SED/RTSB/EIM/RNC/DAR/NST/JEB/Vdl Resolution ST-186

SED/RTSB/EIM/RNC/DAR/NST/JEB/vdl Resolution ST-186

January 19, 2017

PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

RESOLUTION

RESOLUTION ST-186 GRANTING APPROVAL OF THE

SAN DIEGO ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS

SAFETY AND SECURITY CERTIFICATION PLAN FOR THE

MID-COAST CORRIDOR TRANSIT PROJECT ______

Summary

This Resolution grants the San Diego Association of Governments’ request for approval of its “Safety and Security Certification Plan for the Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project” Final Draft Revision 1, dated December 22, 2015.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project adds 10.9 miles double-tracked railroad to the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) rail system, which is known and operated as the San Diego Trolley Inc., and provides future revenue service to the Linda Vista, Claremont, University of California - San Diego (UCSD) campus and the University City areas. The rail line runs parallel and east of Interstate 5 in an existing railroad corridor currently used by Amtrak, North County Transit District Coaster Commuter trains, and BNSF Railway freight trains. The San Diego Trolley, Inc. (SDTI) trains will run on its own separate railroad tracks in the common corridor. North of State Route 52 along the Rose Canyon area, the railroad tracks will crossover on an elevated bridge to the west side of Interstate 5 to continue service to the UCSD campus.

The project will include nine new light rail transit stations located at Tecolote Road, Claremont Drive, Balboa Avenue, Nobel Drive, Veteran’s Administration Medical Center, the University of California San Diego West (Pepper Canyon), University of California San Diego East (Voigt Drive), Executive Drive, and the University Towne Centre (UTC) Transit Center.

Background

Commission General Order 164-D, Rules and Regulations Governing State Safety Oversight of Rail Fixed Guideway Systems, requires Rail Fixed Guideway Systems to prepare a project specific Safety Certification Plan (SCP) for each major project and ensure that all entities involved in design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the project comply with its requirements. The SCP ensures that project elements critical to safety are planned, designed, constructed, analyzed, tested, inspected, and implemented. The SCP also ensures that training is provided and rules and procedures are followed. The SCP also includes consideration of security-related issues and the security of the completed and integrated project into SDTI’s existing system.

By letter dated April 20, 2016, the San Diego Associated Governments (SANDAG) submitted its ”Safety and Security Certification Plan for the Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project” to California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) staff (Staff) for review and requested Commission approval.

SANDAG is the consolidated regional transportation planning and project delivery agency for San Diego County. On January 1, 2003, a new state law (SB 1703) consolidated SANDAG with many of the transit functions of the Metropolitan Transit Development Board (operators of San Diego Trolley) and the North San Diego County Transit Development Board (operators of North County Transit District Sprinter light rail and Coaster heavy rail passenger trains). The consolidation provides that SANDAG assume transit planning, funding allocation, project development, and eventually construction in the San Diego region, in addition to its other ongoing transportation responsibilities and regional roles. These interdependent and interrelated responsibilities are intended to permit a more streamlined, comprehensive, and coordinated approach to planning for the region's future. For its major capital projects, SANDAG is the lead agency, working closely with MTS/SDTI to implement projects.

The scope of the Safety Certification Plan for the San Diego Association of Governments Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project covers physical improvements that will consist of a new double-track alignment extending from a point just south of the San Diego River and north of the existing Old Town Transit Center to a terminus at the UTC Transit Center in University City, including nine new stations.

A written Safety Certification Verification Report (SCVR) is required by CPUC General Order 164-D at the end of the project, before revenue service can begin. The SCVR shall be submitted to CPUC Staff upon project completion. The SCVR is then reviewed by Staff and, if acceptable, an approval letter from the Safety and Enforcement Division’s (SED) Director is sent to the transit agency allowing the project to be placed into revenue service.

Discussion

SANDAG is responsible for certifying safety of the Mid-coast Project and for providing evidence of safety certification to the CPUC prior to commencement of revenue service. SANDAG’s SCP describes the processes, responsibilities, documentation, and procedures needed for certification. The intent of the SCP is to define the safety certification management including organizational authority and responsibilities, safety certification activities, processes and procedures. Additionally, it provides a framework for ensuring that appropriate safety-related activities are performed and documented to support each Certificate of Compliance that will be issued. The certification program scope encompasses safety certification of the equipment, facilities, safety-related procedures, and training programs for the Mid-coast Project. After Commission approval, the SCP may be revised and expanded as the project progresses with Staff’s approval.

The SCP objectives are to ensure that the following safety requirements have been satisfied:

1. Facilities and equipment have been designed, constructed, installed, inspected, and tested in accordance with applicable codes, standards, criteria, and specifications.

2. Procedures, rules, and other documentation have been adequately developed or reviewed and modified as necessary, by the Contractor.

3.SDTI Systems Operations and Maintenance personnel have been trained and are certified to perform their respective functions over the new portion of the system.

Certificates of Compliance required for the various components necessitate the performance of a variety of system safety and fire/life safety activities. The activities may be performed either independently, or integrated with other tasks such as acceptance testing or quality control measures. Regardless of whether the activities are performed independently or integrated with others, adequate system safety and fire/life safety activity records must be developed and maintained as evidentiary support for Certificates of Compliance. SANDAG will require Certificates of Compliance signed by individuals responsible for ensuring conformance with identified safety requirements. When all the required system elements are certified, key safety certification documentation will be issued to the CPUC. Throughout the design and construction process, SED Staff is involved participating in meetings to discuss project issues, field reviews, and General Order compliance inspections prior to issuance of the Certificates of Compliance.

The SCP is filed by SANDAG as required by General Order 164-D. SANDAG worked with Staff to ensure the safety and security certification plan is comprehensive. Staff reviewed the SSCP and found it to be in accordance with General Order 164-D.

Notice

Notice of the filing was made in the Commission’s Daily Calendar, December 19, 2016.

Comments

The draft resolution of the Safety and Enforcement Division was mailed in accordance with Section 311 of the Public Utilities Code and Rule 14.2(c) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure. No comments were received.

Findings

1. By letter dated April 20, 2016, SANDAG submitted its “Safety and Security Certification Plan for the Mid-Coast Transit Corridor Project” to Staff for review and Commission approval.
2. The project location is on the San Diego Trolley, Inc. Green Line right-of-way just south of the San Diego River and north of the existing Old Town Transit Center to a terminus at the UTC Transit Center in University City.
3. The scope of the project will include nine new light rail transit stations located at Tecolote Road, Claremont Drive, Balboa Avenue, Nobel Drive, Veteran’s Administration Medical Center, the University of California San Diego West (Pepper Canyon), University of California San Diego East (Voigt Drive), Executive Drive, and the UTC Transit Center.
4. This SCP identifies the process by which the project will be certified as meeting the established safety and security criteria and standards to operate in revenue service.
5. Staff reviewed the SCP and found it to be in accordance with General Order 164-D, Section 11 and the Rail Transit Safety Branch Program Management Standard Procedures Manual, State Safety and Security Oversight of Rail Fixed Guideway Systems, Section 9.

Therefore, it is ordered that:

1. The San Diego Association of Governments’ request for approval of its “Safety and Security Certification Plan for the Mid-Coast Transit Corridor Project” is granted.

1. The San Diego Association of Governments shall submit the Safety Certification Verification Report to California Public Utilities Commission Staff as required by the Commission General Order 164-D, Section 12, at least 21 days prior to start of revenue service.

1. This Resolution is effective today.

I certify that the foregoing resolution was duly introduced, passed and adopted at a conference of the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California held on January 19, 2017, the following Commissioners voting favorably thereon:

MICHAEL PICKER

President

CARLA J. PETERMAN

LIANE M. RANDOLPH

MARTHA GUZMAN ACEVES

CLIFFORD RECHTSCHAFFEN

Commissioners

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