Rail crossing on idle line approved for upgrade

$3.4 million spent on safety improvements, long after passenger service suspended

Capital Regional District directors have reluctantly recommended approval of spending $500,000 for improvements to another rail crossing on the idle E&N Rail line.

The expenditure means that about $3.4 million will have been spent so far on Transport Canada man dated safety improvements at eight level road crossings as part of the E&N Rail Trail project.

The CRD began construction of the trail in 2009. It is a cycling and foot trail, largely within the E&N Rail corridor. When trail or road improvements are within 30 metres of a railway track at a level crossing, Transport Canada regulations require that safety upgrades are made. Ten more crossing improvements will be required by the time the 17-kilometre trail is finished, CRD staff say.

Crossing improvements average $430,000 each. The improvements must be made even though passenger traffic on the rail line was suspended in 2011 due to safety concerns.

The crossing being dealt with is at Atkins Avenue and is part of a $4-million project to complete Phase 3 of the E&N Rail Trail — a one-kilometre section between the crossing and Savory School.

“It annoys me that we have to spend $500,000 in safety improvements,” said Coun. Judy Brownoff, adding that approaches should be made to senior governments to see if the expenditures could be deferred until the future of rail on the corridor is determined.

Last month, Premier John Horgan said that there might be a better option than rail, such as bus rapid transit, to move people along the E&N corridor.

“I think of taxpayers’ money going into this — a couple of million dollars and we could use that to build the trail,” said Brownoff, a member of the CRD parks committee considering the expenditure. “To me, it’s just like throwing taxpayers’ money into something that may not run a rail line. There has to be a better way to spend our money locally.”

Langford Coun. Lanny Seaton said his municipality has redone six crossings. “They’re expensive and we pay for the maintenance of them even though there’s not a train running,” he said.

Parks committee chairman David Screech, View Royal’s mayor, noted that Horgan didn’t say the corridor wouldn’t be used.

“The premier did clearly state that this corridor was going to be used during his term. He didn’t say for trains, but if you’re talking rapid bus, that’s also going to need crossings,” Screech said.