My optimism about it never happening here has just gone down several
points. The article does make several things clear, however. The
time it will take to assemble funding. The costs. You can bet that
even the high number, $75 million, is a low-ball estimate. The
Rengstorff crossing is complicated, with several minor streets and a
number of eminent domain "takings" involved. We'll see.

Also, it's a clue to Caltrain/VTA thinking. The rail track levels
are sacrosanct. Streets will go under. Their argument is that this
is the least expensive way to do it. Also, these things are always
promoted as safety issues. We know better. What Caltrain really
wants are faster trains. (Caltrain's brain says speed=money) That
can't happen without all the crossings separated. By all, I mean each
and everyone from San Francisco to San Jose/Gilroy.

In a kind of counter-intuitive way, I would almost (but not quite)
like to see this project under way. Will they build "shoofly"
temporary tracks to keep the trains running? How long will this
construction take? How big will the construction easements be? How
disruptive will the construction project be in that neighborhood, how
dirty, noisy, traffic chaos, etc. ? What costly surprises will they
run into (as it was with the Homer bike tunnel)? How big will the
cost over-runs actually be? It would finally be the object lesson
for those in Menlo Park still eager for our four crossing streets to
undergo the same kind of surgery.

Martin
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Published Friday, March 30, 2007, by the Mountain View Voice

VTA gives priority to Rengstorff rail crossing

By Daniel DeBolt

One project Mountain View has discussed for years made it onto the
VTA's priority list last February: an overpass (or "grade separated
crossing") for the train tracks at Rengstorff Avenue.

The crossing is considered to be one of Mountain View's most
dangerous. Over the last 15 years, there have been five accidents
at the crossing, including one fatality. There have also been five
suicides.

When complete, Rengstorff Avenue would cross under the railroad
tracks, freeing car, bike and foot traffic and making the
intersection much safer.

"It's great progress," said Joan Jenkins, city transportation
manager. "It's a very expensive project. It will take considerable
time to get the full funding."

The project, currently in preliminary design stages, ranks at No. 6
on a list of 49 projects that could take anywhere from one to 30
years to begin. Estimates put its cost at between $55 million and
$75 million.

Macias said Sen. Diane Feinstein and Rep. Anna Eshoo have expressed
interest in pursuing funding for the project.

E-mail Daniel DeBolt at ddebolt@...

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Martin Engel
1621 Stone Pine Lane
Menlo Park, CA 94025
650:323-1670
martinengel@earthlink.net
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