Quiet Zone Efforts Focus on El Portal X-ing
Vol. 4, Issue 43, October 22–28, 2009
(this article was edited, 10/23)
THE LATEST: Citing a delay in receiving diagnostic analysis from the California Public Utilities Commission, City Council on Tuesday opted to delay a decision indefinitely on whether to shut down the pedestrian railroad crossing at El Portal. On September 22, representatives from those groups along with resident John Dorey, city staffers Tom Bonigut, Jim Holloway and others, toured the length of the tracks in San Clemente to assess safety needs and Quiet Zone standards. Results of that tour will help determine next steps.
WHAT’S NEXT: Several residents spoke out against the concept of closing the crossing at El Portal, citing its ease of use compared to the underpass there. Some also argued that shutting it down simply because of the additional horn blowing is unnecessary. “Horns blow; if you don’t like it, move,” said Vivian Ploughman. Franz Schultz, however, feels that closing El Portal’s at-grade crossing is prudent, given there are two other nearby crossings that beachgoers can access.
“I am 100 percent for the Quiet Zone, they just need to figure out another package to present to make the deal, not offering up sacrificing one of our access points,” said Kathryn Stovall-Dennis, one of the local leaders who helped get the Coastal Trail built. “Even if it eliminated all noise at that location, it does not rationalize closing a Coastal Commission/ CPUC approved and licensed crossing to our coastline.”
Councilmember Bob Baker asked that the item be discontinued and not reviewed independent of the larger scope of analysis regarding the creation of a Quiet Zone. “This is a classic case of the cart being before the horse,” said Baker, who noted that other considerations such as Wayside Horns along the length of the trail must first be analyzed.
FIND OUT MORE: www.san-clemente.org
—Norb Garrett
When posting comments please be courteous. No bad language, vulgarity or racial slurs.
|
Add A Comment
Closing the very limited beach access we have left in SC, is not the answer to train noise - it's the ridiculous number of blasts of the horns and the decibel level of the horns. Gates close, red lights flash and bells ring at each and every crossing - that should be enough.
I agree with SCJedi, the attempt by gated communities to restrict beach access to our public beaches is a crime.
Please city council and staff, spend your limited time dealing with far more important problems than train horns that bother in reality, a very, very tiny percentage of SC residents.
Dear City Coucil and staff,
Please stop wasting your time and energy on such issues. There are advantages and disadvantages to living anywhere. If you don't want to live under high voltage electrical transmission lines don't. If you don't want to live next to a landfill don't. If you don't want to live next to a freeway don't. I don't like wiping my baby's butt. Get it?
If you want to find someway to quiet the train Im down with that. However, we should not restrict beach access. While were at it lets do away with all those gated communites and their attempts to restrict beach access as well, its unamerican.
The concept of closing off a beach access available to everyone to silence a train horn heard by a priveledged few is ridiculous. Why would our city council even consider this as an option? Does a council member live near there?
Why don't we close ALL of the beach access points so our priveledged few can have private beaches????
the quiet zone is an elitist waste of money by whiners who don't understand that those horns save lives...or don't care...