Ravenswood Avenue Railroad Crossing Project City Council Meeting Study Session April 4, 2017 1
Presentation Outline Project Background Review Current Alternatives City Council Requests Council Direction Requested Next Steps 2
Council Feedback Requested Third track location Station configuration Hybrid alternative to move forward 3
Station Configuration Existing station platform Proposed platform additional width OCS Pole Height ~ 30 ft Caltrain Station Looking North North of Ravenswood 4
Project Background Previous Studies Feasibility Study, 2003 and 2004 Basic assumptions Expand 2 to 4 tracks Study 4 alternative methods At-grade at Atherton & Palo Alto boundaries Evaluate all 4 Menlo Park crossings Options considered Trench alternative elevate roads, lower tracks Overpass alternative elevate roads, tracks remain Underpass alternative lower roads, tracks remain Split alternative lower roads, elevate tracks 5
Trench Alternative Issues Requires roadway raising Deep trench, high fences Depressed station platforms High cost Utility relocations High construction impacts 6
7
Overpass Alternative San Antonio Road, Mountain View Issues Requires 30 ft bridge Overpass length: 1,100 ft Requires raising El Camino Real Major visual impacts Largest footprint 8
9
Underpass Alternative Jefferson Avenue, Redwood City Issues Retaining walls Limits access to adjacent properties Side street connectivity 10
11
Split (Hybrid) Alternative Holly Street, San Carlos Issues Long embankments Raised tracks Improved connectivity Reduced impact to adjacent properties 12
13
2003-2004 Feasibility Study General Findings Trench Alternative Partial trench due to City limits requires difficult road connections Construction required along entire length of tracks Overpass Alternative Largest footprint, major visual impacts Least desirable of all alternatives studied Underpass Alternative Road connection changes Long approaches required to meet elevations Split (Hybrid) Alternative Maintains road connections Requires raised track embankment 14
Viaduct Option 2003 study found viaduct option infeasible Constraints - City limits - Crossover tracks - Station area - Caltrain design criteria Hybrid grade separations needed Undesirable by community 15
Viaduct Option Atherton Caltrain Station Platform Atherton Channel Viaduct Encinal Ave Glenwood Ave Alternative A Existing Elevation Oak Grove Ave Menlo Park Caltrain Station Platform Ravenswood Ave Alternative B Alternative C Crossover Tracks San Francisquito Creek 16
Following 2003-2004 Studies Coordination with adjacent cities Caltrain Modernization Updated HSR/Blended System Rail Subcommittee and City Council meetings, Spring 2015 Rail Policy & Position Statement Direction for current study 17
Scoping Current Study Project Study Report (PSR) Measure A grant funding Alternatives evaluation Basic assumptions Maintain 2 tracks and allow for possible 3 rd track in future Study 2 alternative types: Underpass and Hybrid At-grade at Atherton & Palo Alto boundaries Prioritize Ravenswood Avenue crossing 18
Current Alternatives 19
Alternative A 3D Animation East to West See project web page for link to video. 20
Alternative A 3D Animation Flyover See project web page for link to video. 21
Railroad Profiles Alt C Max Fill = 10 ft Alt B Max Fill = 14 ft 750 ft South of Ravenswood Alt C Max Fill = 10 ft Alt B Max Fill = 17 ft Encinal Ave Alt C Max Fill = 5 ft Glenwood Ave Alt C Max Fill = 10 ft Alt B Max Fill = 6 ft Oak Grove Ave Ravenswood Ave Alternative B Alternative C San Francisquito Creek Alternative A Caltrain Station Platform 22
Alternative B Photo Simulation of Ravenswood, Looking East from El Camino 23
Alternative B Oak Grove Ave Maximum Excavation = 15 ft Fill at Oak Grove = 6 ft 24
Alternative C Photo Simulation of Ravenswood, Looking East from El Camino 25
Alternative C Glenwood Ave and Oak Grove Ave Fill at Glenwood = 5 ft Fill at Oak Grove = 10 ft 26
Alternatives Comparison Color coded rating system Ratings based on qualitative assessment and quantitative assessment Greatest Improvement Significant Improvement Some Improvement Some Impact Significant Impact Greatest Impact 27
Alterna8ves Alternatives Matrix A B C Reduced Potential Rail/Vehicle Conflict East/West Connectivity Improvement Ped/Bike Access Horn Noise Alma St/Ravenswood Ave Connectivity Potential Visual Impacts Property/Driveway Impacts Disruption During Construction Impact Order of Magnitude Cost Traffic Operations 28
City Council Requests Legal counsel regarding passing track requirement Assess impacts of third track location Perform direct outreach to Felton Gables and Linfield Oaks residents Construction cost estimates 29
City Council Requests Legal counsel regarding passing track requirement Assess impacts of third track location Perform direct outreach to Felton Gables and Linfield Oaks residents Construction cost estimates 30
Passing Track Grant requirement Consistent with the Measure A funding requirements, at least one alternative would be developed to allow for the addition of a third passing track through Menlo Park, which is currently an alternative for the Caltrain/HSR blended system. Legal counsel - At least through project study area Caltrain s interpretation - Currently proposed Caltrain/HSR blended system Middle 3 Track option, continuous from San Mateo to south Palo Alto 31
Passing Track 32
City Council Requests Legal counsel regarding passing track requirement Assess impacts of third track location Perform direct outreach to Felton Gables and Linfield Oaks residents Construction cost estimates 33
Third Track Two Potential Locations for a Third Track: - Option 1: In the center of the two main tracks (Outboard platforms at the station) - Option 2: On the outside of the main tracks (Center platform at the station) Opportunities and constraints for each option 34
Station Platform & Third Track Options Outboard Platform Third Track in Center 35
Station Platform & Third Track Options Center Platform Passing Track on the Outside 36
Cross Sections 37
Cross Section (North of Encinal Ave) 38
Cross Section (North of Encinal Ave) 39
Cross Section (North of Glenwood Ave) 40
Cross Section (North of Glenwood Ave) 41
Cross Section (South of Glenwood Ave) 42
Cross Section (South of Glenwood Ave) 43
City Council Requests Third Passing Track Questions Legal counsel regarding passing track requirement Assess impacts of third track location Perform direct outreach to Felton Gables and Linfield Oaks residents Construction cost estimates 44
City Council Requests Legal counsel regarding passing track requirement Assess impacts of third track location Perform direct outreach to Felton Gables and Linfield Oaks residents Construction cost estimates 45
Community Engagement to Date Community Meetings May 2, 2016 October 4, 2016 June 7, 2017 (Upcoming) Commission Meetings Parks & Recreation Commission May 25, 2016 Library Commission June 13, 2016 Transportation Commission November 9, 2016 Bicycle Commission November 14, 2016 Planning Commission December 5, 2016 City Council Meetings February 7, 2017 Rail Public Informational Meeting -March 20, 2017 46
Community Outreach Project web page: www.menlopark.org/ravenswood City Council Digest emails City Newsflash emails Social media Flyers and posters Chamber of Commerce Local news media Postcards Electronic sign 47
City Council Requests Legal counsel regarding passing track requirement Assess impacts of third track location Perform direct outreach to Felton Gables and Linfield Oaks residents Construction cost estimates 48
Preliminary Construction Cost Estimates Alternative Alternative A: Underpass, 1 grade separation Alternative B: Hybrid, 2 grade separations Alternative C: Hybrid, 3 grade separations Preliminary Construction Cost Estimate $140-190 million $230-310 million $280-380 million Planning level estimates For relative cost differential purposes Not yet reviewed by Caltrain engineering staff Will be revised as project moves forward 49
Next Steps Community Meeting #3, June 7, 2017 - Arrillaga Recreation Center Stakeholders meetings, Summer 2017 Commission meetings, Fall 2017 City Council, Fall 2017 50
Council Feedback Requested Third track location Station configuration Hybrid alternative to move forward 51
Thank You For More Information: Visit Us at: http://www.menlopark.org/ravenswood Email Us at: Transportation@menlopark.org 52