after train crossing incident, train crossing policy during peak hours

Jan 07 51 Avenue - Gateway Boulevard Phase extensions/omissions during train pre-empt, congestion and train crossing policy during peak hours.

Jan 07 51 Avenue - Gateway Boulevard Train pre-emption timingsFeb 07 51 Avenue - Gateway Boulevard Train pre-emption event (explanation of signal operation)Jun 08 130 Avenue - Meridian Street Train crossing incident causes delays up to 30 minutes, train

crossing policy

VARIOUS DATES

23 Avenue - Gateway Boulevard Numerous reports of train crossing arms gate down without train in sight

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