State Calls Rail Crossing Dangerous : Safety: Local officials, however, question whether the site west of Moorpark is that perilous. No improvements are expected before 1996.

A railroad crossing just west of Moorpark is one of the most dangerous crossings in California, a new state report says, but it may be years before improvements are made.

Some local officials, meanwhile, question whether the crossing is particularly perilous.

The crossing, on California 118 just west of Grimes Canyon Road, made the California Public Utilities Commission list because a high amount of rail and road traffic increases the likelihood of accidents, said Raymond Wong, an engineer for the agency. The Moorpark crossing is the only one in Ventura County on the state’s priority list for improvements.

The Southern Pacific track runs parallel to the two-lane highway on both sides of the crossing, which resembles an extremely distended X. Crossing gates and flashing lights stop traffic on the highway, where the speed limit is 55 m.p.h.

The priority list will be used by the California Transportation Commission in its effort to eliminate hazardous crossings by building overpasses or underpasses, Wong said.

But because the Moorpark site ranked 37th on the list of 62 crossings, no improvements are expected before 1996, when a new list will be drawn up.

“There’s a limited amount of money for this type of construction,” said Wong, who helped draw up the list. “We don’t decide who will get funding, but believe me, those that are ranked 10 or 11 would be lucky to, if they got the money. I doubt anything (at the Moorpark crossing) will happen in at least the next two years.”

The state has set aside $15 million for each of the next two years to eliminate dangerous rail crossings, Wong said. The city, county or state agency responsible for the roadway must submit a proposal for the money.

No single agency is allowed to receive more than $5 million per year for a project, he said. And each agency is expected to contribute at least 10% of the construction cost, with the railroad adding an additional 10%, Wong said.

Because California 118 is a state highway, responsibility falls to Caltrans to submit a proposal to eliminate the crossing hazard.

“We have no plans for construction in that area,” Russ Snyder, a Caltrans spokesman, said. “It’s not on any of our lists as a significant hazard.”

Representatives of the California Highway Patrol, which polices the roadway, also said the site was not especially hazardous.

“I’ve worked here six years and I don’t remember a single accident there that was train-related,” Officer Staci Morris, a CHP spokeswoman, said.

Representatives from Metrolink, which shares the rail line with theSouthern Pacific Transportation Co. and Amtrak, also said they could not recall any accidents at the crossing.

“It’s not to say that there isn’t a danger,” Peter Hidalgo, a spokesman for Metrolink, said. “We’d like to eliminate any kind of grade-crossing hazard, but these projects can sometimes cost $5 (million) to $10 million and we have to weigh that with the number of incidents. I am not aware of any there.”

The last major railroad accident that occurred near the site was about a half mile to the west on a private road that crosses the tracks. That road lacks a crossing gate or flashing lights.

A van stopped on the tracks for an unknown reason and was struck in December, 1992. Three of the occupants were killed and another was seriously injured.

Dangerous Crossing Southern Pacific Railroad crossing west of Moorpark ranks 37th on the state’s list of most perilous