Wednesday, July 20, 2005 (Washington, DC) The federal government wants to know if it is possible to restrict vehicle access to two Metrolink commuter train lines as a way to improve safety on routes that run from Los Angeles to Symar and Chatsworth, it was announced today.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) said it would give Metrolink $250,000 to study a "sealed corridor" concept for its Antelope and Ventura County lines. The study will evaluate whether it is possible to reduce or eliminate the chance of cars crossing into the path of trains.

In a ‘sealed corridor’ approach, passenger and freight rail operators work with state transportation and local officials to analyze safety at all railroad crossings along a particular rail line. The purpose of the assessment is to decide which grade crossings should receive safety improvements or be permanently closed.

“A sealed rail corridor keeps passengers safe by keeping vehicles out,” said FRA Administrator Joseph H. Boardman. “When you reduce the chance of trains and vehicles crossing paths, you increase safety for rail passengers and motorists,” he added.

The study will evaluate 49 crossings on Metrolink’s 26-mile Antelope Line between Los Angeles and Symar, and the 32-mile Ventura County Line between Los Angeles and Chatsworth. It will consider current and projected traffic conditions, recommend safety enhancements, create a grade crossing improvement priority list, identify potential closures, and provide cost estimates to accomplish the plan’s objective. Potential improvements may include four-quadrant gates, extended gate arms, grade separations, highway median separators, traffic signal upgrades, and permanent closures.

In addition, Metrolink will develop a program to construct locked gates and other barriers to deny access to its right-of-way at certain locations other than highway-rail crossings, including fencing to deter illegal trespassing, the leading cause of rail-related fatalities in the United States.

The study will be modeled on the successful efforts of the North Carolina Department of Transportation to implement a sealed corridor between Charlotte and Raleigh. To date along that line, safety upgrades have been made at 67 crossings and 64 public and private crossings have been closed, with improvements at over 100 others still in various stages of project development.

-END-