Encinitas will seek grants for train horn quiet zone, new railroad crossing points

Encinitas will try its luck by submitting three, railroad-related grant requests all at once to a Federal Railroad Administration program, the City Council unanimously decided Wednesday.

Preparing applications for two of the projects was estimated to cost $66,000, while adding the third one increased that total to $77,000.

The city doesn’t currently have the $7.1 million in local matching money that would be required if it wins grants for all three projects, but it’ll attempt to find a resolution later for that happy problem, if it happens, council members said.

Councilmember Joy Lyndes called it “a problem I want to have,” saying, “If we are able to win all three projects and bring tens of millions of dollars to our community, I think that’s a success and we’ll figure out how to move forward from there.”

The three projects are:

• A citywide railroad horn “quiet zone.” That $6 million project is 30% of the way through the design phase, a city staff report states. It would add safety equipment to the city’s existing at-grade railroad crossing at the downtown Encinitas Train Station, plus the ones at D Street, E Street and Leucadia Boulevard. The installation of the safety equipment would reduce the need for train operators to sound their horns in Encinitas.
• New at-grade crossing points at Grandview and Phoebe streets, making it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to go between North Coast Highway 101 and Vulcan Avenue. That $12.5 project currently is 50% through its design phase, a city staff report states.
• A new railroad undercrossing for pedestrians and cyclists between Verdi and Liszt avenues in Cardiff. It would link the Cardiff Elementary School on San Elijo Avenue with the San Elijo State Beach region. Of the three projects, it’s the closest to the construction phase, but it’s also the most costly, a city staff report states. The $17 million project has completed the design phase and had its required permits approved by the city’s Planning Commission earlier this year.

Councilmember Jim O’Hara said Wednesday that he would give top priority to the quiet zone project because that one would benefit the most people. He said he would place the proposed Leucadia at-grade crossing points second and the Verdi undercrossing third. Mayor Bruce Ehlers and Councilmembers Marco San Antonio and Luke Shaffer said they agreed with his ranking system.

O’Hara said Encinitas could likely pull together the $2.5 million in local matching money that would be required for the quiet zone project, plus the $1.2 million needed for the Leucadia at-grade crossing points, but not the $3.4 million in matching money needed for the Verdi under crossing.

After O’Hara made his comments, a representative for the company that is helping the city apply for the grants said Encinitas wouldn’t need to come up with all of that money in the next fiscal year, but could stretch it out over several years. The mayor said that was good to hear.

Encinitas has until Jan. 7 to submit its grant applications. The federal program, which is under the U.S. Department of Transportation, has $5.07 billion in the current fiscal year to give away, and projects will be prioritized based on whether they enhance rail safety, reduce repairs, improve performance or expand passenger service, a city staff report states.