[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 82 (Monday, May 1, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20416-20417]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-08681]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2006-24216]


Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    Under part 211 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), this 
document provides the public notice that on February 28, 2017, and 
March 27, 2017, the Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) 
petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for an extension 
of an amendment to its existing waiver of compliance from certain 
provisions of the Federal

[[Page 20417]]

railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR part 222-Use of 
Locomotive Horns at Public Highway Rail Grade Crossings, 49 CFR 
229.125-Headlights and auxiliary lights, and 49 CFR 234.105(c)(3)--
Activation failure. RT is also requesting a change of the waiver's 
scope to include regulatory relief for new service on a 4-mile 
extension of its Blue Line which runs south to Cosumnes River College. 
FRA assigned the petition Docket Number FRA-2006-24216.
    RT seeks to modify and extend the terms and conditions of its 
shared use waivers for portions of its rail fixed guideway public 
transit Blue Line and Gold Line (also known as Folsom Line) that share 
corridors, including highway-rail grade crossings, with the Union 
Pacific Railroad (UP).
    FRA most recently granted conditional relief to RT from the 
regulatory sections specified above in 2012. FRA notes that the relief 
from the requirements of 49 CFR part 222 is currently applicable only 
at the 17 shared highway-rail grade crossings on the Gold Line. On 
August 4, 2015, RT extended its Blue Line to Cosumnes River College 
Station, adding four station stops. RT would like to expand the scope 
of all relief granted to date to include this Blue Line extension to 
Cosumnes River College Station.
    This Blue Line extension added one additional shared grade crossing 
at Meadowview Road. After crossing Meadowview Road, the light rail 
alignment immediately moves out of the shared right-of-way and into 
exclusive RT right-of-way. For the short distance that the Blue Line 
extension is in the shared corridor with UP, there is a 50-foot track 
separation between the two rail operations. Due to the distance 
separating the tracks in the shared corridor, RT does not require 
special procedures for operating past either stopped or moving UP 
trains.
    RT states that the Meadowview crossing was redesigned to 
accommodate RT's light rail system, was placed into service with the 
approval of the California Public Utilities Commission, and was added 
to RT's Operations and Maintenance Agreement with UP covering joint 
operations in the shared corridor. There have been no significant 
incidents involving the Meadowview crossing since RT began its 
operations. RT notes that this crossing is also a part of the City of 
Sacramento's quiet zone for this corridor.
    A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications 
concerning the petition, is available for review online at 
www.regulations.gov and in person at the U.S. Department of 
Transportation's (DOT) Docket Operations Facility, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 20590. The Docket Operations 
Facility is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal Holidays.
    Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings 
by submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate 
scheduling a public hearing in connection with these proceedings since 
the facts do not appear to warrant a hearing. If any interested parties 
desire an opportunity for oral comment and a public hearing, they 
should notify FRA, in writing, before the end of the comment period and 
specify the basis for their request.
    All communications concerning these proceedings should identify the 
appropriate docket number and may be submitted by any of the following 
methods:
     Web site: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Operations Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590.
     Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays.
    Communications received by June 15, 2017 will be considered by FRA 
before final action is taken. Comments received after that date will be 
considered if practicable.
    Anyone can search the electronic form of any written communications 
and comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the 
individual submitting the comment (or signing the document, if 
submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the public to better 
inform its processes. DOT posts these comments, without edit, including 
any personal information the commenter provides, to 
www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records notice (DOT/
ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at https://www.transportation.gov/privacy. See also https://www.regulations.gov/privacyNotice for the 
privacy notice of regulations.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
Robert C. Lauby,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-08681 Filed 4-28-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P