Fw: Notes From CSX VA Avenue Tunnel Press/Blogger Meeting 4/12/2010 @ 2 PM
Rob Lee
From: Rob Lee <rob_...@yahoo.com>
To: mmce...@gmail.com; mnach...@hotmail.com; Stephen...@csx.com; robertb...@gmail.com; twe...@dccouncil.us
Sent: Tue, April 13, 2010 8:11:39 AM
Subject: Fw: Notes From CSX VA Avenue Tunnel Press/Blogger Meeting 4/12/2010 @ 2 PM
From: Rob Lee <rob_...@yahoo.com>
To: CapitolQuar...@yahoogroups.com; rmu...@eya.com; tsh...@eya.com; psa...@eya.com; capitol...@eya.com; ajac...@eya.com
Sent: Tue, April 13, 2010 8:10:52 AM
Subject: Notes From CSX VA Avenue Tunnel Press/Blogger Meeting 4/12/2010 @ 2 PM
There is a 2nd meeting tonight at People's Church at 535 8th Street SE at approximately 7:00 to hear their latest and ask your questions about the lack of planning for the traffic and environmental damage this project will inflict on Capitol Hill and the Capitol Riverfront.
Best, Rob Lee (Capitol Quarter Resident)
Notes From CSX VA Avenue Tunnel Press/Blogger Meeting 4/12/2010 @ 2 PM
Major Points:
· CSX requires no approvals from the City to begin any construction.
o They “just like a public utility” and can dig where they have the “right of way”
o 100 Foot Right of way down VA Avenue since 1901
o
They only need funding and approval of the NEPA
Study
· CSX representatives have not walked VA Avenue around the areas where the greatest community impact will occur
o They said “That is a great idea. We can walk the VA Avenue and see how close some of these structures really are” This was brought up when it was pointed out that if they dig out 100 feet across they will be in Capitol Quarter Living Rooms if they dig that far.
o They said that 100 feet was to the side walk. Between 3rd and 4th street. It is 50 feet to the sidewalk with the emergency fire hydrants
§ Min Distance = 65 Feet
§ They need 100 Feet
· Structural integrity of the existing building foundation?
· 45 degree down angle from base of each building
§ When shown on Google maps the distance they stated “Perhaps we should walk the property” clearly showing that they have yet to do this
· CSX has no details of the actual impact on the community during construction
o CSX does not look like they are willing any corporate sacrifices during construction
§ Most of the brunt of this will be felt by the community
§ CSX will not be impacted
§ No reduction in train traffic is planned
o CSX states that they are community friendly by involving the public in their discussions
· CSX has stated that they have voluntarily given up shipping 2 forms of hazardous material through the city
o They said they can remove that at any point (their decision)
o They are not restricting any other hazardous chemicals through the area during construction
o Again, CSX has not shown any willingness to reduce the risk on the community during the construction process by reducing their train traffic or restricting hazardous chemicals near extremely populated areas in a construction zone
CSX Outreach:
· Focused on gaining public support
o Funding Update
o Traffic Study
§ Note the traffic study clear does not indicate any of the backups that result on 3rd street entrance to SE/SW Freeway
§ Has no idea of the impact of directing that much traffic down 4th Street From SE/SW exit
· Says has attended over 20 public meetings, however has not once met with the residents directly impacted with the area until Monday night Apr 12, 2010
· Have gone to great lengths to draw pictures of what they envision it will look like after construction
o Not one picture or detail of what it might look like during construction.
§ No Open Tunnel Drawing
§ No Cross Street Drawings
§ No Pictures of the entire area during construction
o When pressed for specifics they could only give the construction details below
CSX Plans:
· Need Additional Funding – TIGER II or other transportation authorization. 165 Million in total
· NEPA Environmental Study 6 mos. to 1 year.
Construction Details They Have Confirmed:
· 2-3 Year Project
· 25 Feet For New Temporary Track
· 40 Feet for New Tunnel
o 65 Feet Minimum Across -> Stated that in reality the work area would be around 100 foot across (matching their “right of way”)
o At this area it would remove any tree along VA Ave
· Plans for a massive fence but no noise reduction has been planned but could be considered
· Trains will run through 24 hours per day 7 days a week
· Continuous Flood Lights on entire project for 2-3 years
· Additional Notes:
o Says that it is quicker to do the entire VA Ave Tunnel at once
o Not willing to do one section at a time even though it would reduce the community impact, but extend the project over a longer time period
§ Says “the community” does not want it done in sections
· When pressed, they couldn’t tell us who made this decision
§ CSX has a strict timetable that meets their corporate needs to open VA Ave tunnel by 2015
o When asked if they can tunnel, they state “we do not know what we will encounter by tunneling”
§ However how do they know what they will encounter by opening the roof? Isn’t it basically going to be dug out in the same location regardless?
§ Tunneling should be considered an option
EYA – Capitol Quarter
· Says EYA was only concerned about homes just about to close between 4th and 5th street when they met earlier this year and not on the homes between 3rd and 4th street
o Given that the question on vehicle access to the 3rd and 4th street areas off of VA Ave it surprises me that they could not come up with a single answer regarding the impact
o It was clear they had no idea
o CSX pointed out that the area would look better after they leave
§ How do you replace full grown trees that block sound from the Freeway
· CSX stated that they will do everything they can to reduce the impact
· CSX stated that they did not have to worry about emergency vehicle access due to their right-of-way
o They did quickly point out that this is not what they plan to do
o They just wanted to point out that it was optional for them
· CSX also stated that they have a right-of-way through the community
· They said that the community could access the driveways by turning around the edge of the community and not directly onto VA Ave
o CSX stated that emergency vehicles could use the alley
§ Where are the fire hydrants in the alley?
§ Fire Trucks cannot make the turn
§ When pressed with these details CSX could not comment as they said they had no details and we would have to wait for the construction design to know exactly what would occur
· Emergency Vehicle Access will be maintained
o When pressed for details, they could offer none. They said they might “cover it up” to allow access
· CSX stated that buyers into the community “Didn’t have to buy there” and that they started “early enough” to give everyone ample warning that this was happening
o No buyers were allowed out of our contracts with EYA and the CSX announcement happened in November of 2009
o Stephen Fillipin stated that he could easily live in one of the homes during construction and not be bothered
o Stephen Fillipin also stated that the freeway noise is already there. Additional train and construction noise is not going to increase what is already there.
o No sound studies are planned
· CSX stated that EYA planning started after they started planning. They didn’t expect EYA to be there.
o CSX stated they didn’t know about EYA as it happened quick and later in the planning process
o JD brought up that they should have been reading her website as EYA’s plans have been detailed clearly since 2003-2004
· In summary, it is clear that CSX has no idea what the impact to the EYA homes between 3rd and 5th streets will be
CSX Positive
· Entire project would be good for the country
o True
o No one is opposed to making this happen… just making it happen with the least community impact
o CSX has not shown a way to lessen the community impact
· Entire project supported by states not in local area
o True
· Project would reduce traffic on roads
o False: No claim can be made that with the increase in freight traffic that more trucks will be pulled off the roads
o Trucking companies benefit just as much from additional freight as the railroad
· Better for environment with less trucks on road
o No data has been presented to show that trucks will be reduced
o Would trucking companies agree to this assessment
In summary, CSX came to the table with pretty pictures of what they think the area will look like in 2015. Surprisingly, they show the same trees and green areas that are already there. They have misjudged the community. The community is interested in knowing what the effect would be during construction. It should be applauded that they are at least reaching out. However, it is clear that CSX is planning on doing it their way without many concessions on their part to work with the community. No reduction in train traffic. No reduction in hazardous material. Disregard for existing new structures and landscaping.