Rail Safety Month Proclamation

Agenda NORTH COUNTY ii 11114 Item # TRANSIT DISTRICT 12 STAFF REPORT ADOPT CALIFORNIA RAIL SAFETY MONTH PROCLAMATION

Time Sensitive X Consent STAFF Adopt a Proclamation recognizing September 2017 as State of California Rail RECOMMENDATION: Safety Month.

BACKGROUND The North County Transit District (NCTD) holds safety as its highest priority in the INFORMATION: provision and operation of public transit services throughout its service area. NCTD takes every opportunity to incorporate the fundamental principles of safety in all of its operational plans, procedures, and processes. NCTD also takes steps to proactively communicate the concept of public safety awareness and education near and at its rail grade crossings and rail right-of-way to members of the communities it serves. This is done through public outreach and educational efforts throughout the year.

According to statistics kept by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Operation Lifesaver, Incorporated (OLI), the State of California has been identified as having the highest number of preventable railroad trespasser fatalities of all states in the nation. There were 358 tragic rail incidents recorded statewide in 2016. From these rail incidents, there were 101 trespasser fatalities and 52 highway rail crossing fatalities.

In an effort to reduce these tragedies, state legislators passed a bill in 2009 that designated September as "Rail Safety Month." Each year, passenger and freight rail operators team up to remind pedestrians and motorists to exercise caution when near tracks, to heed the warning signals when crossing railroad tracks, and to always "See Tracks, Think Trains".

NCTD is affirming its commitment to safety and saving lives through the prevention of needless tragedy by this proclamation recognizing September 2017 as State of California Rail Safety Month.

ATTACHMENT: 12A — Draft Proclamation of the NCTD Governing Board Recognizing September 2017 as State of California Rail Safety Month

FISCAL IMPACT: This staff report has no fiscal impact.

COMMITTEE REVIEW: None

STAFF CONTACT: Sean Loofbourrow, Chief of Safety and Security E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 760-967-2827

Approved and/or authorized by the Board of Directors of the my Transit District July 20, 2017 Board Meeting Staff Report No.: SR-17-07-012 By: Date: Clerk o a Board ATTACHMENT 12A NORTH COUNTY TRANSIT DISTRICT

PROCLAMATION OF THE NORTH COUNTY TRANSIT DISTRICT DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 2017 AS CALIFORNIA RAIL SAFETY MONTH

WHEREAS, there is a train-involved incident every 3 hours in the United States and California ranks #1 in the nation in both Trespassing and Grade Crossing Deaths; and

WHEREAS, last year in California there were a total of 358 train collision incidents including 101 trespasser fatalities and 52 highway-rail crossing fatalities, all of which could have been avoided if trespassers and drivers were obeying the laws; and

WHEREAS, there are more than 10,000 highway rail-grade crossings located within 52 Counties and more than 400 cities in California, with 59 grade crossings on the Escondido Sub-Division and 35 grade crossings on the San Diego Sub-division; and

WHEREAS, the COASTER, SPRINTER, METROLINK, and AMTRAK passenger rail operations and BNSF Railway and Pacific Sun freight train services operate on railroad infrastructure owned and operated by the North County Transit District; and

WHEREAS, the North County Transit District and its railroad service partners place the highest priority on safety by improving at-grade crossings with features such as flashing warning devices, gates, raised center medians, striping, signing, pavement markings and implementation of Positive Train Control; and

WHEREAS, California Operation Lifesaver, the Federal Rail Administration, the California Department of Transportation, the California Public Utilities Commission, and the passenger and freight railroads are working together to improve railroad safety and to educate the public of the dangers of not obeying the signs and signals around railroad property; and

WHEREAS, railroad operators and the San Diego County Communities they serve will benefit from the combined effort by local, state, and Federal Government, rail industry, and citizen efforts to promote safety around railroad tracks and crossings and reduce the likelihood of train related incidents; and

WHEREAS, September is designated as Rail Safety Month in the State of California; and

WHEREAS, California Operation Lifesaver supports the See Tracks? Think Train campaign and educational effort by conducting on-the-ground law enforcement trainings, safety presentations, and public awareness activities to help reduce train related incidents.

810 Mission Avenue • Oceanside, (A 92054 • (760) 966-6500 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the North County Transit District's Board of Directors hereby proclaims September 2017 as "California Rail Safety Month" and commend the efforts being made to improve railroad crossing safety. The Board of Directors urges the public to be cautious and safe around railroad tracks and railroad property and to remember: SEE TRACKS? THINK TRAIN!

PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at the regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the North County Transit District this 20th day of July, 2017.

CHAIR North County Transit District

CERTIFICATION I, Anthony Flores, duly appointed and qualified, Clerk of the Board of the North County Transit District, do hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of a Proclamation passed and approved by the Board of Directors of the North County Transit District adopted at a legally convened meeting of the Board of Directors of the North County Transit District held on the 20th day of July, 2017.

CLERK OF THE BOARD North County Transit District

Page 2 of 2 WE MOVE RELATED TO AGENDA ITEM 12

Rail Safety Month September 2017

Board Meeting July 20, 2017 Safety – Our Top Priority. . .

NCTD is committed to the safety of its system and the communities it serves 24/7/365 Areas of concern for the COASTER and SPRINTER Trespassing on the Right-of-Way (ROW) Ignoring or bypassing signals at Rail Grade Crossings Motorists, Pedestrians, and Bicyclists In FY 2017 (7/1/2016 – 6/30/2017), NCTD experienced: 114 Near Misses on the rail system 957 Reported incidents of trespassing on ROW 26 Rail Strikes (14 Fatal, 12 Non-Fatal)

11 Our On-Going Campaign . . .

Rail Safety Awareness Month – Each September Rail safety awareness is a year round effort Provides an excellent opportunity for public outreach and education: Public Outreach Events at Transit Centers, Schools and Campuses, Open-Air Markets, and Parks Business community outreach efforts at restaurants and other establishments that serve alcohol National “Rail Safe” Operation NCTD Webpage banner and event calendar NCTD Board Proclamation recognizing September 2017 as Rail Safety Awareness Month

22 Our Partnerships. . .

San Diego Sheriff’ s Office NCTD Transit Enforcement Services Unit Oceanside Police Department Escondido Police Department Carlsbad Police Department San Diego Police Department SDMTS, AMTRAK, Metrolink, and BNSF Local communities California Operation Lifesaver ( CAOL)

33 Outreach Efforts . . .

Our Dedicated Volunteers . . .

44 Outreach Efforts . . .

Professionally Developed Public Awareness Materials . . .

55 Staff Recommendation

Staff recommends that the Board of Directors adopt a proclamation recognizing September 2017 as State of California Rail Safety Month

66 Questions?

77 Operation Lifesaver . . .

Sara Logan, Assistant State Coordinator for CAOL Mission: Non-profit committed to reducing the number of tragic incidents at highway-rail grade crossing intersections and trespassing at railroad rights-of-way. In 2009, CAOL sought recognition from the California Legislature for Annual Railway Safety Awareness Month . . . “ See Tracks, Think Train” Campaign Volunteer presentations, rail safety events, targeted web-based videos, media campaigns Professionally developed materials

88 RELATED TO AGENDA ITEM 12

Railroad Incidents 2017 Update

Board Meeting July 20, 2017 Discussion

Quarterly Trends Subdivision Statistics Trespassing Near Miss Top Trespassing locations Incidents Year to Year comparison Operational Impact Next Steps

1 Q3 FY 2017 Trends

ACCIDENTS (ACROSS ALL MODES) - QUARTERLY TREND NON-PREVENTABLE PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS ACCIDENTS BREEZE Trending Down Trending Up LIFT/FLEX Trending Down No change SPRINTER Positive (Zero) Trending Up COASTER Positive (Zero) Trending Up

RAIL ACCIDENTS/ NEAR MISSES - QUARTERLY TREND RAIL ACCIDENTS RAIL NEAR MISSES COASTER Trending Up (1-2) Trending Up (3-4) SPRINTER Trending Up (0-2) Trending Up (12-23) BNSF Trending Up (0-1) Trending Down METROLINK Positive (Zero) Positive (Zero) AMTRAK Trending Up (4-5) Trending Down

2 San Diego Subdivision

San Diego Subdivision Near-Miss 8 7 7 6 6 6 5 5

4 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1

0 May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

May 2016 - May 2017

San Diego Subdivision Trespassers 100 88 84 80 63 61 65 52 60 46 44 46 44 43 39 37 40 20 0 May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

May 2016 - May 2017

3 SD-CY17 Trespassing

0 5 10 15 20 25

CP Eastbrook ( MP 225.3) CP Shell / Surfrider Way (MP 225.9) OTC (MP 226.4) Oceanside Blvd. (MP 227.25)

CP Carl (MP 229.4)

Jan- 17 CP Ponto (MP 234.5) Feb- 17

Mar- 17

Apr- 17

May- 17

Del Mar Bluffs (MP 244.2 – 245.5)

4 Escondido Subdivision

Escondido Subdivision Near-Miss 15 13 11

10 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 5 2

0 May June Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

May 2016 -May 2017

Escondido Subdivision Trespassers 80 60 60 30 32 30 40 22 23 26 18 15 19 14 16 20 12 0 May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

May 2016 -May 2017

5 ES-CY17 Trespassing

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 ETC (MP 121.3)

CP Yard (MP 121.1)

Jan- 17

Feb- 17

Mar- 17

North Ave./ CP Angel (MP 108.0) Apr- 17

May- 17

College Blvd. Station (MP 105.5) Rancho Del Oro (MP 104.2)

6 CY-17 Trespassers

1. Rancho del Oro 2. College Blvd. Station 6,7,8,9 3 3. North Ave/ CP Angel 4,5 4. CP Yard 1,2 10 5. Escondido Transit Ctr. 6. CP Eastbrook 7. CP Shell 11 8. Oceanside Transit Ctr. 9. Oceanside Blvd. 10. CP Carl 11. CP Ponto 12. Del Mar Bluffs

6-10

11-24

7 Trespasser vs Train 2017

Hawthorne Street MP 266.9 MP 261.25 (Claremont Ave Overpass Bridge) San Clemente Canyon Creek Bridge MP 259.2 MP 244.3 (Coast Blvd) Coast Blvd MP 244.1 Leucadia Blvd MP 236.5 MP 236.27 (Leucadia Blvd) MP 235.8 (Leucadia Blvd) MP 229.6 (Carlsbad Village Dr) MP 229.1 (Carlsbad Village Station) Cassidy Street MP 228.0 MP 227.7 (Cassidy Street) MP 227.6 (Oceanside Blvd) MP 226.6 (Oceanside Transit Center) MP 225.4 (San Luis Rey River OP) South Santa Fe Ave. MP 112.0 Commerce Street MP 101.1

Fatalities 0 1 2 3 8 - AMTRAK/ BNSF 3 - COASTER CY 17 Non Fatal CY17 Fatal

8 CY-17 Incidents

6-10

11-24

Non-Fatal

Fatal

9 Year to Year Comparison

CY 17 (6.5 months)

CY 16

0 5 10 15 20 25

Fatalities Incidents

10 Operational Impact

18 Incident Trains: 2342 Passengers 5 Passengers Needing Assistance 1 hr. 27 min. Average Delay - Non-Fatal Incident 1 hr. 49 min. Average Delay - Fatal Incident Longest delay over 3 hours 93 Total Trains Affected: Thousands of passengers Additional time for full service restoration

11 Next Steps

Continued partnership with California Operation Lifesaver NCTD outreach events Additional signage along the ROW: Suicide prevention from Amtrak NCTD Project for additional resources Enforcement activities: Monitoring Announcements Contracted law enforcement

12 Next Steps

Capital Improvement Projects: NCTD design standards – fencing requirement Seeking funding for fencing in previously identified locations in Oceanside, Encinitas, Del Mar (~$1.3M) Outreach: Federal and State Delegation

13 Questions?