April 11, 2006
SUBJECT: Access to Sunnyvale Caltrain Station from Hendy Avenue - Information Only
Given the amount of public interest and concern expressed recently regarding this subject, staff offers the following information in response to common questions. Following a public outreach meeting scheduled for April 20, 2006 (Attachment A, at which staff will seek public input on various access options), a full Report to Council will be developed to outline alternative courses of action and to seek formal Council direction.
How can members of the public residing North of Evelyn Avenue access the Sunnyvale Caltrain Station platform?
The only legal access to Caltrain’s Sunnyvale Station is the main entrance to the station off Evelyn Avenue. This is true whether one is a motorist, bicyclist, or pedestrian. As a result, those living north of the tracks must first access Evelyn Avenue via another arterial such as Mathilda Avenue or Sunnyvale Avenue.
Residents living immediately north of the Sunnyvale Station, however, have found it far more efficient and convenient to access the Station illegally, in one of two ways: first, and most convenient, through a hole cut in the Caltrain fence separating the Station from Hendy Avenue (which runs parallel to and just north of the railroad tracks.) This fencing is a part of the railroad right of way designed to prevent pedestrians from accessing the tracks. While a hole cut in the fence has apparently existed for a long time, recent complaints by a resident to Caltrain regarding the unimproved nature of this illegal access have caused Caltrain to proactively seal the opening. A second illegal option utilized by many residents has been to walk east along Hendy to Sunnyvale Avenue, and then return west along the railroad right of way itself.
Who is responsible for maintaining the access routes to the CalTrain Station from North of Evelyn Avenue?
The City of Sunnyvale is responsible for maintaining the roadways leading to the Caltrain Station. Caltrain is responsible for the maintenance of the property across which the illegal access routes described above have been developed.
Why is the hole in the fence (which has allegedly been in existence for decades) suddenly being repaired so quickly and often?
Recent complaints to Caltrain from the neighborhood regarding the unimproved nature of this illegal “access” point have caused Caltrain to take notice. Caltrain, of course, can not condone the illegal access route, and having been made aware of the hole in the fence, is obligated and motivated to repair the hole as quickly as possible whenever it is cut open.
Are there plans to improve public access to the CalTrain Station platform from North of Evelyn Avenue?
Yes. The City has been working collaboratively for several months with Caltrain (Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board) to explore various access options. While Caltrain would prefer long-term options that are not “at-grade” (i.e., they would prefer options that move passengers over or under the railroad tracks, rather than across them,) it has also expressed a willingness to pursue a short-term, “at-grade”, ADA-compliant access route. The City intends to hold a meeting on April 20 at 7 P.M. in the Community Center, Community Room to gather public input regarding access options, and to subsequently present those options to City Council for an official City position (while Council has previously supported the exploration of short term options, no particular option has yet been endorsed by Council.) Council action in the near future will hopefully provide the formal input Caltrains needs to proceed in a specific direction, as well as identify any role the City will play in that endeavor.
Why hasn’t the illegal access through the fence been improved long ago?
The City has pursued an improvement here several times in the past, as long as ten years ago or more. For many years the overriding issue prohibiting creating a formal, improved access path was opposition from the State Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). The CPUC regulates railroad crossings, and their policy is try to eliminate as many at-grade railroad crossings as possible, as a means to improve safety. While the CPUC allows pedestrians to cross railroad tracks at train stations because they are patrons of the railroad, the CPUC typically does not want to create crossings open to non-patrons and the general public. The CPUC’s perception of improving the access through the fence was that it would create a new public crossing, and they took the position that they would not approve such a crossing.
This changed when Caltrain recently rebuilt the Sunnyvale station platforms and installed fencing, gates, and railroad crossing flashers. The CPUC believes that these improvements channel and protect pedestrian traffic sufficient to allow increased access. It has now gone on record as stating that they would not impose their jurisdiction on the station platform crossing if the access were improved. Another factor, however, is that Caltrain has a range of improvement plans and possibilities for its right of way that may conflict with an improved access, and they have their own safety concerns as well. Caltrain was, up to the recent past, planning for 4 tracks through the Sunnyvale station, and may still pursue this in the long term. Caltrain may also want to lengthen and relocate the station platforms to accommodate longer trains. There is also the specter of the San Francisco-Los Angeles high speed rail system being built on the Caltrain right of way. And finally, it is a policy preference of Caltrains to strive to positively separate trains and pedestrians by grade separation. They are realistic that it is very expensive to build underpasses at all stations, but as a policy, it is their goal to separate the two. Caltrain wanted to evaluate what the optimal scenario would be in the short and long term before making a decision if, when and how to allow improvement of the path through the fence. This is the avenue that the City, Caltrain, and the VTA were pursuing up until the recent community outcry.
Is funding available to pursue these improvements?
The City of Sunnyvale has secured grant funding for planning purposes, and is in the process of developing a plan for short term improvements to provide access from north of the Caltrain tracks to the Sunnyvale station and downtown Sunnyvale. No City funds have been identified for actual construction of an access route. Recent communications with Caltrain staff would suggest that funding for short term improvements may not be a significant hurdle for that agency. However, the City can not speak for Caltrain, and no official assurance or commitment of funding has been made by that agency to date.
What can the public do to help?
Community members can help by attending the April 20, 2006 meeting to provide input regarding possible access options, and/or attend the Council meeting to follow. In the meantime, community members can share their thoughts and opinions directly with Caltrain, as it remains the ultimate decision-maker regarding this property and any access options. Caltrain can be contacted at (800) 660-4287.
Prepared by: Robert Walker, Assistant City Manager
Approved by:
Amy Chan
City Manager
Attachment:
A. Copy of Notice of Community Meeting – April 20, 2006