ENCINITAS — The city is moving forward with a federal grant application to construct a railroad undercrossing at Verdi Avenue.
The Encinitas City Council authorized the application on Sept. 28 to fund the Verdi Bike and Pedestrian Rail Undercrossing Project for about $12 million under the Federal Railroad Administration Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program.
The motion passed 3-0, with Councilmember Kellie Hinze and Mayor Catherine Blakespear absent. The deadline for the application is Oct. 11.
Matt Widelski, a senior engineer for Encinitas, estimates the total project cost at roughly $15 million, and the city has already spent $2 million in the design phase.
The project still needs to undergo transportation and environmental permitting.
“Project readiness is a big criterion of the grant,” Widelski said, adding that some criteria included safety, economic development and equity. “This is the only eligible project in the city for this grant.”
The city could be tied to a $3 million match if awarded the grant. Accepting the federal monies and contract bidding would also need council approval.
In public comments — and within most of the 69 pages of submitted letters to the city — residents didn’t agree with the city moving forward with an underpass not in Leucadia.
Cardiff 101 Mainstreet wrote in support of the undercrossing, noting that it, too, is a long-awaited connector for the coastal neighborhood.
Residents of Cardiff and Leucadia, including mayoral candidates Michael Blobe and Jeff Morris, expressed that Leucadia’s need is more significant and three decades overdue, arguing that any available funds for rail crossing should be delegated to Leucadia.
“There is no reason for a Verdi crossing,” said Wehtahnah Tucker, a Cardiff resident.
Tucker noted the need for pedestrian flow and that a Leucadia undercrossing encourages economic development through the shops near Coast Highway 101.
“Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should, and it doesn’t mean it’s the right fit for our city,” Tucker said regarding the federal grant released earlier this summer. “Leucadia needs a crossing. Leucadia has always needed a crossing; I have been here 21 years. And Leucadia has always needed a crossing. “
City staff said the Verdi Bike and Pedestrian Rail Undercrossing project was the only eligible project for the grant as its design phase was completed.
Councilmember Joy Lyndes noted the city is already funding studies for a Leucadia rail crossing and quiet zones.
“I feel as though the two projects being discussed, Verdi versus Leucadia, are apples and oranges,” Lyndes said.
According to staff, a quiet zone and at-grade crossing for the District 1 neighborhood are not “shovel ready” and will likely take another two years before the city could apply for a grant.
Some residents asked the council if both communities could benefit from these funds.
“Why can’t we do two?” asked resident Scott Campbell, noting Leucadia’s need. “My only logical conclusion is that (who proposed the grant application) is doing this for selfish reasons of convenience as opposed to reasons of necessity.”
Julie Thunder, a District 4 candidate in the Nov. 8 election, also showed her support for a rail crossing in Leucadia — noting her disapproval of the Verdi undercrossing design.
“We all asked for utilitarian crossing,” Thunder said. “If you would stop trying to build the Taj Mahal of railroad crossings and bring it down in scale… you could have had five crossings by now.”
Staff stressed that applying for the grant, which was released at the end of June, was not an “either/or situation” but instead taking advantage of federal funds for an already initiated project.
