City Council Clears Path for Railroad Quiet Zone Near Magnolia Center
The unanimous vote authorizes land acquisition at two Union Pacific crossings on Brockton and Palm avenues, where 31 trains pass daily.
Government
City Council Clears Path for Railroad Quiet Zone Near Magnolia Center
The unanimous vote authorizes land acquisition at two Union Pacific crossings on Brockton and Palm avenues, where 31 trains pass daily.
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The City Council approved a memorandum Tuesday that would allow the city to build a "quiet zone" on the Union Pacific railroad line near the Magnolia Center neighborhood so trains no longer have to sound their horns at crossings.
About 31 trains — 21 freight trains and 10 passenger trains — pass by Brockton Avenue and Palm Avenue each day, blowing their horns at the federally-required 96 to 110 decibels for at least 15 and up to 20 seconds at each crossing.
The frequent noise disrupts sleep and quality of life for Magnolia Center residents, according to Real Property Services manager Ben Morales, who gave a presentation at Tuesday's meeting.
"The project will improve safety and the elimination of the routine sounding of train horns," Morales said at the meeting.
The design drew on input from the Federal Railroad Administration, the California Public Utilities Commission and the Union Pacific railroad.
The project, which has been in the works since April 2018, will add eight new vehicle warning devices and four new pedestrian warning devices and gates at Brockton Avenue, plus four new vehicle warning devices at Palm Avenue.
It would also add raised medians, new curbs, gutters, sidewalks, driveways, fencing and handrails, accessible routes, tactile tiles and new pavement at both crossings, all designed to meet federal and state rail-safety requirements so horns can be silenced.
To add the updates, the project requires the acquisition of two properties at both crossings.
The city needs to permanently purchase a 156-square-foot piece of land from the state DMV location at 6280 Brockton Ave., and obtain an additional temporary easement of 150 square feet for construction.
The city estimates that the total cost of the land purchase is $7,200 — to be paid from an existing Measure A quiet-zone project account.
Meanwhile, the city has been negotiating with the DMV to buy the land, but the DMV purchase is tied up in the state's approval process, risking construction missing the dates agreed upon with the Union Pacific railroad.
Because of this, the council unanimously voted to adopt a formal resolution of necessity, which allows the city attorney to file a lawsuit to take the needed property while still paying fair market value.
It also needs a portion of land owned by the Family Trust of Richard H. Pluim and Rosalie J. Pluim; it has already taken the trust to court to force a sale of the land and that case is now waiting to be resolved through a settlement.
No residents or councilmembers commented on the item.
More information: The Brockton Avenue to Palm Avenue Railroad Quiet Zone Project falls within Ward 3. For more information, contact Councilmember Steven Robillard's office at riversideca.gov/council/wards/ward-3.
By Micaela Ricaforte
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