IRVINE : Bridges or Tunnels Discussion Planned

A public discussion over whether to build bridges or tunnels at railroad crossings on Culver Drive and Jeffrey Road will be held Wednesday by city transportation planners.

Since 1983, the city has planned to separate the thoroughfares from railroad tracks to avoid traffic jams on the two busy streets. It has been determined that bridges over tracks would be much cheaper than tunnels under them, but area residents feel that the spans of asphalt and concrete would be unattractive additions to their neighborhoods.

City transportation officials are expected to discuss design alternatives for the roadways, including their planning preferences at Wednesday’s City Hall meeting. The meeting is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. in Conference Room L100 on the first floor.

City transportation officials have developed two designs for Culver, involving a bridge or tunnel, but at Jeffrey five options are possible, said Arya Rohani, transportation services manager.

One of the options at Jeffrey also involves a tunnel, but the city could also build one of four possible bridges, Rohani said. One proposal calls for a bridge to be built straight over the railroad tracks, while the other three proposals have bridges planned for locations east of the intersection and away from homes.

“There would be more visual impact if we go straight over on Jeffrey because the homes are a lot closer (to the road) than on Culver,” Rohani said. Since the land east of Jeffrey isn’t developed as it is along Culver, the city has the option of building the bridge farther east and bending the roadway to meet it, he said.

After Wednesday’s meeting, the plans will go before the Transportation Commission on Jan. 27, the Planning Commission Feb. 6 and to the City Council for a final decision Feb. 25.

Costs for the structures range from about $13 million for the most inexpensive bridge plan to $21 million for the most expensive tunnel, Rohani said. The city has a $5-million state grant to contribute toward any construction plan, but the balance must come from city funds, he said.

If the council votes to build the crossings, the city would probably have to borrow the money, Rohani said.

The projects could become more expensive if the city does not use its state grant soon. The city received the grant in 1983 when the crossings were first proposed and has already received several extensions on the state deadline to spend the money, Rohani said, adding that public opposition helped delay the projects.

Rohani said the projects are needed because the number of trains now passing through Irvine--about 20 trains a day--is expected to triple in the next few years because of the increasing popularity of commuter trains.

Over or Under the Tracks

To minimize traffic problems, Irvine transportation officials are considering plans to build bridges or tunnels over or under railroad tracks at two locations.

Cost: About $13 million for the least expensive bridge plan to $21 million for the most expensive tunnel.

Timetable:

A. Culver Drive: Could begin about November and be finished by about August, 1993.

B. Jeffrey Road: Would start about the time Culver is finished and would take 15 to 18 months to complete.