HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - February 5, 1997 (61)AGENDA TITLE: Letter Regarding Relocation of Central California Traction Company Tracks in
Lodi Avenue to Southern Pacific Kentucky House Branch South of Lockeford Street
MEETING DATE: February 5, 1997
PREPARED BY: Public Works Director
RECOMMENDED ACTION: That the City Council approve a letter from the Mayor to be sent to the
Union Pacific/Southern Pacific Railroad describing a proposal to relocate the
Central California Traction Company (CCTC) tracks from Lodi Avenue to the
Kentucky House Branch tracks along the south side of Lockeford Street.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The portion of the CCTC railroad tracks that lies in Lodi Avenue
between Cherokee Lane and the Southern Pacific tracks near
Main Street has been a source of safety problems and citizen
complaints for many years. Friendly persuasion and subsequent
legal action to force removal of the tracks has, to date, been unsuccessful. One of the issues for CCTC
is that a main customer of theirs is the Pacific Coast Producers Cannery (PCP) on Tokay Street which
they serve from Lodi Avenue. Another issue is that the City does not want to jeopardize rail service
provided by CCTC to the industrial area east of Highway 99. CCTC provides good, economical service
and has been helpful in attracting new industries to Lodi.
CCTC is owned in equal parts by three railroads: Southern Pacific, Union Pacific and Santa Fe. With
this merger, they have a majority ownership and have unofficially expressed some willingness to work
with the City on resolving this problem. The proposal is to transfer the CCTC operation presently taking
place on this portion of Lodi Avenue to the unused Kentucky House Branch to provide service to PCP
from the Southern Pacific right-of-way on the west side of the cannery. PCP already uses this loading
point during part of the season. Activating the Kentucky House Branch would require construction of a
pair of switches and interconnection track on the north side of Victor Road at the CCTC crossing. (This
connection and other details of the proposal are shown on Exhibit A.) This change will not only
maintain CCTC rail service to PCP and the eastside industrial area, it will also provide rail service to the
industrial property along Lockeford Street. The Lockeford Street area has been without rail service
since Southern Pacific discontinued service on the Kentucky House Branch a few years ago.
As part of the letter describing the proposal, we recommend the City offer to participate in the cost of
the project to the extent that we could handle the removal of the tracks in Lodi Avenue. We could do
so as part of the planned street improvement project at relatively little cost. We also plan to send a
copy of the letter to the California Public Utilities Commission.
FUNDING: None needed at this time.
Jac L. Ronsko
u c Works Director
Prepared by Richard C. Prima, Jr., City Engineer
Attachment
cc: Street Superintendent
Lodi District Chamber of Commerce
Pacific Coast Producers
APPROVED: /
H. Dixon Flynn -- City Manager
CCTCLODI.DOC WNW go
EXHIBIT A
PROPOSED C.C.T. RR TRACK RELOCATION FROM LODI AVENUE TO S.P. KENTUCKY HOUSE BRANCH
TU o°"':'. — _ LEGEND
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— Existing tracks E
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Proposed new track
N connection 0
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g track to be
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To Lockeford &
Valley Springs
V.,
CITY COUNCIL
PHILLIP A. PENNING, Mayor
JACK A. SIEGLOCK
Mayor Pro Tempore
KEITH LAND
STEPHEN J. MANN
DAVID P. WARNER
CITY OF LODI
CITY HALL, 221 WEST PINE STREET
P.O. BOX 3006
LODI, CALIFORNIA 95241-1910
H. DIXON FLYNN
City Manager
JENNIFER M. PERRIN
City Clerk
RANDALL A. HAYS
City Attorney
(209) 333-6706
FAX (209) 333-6710
January 30, 1997
Lodi District Chamber of Commerce Pacific Coast Producers Cannery
P. O. Box 386 P. O. Box 880
Lodi, CA 95241 Lodi, CA 95241
SUBJECT: Letter Regarding Relocation of Central California Traction Company
Tracks in Lodi Avenue to Southern Pacific Kentucky House Branch
South of Lockeford Street
Enclosed is a copy of background information on an item on the City Council
agenda of Wednesday, February 5, 1997, at 7 p.m. The meeting will be held in the
City Council Chamber, Carnegie Forum, 305 West Pine Street.
This item is on the consent calendar and is usually not discussed unless a
Council Member requests discussion. The public is given an opportunity to address
items on the consent calendar at the appropriate time.
If you wish to write to the City Council, please address your letter to City Council,
City of Lodi, P. O. Box 3006, Lodi, California, 95241-1910. Be sure to allow time for
the mail. Or, you may hand -deliver the letter to the City Clerk at 221 West Pine Street.
If you wish to address the Council at the Council meeting, be sure to fill out a speaker's
card (available at the Carnegie Forum immediately prior to the start of the meeting) and
give it to the City Clerk. If you have any questions about communicating with the
Council, please contact Jennifer Perrin, City Clerk, at (209) 333-6702.
-If you have any questions about the item itself, please call Richard Prima at
(209) 333-6706.
Ronsko
Uorks Director
JLRAm
Enclosure
cc: City Clerk
NCCTCLOD.DOC