DEL MAR, Calif. — The North County Transit District has reached agreement with the city of Del Mar and the California Coastal Commission on plans for safety fencing on the rail line along the Del Mar bluffs, postponing and perhaps ending the NCTD’s request for action by the Surface Transportation Board.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reports the agreement will reduce the length of the fence from 12,960 feet to slightly more than a mile — 5,698 feet. In some places, the height of the fence will be reduced from 6 feet to 4 feet, and in others the planned chain-link fencing will be replaced by a post-and-cable design.
The transit district had sought to install the fencing along an area where pedestrians regularly cross or walk along the tracks for beach access, but where there have been four pedestrian-strike fatalities between 2016 and 2020. The line is used by Coaster commuter trains and Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner, as well as BNSF Railway freight trains. To ensure the ability to build the fence, and to continue plans to reinforce the bluffs, which are prone to erosion, the NCTD had asked the STB to issue an order allowing it to perform the work [see “Digest: San Diego transit agency seeks STB ruling …,” Trains News Wire, Sept. 15, 2020]. Area residents oppose any effort that might limit their beach access or spoil views from homes along the bluffs.
Eventually, the three parties agreed to further negotiations, asking the STB to put the matter on hold [see “North County Transit District asks STB to delay action …,” News Wire, Nov. 7, 2020]. Those talks eventually led to the agreement announced Thursday. As part of the deal, the NCTD asked for a further delay by the STB.
City News Service reports a study will determine possible public-access locations in the area, while an engineering firm will develop a full analysis of the new fencing plan, including a visual-impact analysis.
A 4Ft fence instead of a 6Ft one, yep, that will keep trespassers off the tracks, people still wish to risk their lives walking along the tracks, and other stupid things so be it, I just hope when someone gets hit, NCTD will sue whoever, whatever, and not pay a dime to anyone.
the Del Mar bluffs situation is so full of many contradictions. The beaches are accessible, its just that the locals don’t want to go “out of their way” to get to the beach, too inconvenient. A big part of the problem is not so much people crossing the tracks to get to the beach, but people walking and jogging along the side of the tracks. People raise a fuss about the fencing but will want to lay all blame on Amtrak, Coaster or BNSF if someone gets hit by a train, which 99% of the time is due to the pedestrian’s carelessness.
I kind of like Alan’s idea but I’m sure they would find a noise statue or they’d write one to cancel your idea.
James has it right and Chicago area suiciders can look at the posted schedule at a platform to see which are the express trains that makes their mission easier.
As a retired railroad Special Agent I can tell you that it also doesn’t take speed to cause a fatality. Lack of gray matter and/or determination also gets the job done.
Unless any of you live in California, I wouldn’t comment…in this state, coastal access is a right if it was always available beforehand, it’s not a privilege. That means if people had been accessing the coast along those bluffs before the ATSF/BNSF built their main line, then those rights must be maintained somehow, though not by trespassing, but by a legal means…I’d think building pedestrian tunnels under the right of way would be safer and less visually intrusive than any other possible solutions(expensive, yes, but when you weigh cost vs safety, safety should win out all the time).
GERALD – I don’t live in California, haven’t been there in 26 years. But I will comment because there’s nothing unique about California law. Only California culture.
Railroads run alongside water all over the world, for example, along both sides of the Mississippi River Iowa/ Wisconsin/ Minnesota. Wyalusing State Park south of La Crosse is heavily patronized. People are supposed to cross the tracks at the crossing signal. I’m sure some people cheat and cross the tracks wherever they want to … but there is no organized movement or group calling this a “right”. Even though public parkland lies on both sides of the tracks.
I am a California resident so I have the right to reply to your comment, according to your rule. No matter what California law and the Coastal Commission say the laws of physics are supreme. And one of those laws is that two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time. And if you violate that law the punishment will be immediate. A 150 or so ton locomotive trumps a 150 pound or so meatbag. And the punishment is summary death. No amount of legal appeals will make a difference. Have you ever seen the video of a person being struck by a commuter train near Chicago? It looks like a water balloon filled with red paint being hit by a baseball bat.
OK Maybe the trains should travel thru there with a long series of blasts on the horn 3 – 5 seconds apart . Start 1/2 mile before the area in question and continue for the full12,000 feet.
Then the train has a right to splatter the trespassers.
Of course not; this country’s citizens are bristling with “rights” of all kind. If they wish to trespass, that’s their right!
So for the most part there won’t be anything done to stop the trespassers.