Fence eyed to curb dangerous railroad track crossings
Enterprise staff writer
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Pedestrians and bicyclists who cross the railroad tracks illegally from Olive Drive to downtown Davis may soon have to find another route. A Union Pacific Railroad spokesman confirmed this week that a fence may be in the works.
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“We are in conversations with the city and other partners about the potential construction of fencing, additional parking and a pedestrian overpass in the depot area,” said Aaron Hunt, a Union Pacific spokesman.
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“As I understand it, we are still discussing these items and so timing, and details on when this would happen are not clear.”
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For many years, Davis Board of Education and City Council members have expressed concern over the large number of people — including school-age children, university students and others living on Olive Drive — who disregard the danger of being hit by a train, and walk across the tracks on a daily basis.
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A study in 1998 by a group of UC Davis students counted 387 illegal crossings of the railroad tracks in just three days, including 98 crossings by school-age children. The study also found that residents on Olive Drive, which parallels the railroad tracks, are among the least likely in town to own a car.
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Luna Salaver, a spokeswoman with the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority, which runs the Capitol Corridor passenger trains that stop at the Davis depot, likewise confirmed that discussions about a fence are under way.
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“The CCJPA and Union Pacific Railroad, its host rail partner, have been working on projects to secure the rail right of way in order to prevent trespasser incidents,” Salaver said. “To this end, both entities have identified sections of the corridor where fencing is feasible and would enhance safety.”
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The issue has been simmering for years. In June 2009, Davis school board trustee Susan Lovenburg said, “We have an unacceptably high number of people dangerously crossing the tracks in this neighborhood,” including about 49 children and teenagers living on Olive Drive who attend the Davis public schools.
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Also in June 2009, Davis City Councilman Stephen Souza argued for an “at-grade,” or ground-level, crossing for bikes and pedestrians. Souza added somewhat ruefully that when he came to Davis some 30-odd years ago, “my first home was at the end of Olive Drive. I illegally crossed those tracks many a day, many a night, to get to downtown.”
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— Reach Jeff Hudson at jhudson@davisenterprise.net or (530) 747-8055. Comment on this story at www.davisenterprise.com.
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on Nov 4 2010.
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