Orange County Rail-Highway Grade Crossing Safety Enhancement Program. City of San Juan Capistrano April 17, 2012

Transcription

1 Orange County Rail-Highway Grade Crossing Safety Enhancement Program City of San Juan Capistrano April 17, 2012

2 Orange County Rail-Highway Grade Crossing Safety Enhancement Program (OCX) 52 crossings 8 cities $85 million Largest grade crossing safety enhancement program in the United States Rail safety education Support city efforts to establish quiet zones

3 OCX Construction Schedule August 2009 OCX Project Construction begins December 2010 SJC Construction begins October 2011 SJC Construction complete December 2011 OCX Project Construction complete

4 San Juan Capistrano Grade Crossings Oso Rd Rancho Capistrano La Zanja St Verdugo St Pre signal operational on Del Obispo St Avenida Aeropuerto

5 Del Obispo Street

6 Field Observations Working with City Traffic Consultants Meeting with City Staff Implementation of Video Detection Analysis Implementation of Video Survey

7 (photo taken )

8 Median changes east of the tracks (photo taken )

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10 Del Obispo Crossing Safety Enhancements Safety enhancements include: Exit Gates Pedestrian gates Raised Medians near the crossing Additional striping and signage Replacement of railroad signal equipment Traffic signal queue cutters

11 Traffic signal that directs motorists to stop in advance of the track, due to: RR Preemption Vehicle Queuing Operates in concert with the detection loops or video detection When the signal operates as designed and motorists comply with the signal, no vehicles will queue onto the RR tracks.

12 Queue-Cutter Signal

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16 Complete analysis of video survey (1/27/12) Perform video detection trials to determine queue-cutter operation refinements Loop detector location Response time Perform independent traffic analysis Review findings and prepare recommendations Implement modifications to improve traffic conditions

17 Video Detection

18 Video Detection (system installed on ) Goal: fine tune operation of the queuecutter signal 2 elements for refinement: placement of vehicle detection loops response time once queue is detected

19 Video Survey

20 Started on January 3, 2012 and continued for 2 weeks Goals: Observe traffic progression throughout the day, especially during peak hours Observe motorist behavior and reaction to safety improvements

21 Provided 24-hour coverage of queue cutter and railroad crossing area Analyzed for: Vehicular and Train Patterns Signal Cycling Activation of queue cutter traffic signal Traffic progression throughout the day, especially during peak hours

22 Del Obispo Lane Designations

23 Video Survey Findings

24 Video Survey Findings

25 Video Survey Findings 24-hour observation day During 19 hours: Minimum queue cutter cycling during Good traffic progression near crossing During 5 hours: Heavier traffic volumes Greater queue cutter cycling

26 Observed motorist behavior Total of 8 motorist violations within the 30 peak hours of video reviewed, including: Wrong way driving Failure to stop at red queue cutter signal

27 Observed Motorist Behavior

28 On Track Queue on Westbound Del Obispo (due to red light runner)

29 Queue loop response timing refinements Traffic signal progression study for adjacent intersections

30 Traffic Study

31 Del Obispo Corridor Traffic Study

32 Existing Roadway Configuration Retail Driveways WB Queue Cutter Signal R/R gate arms EB Queue Cutter Signal SCRRA Main Track 2 SCRRA Main Track 1

33 Potential Contributors to Traffic Delays Presence of closely spaced signals in a short segment Traffic delay when RR gates are down Queue-cutter system Temporary construction delays due to the on-going bridge and roadway widening project

34 Traffic Study Corridor

35 LOS Comparison 2011 vs AM (7 8) PM (5 6) 2011 Delay Change (seconds) Delay Change (seconds) Ortega Highway B B 0.9 B B +0.4 Plaza Drive A A +2.8 B B +0.1 Camino Capistrano C C +2.9 D D +3.0 Paseo Adelanto B A 4.4 B B +2.9 Alipaz Street C C +2.8 C C +0.0

36 Eastbound Between RR Crossing & Camino Capistrano AM Peak Hour Traffic Queues

37 Eastbound Between RR Crossing & Camino Capistrano PM Peak Hour Traffic Queues

38 Activation of Queue Cutter Queue cutter loops activate the red phase at the RR tracks Eastbound vehicles stopped at the queuecutter held on red until last vehicle in the downstream queues is released Signal is green out of step with the queue cutter

39 Activation of Queue Cutter Eastbound vehicles (not shown) stopped behind R/R crossing. Red indications at upstream left-turn signal at Camino Capistrano Queue-signal cutter holds on red until the last vehicle in the downstream left-turn queue (beyond the tracks) is released from the trailing in-pavement detector.

40 Microsimulation

41 Recommendations Defer mitigation until after construction Continue to fine tune signal timing Investigate crossing signal activation by trains stopping at station Separate study by OCTA in process Request Metrolink reduce crossing signal recovery time following passing of train Closure of left-turn pocket into retail center Discuss traffic delays with regulatory agencies and railroad operators

42 Questions?