Light Rail Vehicle Collisions with Vehicles at Signalized Intersections

30Line visited the LRT systems in Los Angeles, Portland, andSan Diego to observe what they were doing in terms of safety,and installed the LRV-activated train-approaching warningsigns and the crosshatch pavement markings based on thepractice in these cities.New Jersey Transit–Newark Light RailNew Jersey Transit’s Newark Light Rail is a 6.5-mile light railline that operates as a rapid transit link between a terminal stationat Newark Broad Street Station through Newark Penn Stationlocated in Newark (Pennsylvania Railroad Station orPenn Station–Newark) to the Grove Street Station in Bloomfield,New Jersey. The line is in an underground tunnel for1.7 miles either at grade or depressed cut for 3.8 miles, andincludes approximately 1 mile of street-running territory. Thestreet-running territory is part of the Broad Street Extension.The extension to Broad Street Station is mixed street-runningterritory where automobile traffic operates parallel to theguideway, which is separated from the traffic lanes by a 6-in.-mountable granite curb. The street-running extension alignmenthas 14 grade and pedestrian crossings. These intersectionsare protected by traffic control devices that are integratedwith the train control system to give priority to the LRVs andto prevent conflicting signals and unsafe vehicular movements.Each intersection is marked in accordance with theprovisions of the MUTCD and New Jersey DOT diagnosticteam recommendations.Newark Light Rail has experienced between about twoand four collisions annually at the signalized intersections. In2007, there were two such incidents: a right-angle collisioncaused by motorist running a red light and one involving amotorist within the dynamic envelope of the train.SACRAMENTO REGIONAL TRANSIT DISTRICTThe Sacramento RT operates approximately 37 miles of lightrail, which links the eastern and northeastern suburbs withdowntown and South Sacramento. Approximately 29 miles ofthe light rail system are double track, with the remaining beingsingle track. Sacramento RT began light rail service in 1987,expanding their system in the late 1990s, and continuing withexpansions that nearly doubled their system during the 2000s.The Sacramento RT light rail system is experiencing particularissues with each of its operating environments, includingside-running, shared-lane, and a pedestrian mall.intersection. The intersection of 12th Street and Ahern Streetis controlled by a stop sign only on the Ahern approach.Although this is an unsignalized intersection, there is a pedestrianhead that displays the words “No Left Turn” when a trainis approaching (Figure 33). At this intersection, some driverspull up past the stop bar, look right for a gap in traffic, and arestruck by the train coming from their left. Two primary issuesare contributing to this problem. First, drivers cannot see thepedestrian head from the stop bar. Second, the pedestrian headis not timed properly with the approach of a train.Sacramento RT has been working with the city and theengineers, and they plan to take the following steps to reducecollisions when funding becomes available:• Add striping and pavement markings on the cross-streetapproach to cover approximately 15 ft from the nearestrail to delineate a zone where drivers should not bestopped.• Reposition the signal head so that drivers can see itfrom the stop bar.• Make signal timing adjustments to the “No Left Turn”sign to give motorists enough advance warning to makedecisions.• Request funding to replace current pedestrian headsthat display “No Left Turn” with the activated no leftturnsymbol blank-out sign.Mixed-Use OperationsSacramento RT has mixed-use operations along parts of12th Street, which is a one-way street running into downtownSacramento. It carries four lanes of automobile traffic, droppinglanes one-by-one into downtown, where there are twolanes. The southbound tracks share the eastern-most lane withautomobile traffic, whereas the northbound train operates inits own right-of-way (Figure 34). Therefore, drivers make leftturns in a shared lane with the train and turn across the trackscarrying trains in the opposing directions (Figure 35). Theproblem that Sacramento RT is currently experiencing is thatCollision ExperienceSide-Running EnvironmentIn one section of 12th Street, which runs one-way southbound,the light rail operates in a side-running environment on the eastside of 12th Street. Therefore, the cross-street traffic approachingfrom the east must cross the tracks before entering theFIGURE 33 Ahern Street approach to 12th Street withpedestrian head train approaching warning sign (Courtesy:Sacramento Regional Transit District).