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Home My WebLink About2018-11-14 Rail Agenda PacketCity Council Rail Committee 1 MATERIALS RELATED TO AN ITEM ON THIS AGENDA SUBMITTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL AFTER DISTRIBUTION OF THE AGENDA PACKET ARE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION IN THE CITY CLERK’S OFFICE AT PALO ALTO CITY HALL, 250 HAMILTON AVE. DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS. Wednesday, November 14, 2018 Special Meeting Council Chambers 8:30 AM Agenda posted according to PAMC Section 2.04.070. Supporting materials are available in the Council Chambers on the Thursday 12 days preceding the meeting. PUBLIC COMMENT Members of the public may speak to agendized items. If you wish to address the Committee on any issue that is on this agenda, please complete a speaker request card located on the table at the entrance to the Council Chambers/Community Meeting Room, and deliver it to the Clerk prior to discussion of the item. You are not required to give your name on the speaker card in order to speak to the Committee, but it is very helpful. Public comment may be addressed to the full City Council Rail Committee via email at City.Council@cityofpaloalto.org. Call to Order Oral Communications Members of the public may speak to any item NOT on the agenda. Action Items 1.Review AECOM Analysis for Charleston Rd and East Meadow Ave Alternatives Including Hybrid, Viaduct and Trench 2.Project Schedule and Work Plan Update, Including Discussion of the Idea for Freight Train on Surface and Passenger Train Underground Discussion with State Lobbyists – Townsend Public Affairs Update on the Community Advisory Panel Update on Interagency Activities Next Steps and Future Agendas Adjournment AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY ACT (ADA) Persons with disabilities who require auxiliary aids or services in using City facilities, services or programs or who would like information on the City’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact (650) 329-2550 (Voice) 24 hours in advance. MEMO City of Palo Alto (ID # 9847) City Council Rail Committee Staff Report Report Type: Action Items Meeting Date: 11/14/2018 City of Palo Alto Page 1 Summary Title: Review AECOM analysis for Charleston Rd and East Meadow Ave alternatives including Hybrid, Viaduc Title: Review and Evaluate AECOM Analysis for Charleston Road and East Meadow Avenue Grade Separation Alternatives Including the Hybrid, Viaduct and Trench Options From: City Manager Lead Department: City Manager Recommendation Staff recommends that the Rail Committee review and discuss the current analysis of the Charleston Road and East Meadow Avenue grade separation alternatives including the Trench , Viaduct and Hybrid. Background There are presently seven grade separation alternatives under consideration, each of which is undergoing technical analysis and will be presented before the community at multiple meetings, before the City Council is asked to approve a preferred grade separation solution. Presently, the remaining grade separation alternatives under consideration include: Palo Alto Ave 1. Closure or Partial Closure 2. Hybrid (road under rail) Churchill Ave 3. Bike and Pedestrian crossing only via an under or over crossing. Closed to vehicles. Consultant team is looking into the feasibility of a partial closure to vehicles, allowing for vehicle crossing at grade during certain times of the day. Meadow Ave and Charleston Ave 4. Trench (road over rail) 5. Viaduct (elevated rail) 6. Hybrid (road under rail) City of Palo Alto Page 2 All Crossings (City Wide) 7. Tunnel (road over rail) Discussion For the purpose of the November 14 Rail Committee meeting the consultant team have prepared analysis for the Charleston Rd and East Meadow Ave grade separation alternatives including the Trench, Viaduct and Hybrid. Attached are reports from AECOM that describe these alternatives. At the November 14 meeting the consultant team will present the details of these alternatives. A similar presentation was provided to the Community Advisory Panel (CAP) on November 7, the CAP’s feedback will be incorporated into the presentation for the November 14 Rail Committee meeting. At the October 17 Rail Committee Meeting there was discussion of removing the viaduct option from consideration. This may be something the Rail Committee would like to consider at this meeting after hearing and reviewing analysis to date on the alternatives. However, because staff are planning a community meeting on all three grade separation alternatives for Charleston Rd and East Meadow Ave on November 28. Additional analysis is being conducted to fully understand the technical constructability, duration of construction, costs among other factors for these alternatives that will be presented at the November 28 community meeting, the Rail Committee may choose to postpone a recommendation to eliminate alternatives until December. Attachments: • Attachment A: Narrative for idea MCV Memo 2018-11-05 r2 • Attachment B: Narrative for ideas MCL Memo 2018-11-6 r3 • Attachment C: Narrative for idea MCT Memo 2018-11-05 r2 1 of 2 To: Robert De Geus City of Palo Alto Planning & Community Environment 250 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 CC: Millette Litzinger, AECOM John Maher, AECOM AECOM 300 Lakeside Drive, Suite 400 Oakland, CA 94612 aecom.com Project name: Palo Alto Rail Management Service Project ref: 60577356 From: Etty Mercurio Date: November 7, 2018 Memorandum Subject:Narrative Description – Grade Separate Meadow Drive and Charleston Road with the Railroad Elevated in a Viaduct The following is based on a conceptual engineering evaluation and is intended for discussion purposes only. A plan and profile exhibit of the concept is attached to this memorandum. Meadow Drive and Charleston Road Viaduct (MCV) This narrative describes the railroad and roadway geometry required to raise the railroad tracks into a viaduct that will over Meadow Drive and Charleston Road. At the end of the narrative is a listing of an initial assessment of potential impacts associated with this alternative. Temporary Railroad Geometry: Temporary railroad tracks (also referred to as shoofly) are required to bypass the mainline tracks and structures during construction in order to maintain commuter rail service during construction. The temporary tracks would be positioned on the east side of the existing mainline tracks. Starting at the north end and travelling south, the tracks would swing eastward starting at Loma Verde Avenue, run parallel to the existing tracks and Alma Street and then swing back westward into the existing tracks near Ferne Street about 600 feet before the end of the San Antonio Station platform. An existing track crossover located within this 600 feet (before San Antonio Station) would need to be relocated. The temporary tracks will not encroach on Alma Street between intersections, but they will encroach approximately 20 feet on Alma Street at the intersections of Meadow and Charleston where two turning lanes would be eliminated during construction. The total length of temporary track is 8,400 feet. The temporary tracks would also have an overhead catenary system for train electrification. The temporary tracks are designed with the required safety and construction clearances and for a maximum speed of 75 mph. Railroad protection devices will be provided at the temporary track grade crossings, including vehicle and pedestrian gates and flashers. Permanent Railroad Geometry: The proposed mainline vertical alignments (profiles) are controlled by the required length of vertical curves, length of tangents between curves and the overall length of the available mainline track clear for construction. The permanent horizontal alignment will match the existing track horizontal alignment. At the Meadow and Charleston crossings, the viaduct top-of-rail elevation will be a minimum of 20.5 feet above the existing roadway. This assumes a 15.5 feet vertical clearance from the roadway surface to the underside of a bridge structure and an assumed 5-foot bridge structure depth. The permanent railroad construction will commence at the location where the track spacing between the existing and the shoofly tracks is 25 feet. The permanent tracks will begin rising 1,100 feet south of Loma Verde Ave at a 1.3% grade. They will be on retained fill for approximately 700 feet and then continue on the viaduct structure to Meadow, stay on elevated viaduct structure to Charleston, and then descend at 1.4%. The viaduct will end at a point 600 feet south of Charleston where they will again be on retained fill for approximately 400 feet. The new tracks will meet the existing Caltrain tracks 1,800 feet north of the San Antonio Station. The total length of retained fill is 1,100 feet. The total length of viaduct is 3,500 feet. The total length of mainline construction is 5,400 feet. Memo – Narrative Description - Grade Separate Meadow Drive and Charleston Road with the Railroad Elevated in a Viaduct AECOM 2 of 2 Roadway Geometry:The roadways at Meadow Drive and Charleston Road would have the same configuration that exists today. During construction, falsework (scaffolding) would be constructed above Meadow and Charleston to allow vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles to continue to use these roads without disruption during weekdays. Falsework construction would require either weekend closures or night-time closures to erect (assemble) and to take down (disassemble) the falsework. Initial Assessment of Potential Impacts for this Alternative: · The removal of the existing trees in the buffer area between Alma Street and the mainline tracks to construct the temporary tracks (shoofly) in order to maintain the Caltrain revenue service during construction. · To accommodate the temporary tracks (shoofly), the width of Alma Street will be temporarily reduced approximately 20 feet at the intersections of Meadow and Charleston where there are turning lanes – there would be no turning lanes during construction. · No private property impacts. · No impacts to existing creeks. · Minor utility impacts. · Visual impacts with the elevated structure. · Stage construction will require falsework over roadways at Meadow and Charleston. · Design exception approval required from Caltrain for 1.4% grade. · Opportunity for landscaping upon construction completion. I Park Blvd I TYPICAL SECTION -VIADUCT l h;·--~~· BEGIN NEW TRACK ~CONSTRUCTION .. .. .. .. ALMA STREET • - ... ...... ,___ -------·-r----- l , anron-Gre ..... l00~1ajryl ___ ..... -, !_ ____ I -i.3~o "" ~ --... ·~· .. ~· ·~ ·~ --, __ ---· ·-· -~ •k EXISTING TRACK ·-------- I I • ' /I .,__ I I -· I • ' -..~ ..... All --- I ; ·- _________ , I t \ I Robles Park I I ,_ - - - - - - _ .J , u. "'°o " ~-- -IA --. -- ""' -~ ...... I LUNDY LANEI SHOOFLY CHARLESTON RD I ! , ., / / -/ .. / ·---t--/ . ~~ ~ --~---·----· .. ! I ..... ...... ..... AD - \ " END NEW TRACK ~ . _ .. I CONSTRUCTION ~ .. JC1 ll~ 4%1 00 LEGEND: -I I ,, • I I ...... ·--·-·- ~d~b~rUek -,-.. ---- .. ... ...... -~ Track Viaduct Shoofly Track ______________ ..._.....-;;o--...---a ________ M_e_a_d_o_w __ D_r_iv_e __ &_c __ h_a_r1_e_s_to_n __ R_o_a_d_P __ 1a_n_a_n_d __ P_r_o_fi_1e __ -_v_ia_d_u_c_t ______ ......1.11~~~~,-A __ :_O __ O_M __ .......__m_~_~_;_·:-:J_J 1 of 2 To: Robert De Geus City of Palo Alto Planning & Community Environment 250 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 CC: Millette Litzinger, AECOM John Maher, AECOM AECOM 300 Lakeside Drive, Suite 400 Oakland, CA 94612 aecom.com Project name: Palo Alto Rail Management Service Project ref: 60577356 From: Etty Mercurio Date: November 7, 2018 Memorandum Subject:Narrative Description – Grade Separate Meadow Drive and Charleston Road with the Railroad Elevated and the Roadways Lowered The following is based on a conceptual engineering evaluation and is intended for discussion purposes only. Plan and profile exhibits of the concept are attached to this memorandum. Meadow Drive and Charleston Road Hybrid (MCL) This narrative describes the railroad and roadway geometry required to raise the railroad tracks and lower the roadways at Meadow Drive and Charleston Road. At the end of the narrative is a listing of an initial assessment of potential impacts associated with this alternative. Temporary Railroad Geometry: Temporary railroad tracks (also referred to as shoofly) are required to bypass the mainline track and structures during construction in order to maintain commuter rail service during construction. The temporary tracks would be constructed on the east side of the existing mainline tracks. Starting at the north end and traveling south, the tracks would swing eastward starting around Loma Verde Avenue, run parallel to the existing tracks and Alma Street and then swing back westward into the existing tracks north of Ferne Avenue about 1,600 feet before San Antonio Road. The shoofly would be constructed to the same elevation (grade) as the existing track for the entire length between Loma Verde and Ferne Avenue. The temporary tracks would not encroach on Alma Street between intersections, but they would encroach approximately 20 feet on Alma at the intersections of Meadow and Charleston where the two additional turning lanes would be eliminated during construction. The total length of temporary track is approximately 6,400 feet. The temporary track would also have an overhead catenary system for train electrification. The temporary tracks are designed with the required safety and construction clearances and for a maximum speed of 75 mph. Railroad protection devices would be provided at the temporary track grade crossings, including vehicle and pedestrian gates and flashers. Permanent Railroad Geometry: The proposed mainline vertical alignments (profiles) are controlled by the required length of vertical curves, length of tangents between curves and the overall length of the available mainline track clear for construction. The permanent horizontal railroad alignment will match the existing horizontal alignment. The permanent track will rise from El Verano Avenue at a grade of 1.0% on retained fill into a 320 feet long vertical curve over Meadow Drive. This places the top-of-rail 14 feet above the existing Meadow Drive roadway elevation. It continues at a slope of 0.3% into a 760 feet long vertical curve over Charleston Road. This places the top-of-rail 14 feet above the existing Charleston Road roadway elevation. The track then descends at a negative 1% grade on retained fill to meet the existing mainline track 1,700 feet north of San Antonio Road. The Meadow and Charleston roadways will be lowered to provide a minimum 15.5 feet vertical clearance between the road surface and the bottom of the rail bridge structure. The total length of mainline construction is 5,000 feet. Memo – Narrative Description – Grade Separate Meadow Drive and Charleston Road with the Railroad Elevated and the Roadways Lowered AECOM 2 of 2 Roadway Geometry:Between Park Boulevard and Alma Street, Meadow Drive will be lowered at a maximum grade of 5%. Beginning at Park Boulevard to the west, it will be lowered a maximum of 7 feet from existing grade below the railroad tracks and then it will rise to meet the existing grade approximately 170 feet east of Alma Street. The total length of roadway impacted on Meadow Drive is 460 feet. The total length of roadway impacted on Alma Street 680 feet, 280 feet to the north and 400 feet to the south of Meadow Drive. Alma Street will be lowered a maximum of 4 feet from the existing grade to maintain the existing intersection with Meadow Drive. The maximum grade on Alma Street will be 1.0%. The design speed for Meadow Drive is 25 MPH and 35 MPH for Alma Street. Between Park Boulevard and Alma Street, Charleston Road will be lowered at a maximum grade of 5%. Beginning at Park Boulevard to the west, it will be lowered a maximum of 6 feet from the existing grade below the railroad tracks and then it will rise to meet the existing grade approximately 190 feet east of Alma Street. The total length of roadway impacted on Charleston Road is 550 feet. The total length of roadway impacted on Alma Street is 540 feet, 270 feet to the north and 270 feet to the south of Charleston Road. Alma Street will be lowered a maximum of 4 feet from the existing grade to maintain the existing intersection with Charleston Road. The maximum grade on Alma Street will be 1.0%. The design speed on Charleston Road is 25 MPH and 35 MPH on Alma Street. Initial Assessment of Potential Impacts for this Alternative: · The removal of the existing trees in the buffer area between Alma Street and the mainline tracks to construct the temporary tracks (shoofly) in order to maintain the Caltrain revenue service during construction. · To accommodate the temporary tracks (shoofly), the width of Alma Street will be temporarily reduced approximately 20 feet at the intersections of Meadow and Charleston where there are turning lanes – there would be no turning lanes during construction. · Property impacts are relatively minor (driveway modifications). · Major utility relocations for utilities located in Alma, Meadow and Charleston due to roadway excavation for the lowered roadways. · A pump station may be required for the lowered roadways (pump surface runoff from lowered roadways). · Visual impacts with elevated railroad embankment. · Stage construction severely impacts traffic: ─ Closes portions of Alma, Meadow and Charleston for lowered roadways to maintain 2 lanes of traffic § Alma Street reduced to 2 lanes (one in each direction) during construction (there are 4 lanes existing) § Meadow and Charleston reduced to 2 lanes PERMANENT TRACK TYPICAL SECTION -HYBRID LEGEND: Track .. .. .. ALMA STREET \I \I \\ 1. , BEGIN NEW TRACK ~CONSTRUCTION ,__ --·-,--..... ~ I l -· tan on I.ire ...... Hybrid (1 % Max) - ek IGout~etryl ___ _,-1 !_ ____ , EXISTING TRACK MEADOW DR ! I Ill"' ,.. ,_ ·-·· .... --I -----... II ..... I -- --·-·--..... 'LI" 1v 0 1u.2 ..... fl .-t .. •M , . •u I ,... ·-I ---0 --.. _________ ..._ I 1 \ I Robles Park I I ,_ - - - - - - _ .J , ... rid 114' I I _n :J!'h ,-- I . ·---- ..... DM~, ·--- . ..... I LUNDY LANEI SHOOFLY I Park Blvd I CHARLESTON RD ,,, ~r I I' --·--·-.. , ... ./ . - - ----,. ~~ ~-. ~~ .. ~ './ ~ 't 0% -1-;; -----~ 0 •• - -·- -1 I I " I I I ·- ~d • .. .. ~11J-cr .... ek .. 0 ...... 1-1 • c .... St Andrew's United Methodist Church -~ I Shoofly Track -~ Meadow Drive & Charleston Road -Plan and Profile -Hybrid 0 A=~o,.... ~ - -------S--tru __ c_t_u_r_e ____________________________________ ..a. __ .;;. __ .a.. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ .._"""'C~ITY·O~F-----~----"--'_' __ ~· __ ..... ________________________________________ m ______ T ____ T PALO ......,,.._, ===::::c:::: Track Retaining Wall Right-of-Way --Limits of Roadway Modifications --Structure • Driveway Direction of Traffic 60 ---------T---------,----------r---------T---------,----------.----------r---------,---------,---------60 1 I I I I I I I I I I I I Tcrblllength=480ft I I I I I I I I 50 I I I I I I I I - - - - - - - --T-- - - - - - - --i-- - - - - - - -r-- - - - - - - --T-- - - - - -- - - - - --1-- - - - - - - - -r-- - - - - - - -"T-- - - - - - - -""1-- - - - - - - -50 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I : : : : ~ : Alma:si : : : 40 ---------r---------i---------r----QG.--r------°!'? 1 1---------1:----------r---------1---------i---------40 ----r-----:---U." -----~.5 i-....... --il. : : : I I I ::E I ·----I I I ---------:---------:----------:---------:F~ --.;;...-~ ~ r--..:_-.:.-.:.--30 30 I I I I I I I I I I 20 ....... ~~~~....L.~~~~....1.~~~~--'~~~~~'--~~~~ ...... ~~~~ ....... ~~~~-'-~~~~....i.~~~~.....r.~~~~--'~20 12+00 13+o0 14+00 15+00 16+00 17+00 18+00 19+o0 20+00 21+00 22+00 Meadow Dr Tolallenglh=B80ft 50 ---------r---------,---------r---------r---------,----------.----------r---------T-------------------r--------50 1 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I : : : : Mea+wor : : : : ---------:---------:---------:---------:--------=.1----l~--:----~~----:---------:-------------------:-------- - - --~---....9-b. ----. ---.----·---·--I I SlJl'l.....--i---- 40 40 30 ---------+---------~----------~--------------·----------~---------+---------~----------~--------30 • I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 20 ---------~---------~----------~---------L---------~----------1----------L---------~---------~----------~--------I I I I I I I I I I 20 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 10 ...... ~~~~....i.~~~~.....r.~~~~--''--~~~~'--~~~~-'-~~~~ ....... ~~~~....L.~~~~....i.~~~~.....r.~~~~~'--~~~~.L-10 12+00 13+00 14+00 15+00 16+00 17+-00 18+00 19+00 20+00 21+00 22+00 23+00 Alma St Meadow I Charleston Hybrid (MCL) Meadow Drive Plan, Profile 1 % Maximum Railroad Grade NOTE: Design Speed = 25 MPH for W Meadow Dr Design Speed = 35 MPH for Alma St 0 CITY OF PALO ALTO PRELIMINARY FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES ONLY AECOM 60 50 40 30 ---------T---------,----------r---------r---------,----------.--------- 1 I I I I I I I Tatall9nglh=-4e0ft I I I I I I I -------------------,-----------·--------- ' I I I I I ----·---------' I I ""' ......................... ~io-~~--;;;;~--..... ~···•••;.;;;;.;;.-..;;.- 1 I I 60 50 40 30 20 -L~~~~....1.~~~~--'~~~~~'-~~~~ ..... ~~~~-'-~~~~-'-~~~~...a..20 14+00 15+00 16+00 17+00 18+00 19+00 20+00 21+00 ===::::c:::: Track Retaining Wall Right-of-Way Meadow Dr 60 ---------T---------,----------r---------r---------,----------.----------r---------,---------60 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 50 : I I I Tol:llllength=680111: I I - - - - - - - --T--- - - - - --i-- - - - - - - --r-- - - - - - - - -r-- - - - - - - -.,-- - - - - - - --1-- - - - - - - - -r-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -50 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---------!--------~ ----------~ -------~8!.~121'-- - - - - -~ - - - - - - - - --:-- - - - - - - - -~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -40 1 1 1 Loo 1 1 1 1 , , , L rPG 1 1 1 ... ~ """' ___ ..Jl.bJi. I -.!.. '-j'-_,.,...._ -< I I --- 40 30 - - - - - - - - -""-- - - - - - - --1-- - - - - - - - - -- - - --1-- - - - - - - --·-- - - - - - - --1-- - - - - - - - -..i.-- - - - - - - -30 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 20 -L~~~~....1.~~~~--'~~~~--''-~~~~ ..... ~~~~-'-~~~~-'-~~~~-'-~~~~....1.~~~~_._20 13+00 14+00 15+00 16+00 17+00 18+00 19+00 20+00 21+00 22+00 Alma St NOTE: Design Speed = 25 MPH for W Meadow Dr Design Speed = 35 MPH for Alma St --Limits of Roadway Modifications --Structure • Driveway Direction of Traffic MCL -Meadow I Charleston Hybrid (MCL) Charleston Road Plan, Profile 1 % Maximum Railroad Grade 0 CITY OF AECOM PALO ALTO To: Robert De Geus City of Palo Alto Planning & Community Environment 250 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 CC:Millette Litzinger, AECOM John Maher, AECOM AECOM 300 Lakeside Drive, Suite 400 Oakland, CA 94612 aecom.com Project name: Palo Alto Rail Management Service Project ref: 60577356 From: Etty Mercurio Date: November 7, 2018 Memorandum Subject:Narrative Description - Grade Separate Meadow Drive and Charleston Road with the Railroad Lowered in a Trench The following is based on a conceptual engineering evaluation and is intended for discussion purposes only. A plan and profile exhibit of the concept is attached to this memorandum. Meadow Drive and Charleston Road Trench (MCT) This narrative describes the railroad and roadway geometry required to lower the railroad tracks into a trench that will pass under Meadow Drive and Charleston Road. At the end of the narrative is a listing of an initial assessment of potential impacts associated with this alternative. Temporary Railroad Geometry: Temporary railroad tracks (also referred to as shoofly) are required to bypass the mainline tracks and structures during construction in order to maintain commuter rail service during construction. The temporary tracks would be constructed on the east side of the existing mainline tracks. Starting at the north end and travelling south, the tracks would swing eastward starting around Loma Verde Avenue, run parallel to the existing tracks and Alma Street and then swing back westward into the existing tracks near Ferne Avenue about 600 feet before the end of the San Antonio Station platform at the south end. An existing track crossover located within this 600 feet (before San Antonio Station) would need to be relocated. The shoofly will constructed to the same elevation (grade) as the existing track for the entire length between Loma Verde Avenue and Ferne Avenue. The temporary tracks will not encroach on Alma Street between intersections, but they will encroach approximately 20 feet on Alma Street at the intersections of Meadow and Charleston where the two turning lanes would be eliminated during construction. The total length of temporary track is approximately 8,400 feet. The temporary tracks would also have an overhead catenary system for train electrification. The temporary tracks are designed with the required safety and construction clearances and for a maximum speed of 75 mph. Railroad protection devices would be provided at the temporary track grade crossings at Meadow and Charleston and would include vehicle and pedestrian/bicycle gates and flashers. Permanent Railroad Geometry: The proposed mainline vertical alignments (profiles) are controlled by the required length of vertical curves, length of tangents between curves and the overall length of the available mainline track clear for construction. The permanent horizontal alignment will match the existing track horizontal alignment. At the Meadow and Charleston crossings, the trench will be a minimum depth of 29.5 feet from the top-of-rail elevation to the roadway surface. This assumes a 24.5-foot clearance to the bottom surface of the bridge and an assumed 5-foot bridge structure depth. The permanent railroad construction would commence at the location where the track spacing between the existing and the shoofly tracks is 25 feet. A 2% grade will be required to achieve the 29.5 feet depth (it should be noted that Caltrain design criteria specifies a 1% maximum grade and that grades up to 2% would require a design exception approval from Caltrain on a case-by-case basis for new construction). The permanent tracks would begin descending into a trench 900 feet south of Loma Verde Ave and continue at a depth of approximately 30 feet crossing under Meadow and Charleston and then rising at Memo – Narrative Description - Grade Separate Meadow Drive and Charleston Road with the Railroad Lowered in a Trench Palo Alto Rail Management Service 2% to meet the existing Caltrain tracks 1,200 feet north of the San Antonio Station. The total length of mainline construction is 6,300 feet. Roadway Geometry:The roadways at Meadow Drive and Charleston Road would have the same configuration that exists today once construction is completed with some minor adjustments. However, during construction of the roadway bridges over the proposed trench, Meadow would be closed to all traffic (vehicles, pedestrian and bicycles) while the roadway structure is constructed over the trench. Once the Meadow structure is completed, then the Charleston would be closed to all traffic and the Charleston structure would be completed. Initial Assessment of Potential Impacts for this Alternative: · The removal of the existing trees in the buffer area between Alma Street and the mainline tracks to construct the temporary tracks (shoofly) in order to maintain the Caltrain revenue service during construction. · To accommodate the temporary tracks (shoofly), the width of Alma Street will be temporarily reduced approximately 20 feet at the intersections of Meadow and Charleston where there are turning lanes – there would be no turning lanes during construction. · Subsurface right-of-way would be required for a ground anchor systems to support deep trench retaining walls. ─ The ground anchor system would encroach below Alma Street and below backyards adjacent to the Caltrain right- of-way. ─ Landscaping will be restricted in the areas directly above the ground anchors. § Plants with large root systems such as trees would not be permitted as they could impact the structural integrity of the ground anchor systems. § Basements under houses and pools in backyards may be restricted or prohibited. · Utility relocations are required at the Meadow and Charleston roadway crossings. · Stage construction will close Meadow and Charleston (one at a time) when bridge structures are constructed over the trench impacting traffic, pedestrian and bicycle traffic. · The trench will require a pumping station. Groundwater has been measured at 13 feet below grade so the pump will be pumping groundwater in addition to rain runoff. ─ Right-of-way will need to be identified and acquired for two pumping plants in the vicinity of Meadow and Charleston intersections. ─ Pumping station will have long-term maintenance costs. · Fire safety protection measures will be required in the trench that will require standpipes and fire department hose connections. ─ Emergency egress locations will be required that may require additional right-of-way. At a minimum, these would be located at the intersections of Meadow and Charleston. · High fencing required along trench walls for safety to protect high-voltage lines from public. · The trench will obstruct Adobe Creek and Baron Creek flows. Engineering solutions that could mitigate these obstructions have high maintenance costs and the risk of potential flooding to properties upstream (west side) of the railroad tracks. ─ Environmental impacts associated with creek modifications require buy-off from numerous federal and state agencies that would require mitigations that require right-of-way. · Design exception approval required from Caltrain for 2% grade. · Major utility relocations for utilities located in the Caltrain corridor. · Major utility relocations for utilities located in Meadow, Charleston and Alma. I Park Blvd I l h;·--~~-BEGIN NEW TRACK ~CONSTRUCTION l00~1ajryl ___ ..... -, !_ ____ I EXISTING TRACK I _________ , I t \ I Robles Park I I ,_ - - - - - - _ .J I LUNDY LANEI SHOOFLY I \ " END NEW TRACK ~ . -··1 CONSTRUCTION ~ -~ •-+----+---+-+----+----+----+-+---+---+-f---+----+---+-+----+----+----+-+---+---+-f------<'-+----+---+-+----+----+----+-+---+---+-+-----+----+---+-+----+----+-~r·'--+-+-----+----+---+-+----+----+----+-+---+---+-+-----+----+---+-+----+----+----+-+• LEGEND: I I •+---+---+-+---+--+---+-+--+------lll'-----f--+---S~,,...._~d-~---+-+--+--+-----1f--+--+--++~~lit!l---+-+--+--+---+-+--+----+-+--+---+----+-+--+--+---+t------+-•+-f--+--+---+~=--,.....,,~--+--+--+---+-+-+--+----+-+--+---+----+-+--+--+• i--+----+-----t-+---+---+-+-----+------tl----+2-.0 -1' _ _ \ I ~d~b---ic-ffle1c::+----+----+----+-+---t ...... , 1•• -• •n • .,, I 'All 1••-••-EIAll Meadow Drive & Charleston Road Plan and Profile -Trench 11 A~~o~a~ c1rv OF M:\.~ r~I PALO "' Track Shoofly Track Trench """"'""' "'"'~ ________________________ .... __ ..;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ____ ..... ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ ..... .a.r..;i;,g,,. ______________ ........... ________ _