Albert J. Carbon III, P.E.

Public Works Director

Issue Statement: The Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is assisting local governments by coordinating the application for a Quiet Zone designation along the South Florida Rail Corridor. The cities of Oakland Park and Ft. Lauderdale have been asked to jointly file the application.

Recommended Solution: The City Commission approve a resolution authorizing the City of Oakland Park to pursue the creation of a Quiet Zone along the South Florida Rail Corridor in Broward County as part of a joint application for the Quiet Zone designation that includes all grade crossings on the SFRC to the Federal Railroad Administration (Exhibit A).

Quiet Zone crossings eliminate the need for the train engineers to blow the horn prior to entering an intersection.  Improvements to each train crossing are needed to make the crossing Quiet Zones. As co-applicants, the cities will be working through the MPO to submit the application and supporting documentation.

Upon approval by the Commission of both cities, the Cities of Fort Lauderdale and Oakland Park will jointly submit the necessary documents for the establishment of a Broward County Quiet Zone. The MPO has offered to improve efficiency by assisting local governments and by coordinating the application for quiet zone designation. The five (5) railroad crossing locations along the SFRTA line in the are in the City.  They are:

• Commercial Blvd
• Powerline Road
• Prospect Road
• Oakland Park Blvd
• Park Lane West

The City has been working with SFRTA and MPO on making all the City's railroad crossing qualify for Quiet Zones. The City of Oakland Park is in negotiation with SFRTA and FDOT on the cost of grade and signal improvements being required at Park Lane West as a result of the Park Lane Phase V Project.  The improvements were designed by the CSX consultants prior to SFRTA taking over the maintenance jurisdiction. Upon SFRTA taking over the maintenance responsibility for the rail road, a new Tri-Party agreement was executed between the City, SFRTA and FDOT in October of 2015 (please see attached).  The agreement signed by SFRTA stipulated that the necessary work of providing a quiet zone at the crossing at Park Lane West would not exceed $154,679. The City worked with both agencies to accomplish this effort before proceeding with the project

Since then, through multiple revisions by SFRTA, the cost has increased from the original $154,679, by $710,597.34 bringing the total to $865,275.34. Although the work can be phased, this is a 500% increase in cost.  The cost for the signal improvements is $492,183 and the cost of the grading is $373,084.  City staff have questioned the validity of the increased cost and is waiting on a response from the SFRTA.  The signal improvements were budgeted as part of the FY 17 CIP; the grading can be deferred until 2018.  The City’s legislative consultant, Russ Klenet, has been assisting the City with this effort.