Passenger Trains > Peninsula City Eyes Trench For Caltrain

The Palo Alto City Council is considering a $1.05 billion plan to put Caltrain tracks in a trench in the southern half of the city, a move that would eliminate grade crossings at Meadow and Charleston roads.

Council met Monday night to consider a trench for the tracks, or a pair of underpasses at the two road crossings. While no decision has been made, council members indicated support for the trench and will move forward to consider the idea, according to a story published Tuesday in the Palo Alto Daily Post.

Council members shied away from the cheaper alternative of underpasses because it would involve taking 30 or more homes to acquire land for the project, the Post reported.

Meanwhile, in the northern half of the city, two roadways cross the tracks at grade level, and three go under the tracks. There is no current discussion about a trench in the northern half of the city, or what to do with the two grade-level crossings. Palo Alto is expecting in increase in rail traffic with Caltrain electrification and eventual High Speed Rail.

Council looked at two trench alternatives. A $1.05 billion plan that uses a 1 percent grade, or a plan that costs about half as much but utilizes a 2 percent grade, according the the Post. The city’s trench consultant told council that the 2 percent grade faces potential obstacles from Caltrain and Union Pacific, which would have to approve the idea. Caltrain prefers a 1 percent grade, the newspaper reported.

In a separate story today, the Daily Post looked at some of the potential impacts from trench construction. A shoo-fly would need to be constructed, which could reduce nearby Alma Street from four lanes to two for the 18 to 24 months it would take to build a trench. An unknown number of trees would likely have to be removed to accommodate construction and a shoo-fly. And digging the trench would require more than 26,000 truck loads of dirt to be taken away.

walstib Wrote:
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> The Palo Alto City Council is considering a $1.05
> billion plan to put Caltrain tracks in a trench in
> the southern half of the city, a move that would
> eliminate grade crossings at Meadow and Charleston
> roads.
>
> Council met Monday night to consider a trench for
> the tracks, or a pair of underpasses at the two
> road crossings. While no decision has been made,
> council members indicated support for the trench
> and will move forward to consider the idea,
> according to a story published Tuesday in the Palo
> Alto Daily Post.
>
> Council members shied away from the cheaper
> alternative of underpasses because it would
> involve taking 30 or more homes to acquire land
> for the project, the Post reported.
>
> Meanwhile, in the northern half of the city, two
> roadways cross the tracks at grade level, and
> three go under the tracks. There is no current
> discussion about a trench in the northern half of
> the city, or what to do with the two grade-level
> crossings. Palo Alto is expecting in increase in
> rail traffic with Caltrain electrification and
> eventual High Speed Rail.
>
> Council looked at two trench alternatives. A $1.05
> billion plan that uses a 1 percent grade, or a
> plan that costs about half as much but utilizes a
> 2 percent grade, according the the Post. The
> city’s trench consultant told council that the 2
> percent grade faces potential obstacles from
> Caltrain and Union Pacific, which would have to
> approve the idea. Caltrain prefers a 1 percent
> grade, the newspaper reported.
>
> In a separate story today, the Daily Post looked
> at some of the potential impacts from trench
> construction. A shoo-fly would need to be
> constructed, which could reduce nearby Alma Street
> from four lanes to two for the 18 to 24 months it
> would take to build a trench. An unknown number of
> trees would likely have to be removed to
> accommodate construction and a shoo-fly. And
> digging the trench would require more than 26,000
> truck loads of dirt to be taken away.

With Caltrain's plans to electrify it doesn't that a 2% grade should be that much of an issue.

Dave

What a mess. There's construction in the area right now and the main roads are a mess. We've discussed the trench idea before, the existing right of way crosses two 'creeks' which have caused flooding problems in the past 10 years or so. since that area is not too far above sea level it will be a challege to bypass that much water. But if there's money involved it certainly will not stop Palo Alto.

Yes, Matadero and Adobe creeks. I think they're both concrete-lined channels near the tracks.

I believe I saw somewhere that they were considering going under the creeks, but I'm not sure of the details.

Posted from iPhone

Yes, Matadero and Adobe creeks. I think they're both concrete-lined channels near the tracks.

I believe I saw somewhere that they were considering going under the creeks, but I'm not sure of the details.

Posted from iPhone

sounds like a political donor is being lined up for their big payoff. Got a long way to go to beat NJ, tho.

I know Palo Alto has been trying to get rid of train horns for years, but this seems like a lot of money and a lot of disruption for the sake of two crossings. What about Churchill and Alma?
Personally, I'd like to see all grade crossings eliminated, and I think every rail out there would agree.

Posted from iPhone

CPCoyote Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I know Palo Alto has been trying to get rid of
> train horns for years, but this seems like a lot
> of money and a lot of disruption for the sake of
> two crossings. What about Churchill and Alma?
> Personally, I'd like to see all grade crossings
> eliminated, and I think every rail out there would
> agree.
>
> Posted from iPhone

Palo Alto and Mountain View have had a difficult decade with the trains. Nobody every expected either town would roll over and let 150 mph trains roar through town.

Wasn't this a political decision to connect the HSR to the existing alignment on the Peninsula?

CPCoyote Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I know Palo Alto has been trying to get rid of
> train horns for years, but this seems like a lot
> of money and a lot of disruption for the sake of
> two crossings. What about Churchill and Alma?
> Personally, I'd like to see all grade crossings
> eliminated, and I think every rail out there would
> agree.
>
> Posted from iPhone

If those tracks are to include the HSR, then ALL grade crossings must be eliminated, period.