ITD Comments.doc

E. LEE WILSON
RAIL-HIGHWAY SAFETY SPECIALIST
IDAHO TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT
PO BOX 7129
BOISE, ID 83707-1129

BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FROM UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY TO CLOSE A GRADE CROSSING IN PONDERAY LOCATED AT MILEPOST 76.12.
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) CASE NO. UP-RR991

COMMENTS OF THE IDAHO TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT

In Order No. 28045 issued May 13, 1999, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission requested comments concerning Union Pacific Railroad’s request to close the old Bonner Mall crossing (No. 662548J). The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD or Department) submits these comments in response to the Commission’s Order. ITD maintains that the old crossing should be closed to promote public safety.
The Department is concerned about the safety issues at the old Bonner Mall crossing. Conditions have changed over the past few years at this crossing. Motor vehicle traffic volumes have increased from 60 to 182 average trips per day. The number of peak hour trips is now 79. Train traffic at this crossing has also increased from 7 to 21 movements per day. There has also been one incident involving a motor vehicle and train (6/20/95). Fortunately, no injuries occurred in this incident.
Conditions have also changed at the new Bonner Mall crossing (No. 906404B). Motor vehicle traffic has decreased at this crossing from 1,100 to 637 vehicle trips per day. The number of peak hour trips is now 226. Train traffic has increased from 7 to 21 movements per day over this crossing. Fortunately, there have been no motor vehicle-train incidents at this new crossing.
Observations at the old grade crossing reveal that large trucks or vehicle combinations using the crossing are forced to encroach into the opposite lane of traffic in order to negotiate the curve north of the crossing. If the old crossing is left in place, extensive work will be required to improve the roadway to eliminate the encroachment problems. If the old crossing remains, warning signals would also be required to be installed. Signals would be necessary because this old crossing is at the end of the rail-yard and parked rail cars restrict the sight distance when motor vehicles are approaching the crossing from either the north or the south.
Relocating the old crossing to the north to eliminate the curve at the crossing is also not recommended, because this would place the crossing in the middle of the three-track rail-yard. Realigning the crossing would increase safety concerns due to railroad switching operations. Even with signals and gates, traffic delays would increase and train operations would slow.
Closure of the old Bonner Mall crossing would not adversely affect vehicular access to the commercial triangle because there are three other access points at this time into the Commercial triangle. First, there is the new Bonner Mall crossing equipped with signals and gates on State Highway 200. Second, there is Tibbetts Drive located on U.S. Highway 95. Tibbetts Drive intersections with Fontaine Drive. Third, Bonner Mall Way intersects with U.S. 95 on the west side and Eastgate Drive on the east side of the commercial triangle. Trucks and other long vehicles destined for the Co-op or the RV business can reach these business via Tibbetts Road. In addition, vehicular traffic may be able to reach the Mall area from the north from Triangle Road (Kootenai Cutoff) via the Mall access road on the east side of the property.
In summary, it is my opinion that the public safety would be well served by closure of the old Bonner Mall crossing and there are sufficient points for vehicular access into the commercial triangle at this time.
DATED this ______ day of May 1999.

E. Lee Wilson
Rail-Highway Safety
Idaho Transportation Department
vld/N:UP-RR-99-1_dh.doc

COMMENTS OF THE IDAHO
TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT 2