GMAP Planning Session March 7, 2006 Vicki Elliott

1. RAIL SAFETYThe Rail Safety section protects the public by ensuring that regulated railroad companies meet established state and federal safety standards and that the public understands the dangers of traveling on or near railroad tracks. GMAP Planning Session March 7, 2006 Vicki Elliott

2. Washington’s Rail Industry • Industry Growth: • BNSF reports increased transportation of about 20% in 2004 and again in 2005. • We expect additional increases in 2006, spurred generally by increasing trucking costs related to fuel costs. • Regulatory Fee Growth: • BNSF fees grew by 25% in 2005 over 2004; Union Pacific fees increased 34%. • All other railroads combined (short-lines) increased fees by 57%. • 22 Companies: • Two main-line companies (BNSF and Union Pacific) • BNSF is the largest, accounting for 87% of UTC rail revenue • Twenty short-line companies • 3,000 miles of track • 2,658 public crossings • Expenses and Revenue: • The rail account is slowly working its way back from a deficit over the past few years, after making cost reductions in 2004. • 2005 expenses: $1.2 million • 2005 revenue: $1.5 million • Balance, September 2005: $70,028 • Legislative Initiatives this Year: • Legislation regarding train speeds; will result in increased petitions and site visits. • Legislation regarding inspection of hazardous materials shippers; will result in the need to develop an operational program to address this issue.

3. Federal Participation Program • Why Employ FRA-Certified Inspectors? • FRA employs 29 inspectors for four disciplines covering 8 states, including Washington. Four UTC staff augment the FRA program. • The FRA inspectors perform all FRA work in North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Alaska, and Washington. • 28 states employ FRA-certified inspectors. • Federal Preemption: • The Federal Railroad Administration has safety oversight over most rail facilities, equipment, and operations. In any area the FRA adopts rules, states are preempted. • UTC employs four FRA-certified inspectors, addressing: • Hazardous Materials • Operating Practices • Track • Signal • UTC FRA-Certified Inspectors Work: • 25% of all federal inspections in Washington are performed by UTC, finding 31% of defects. • UTC FRA-certified inspectors also conduct state work, including accident and complaint investigations and brokering surplus signal equipment. FRA – REGION 8

4. Rail Safety ActivitiesUsing Engineering, Education, and Enforcement to: Participate with federal partners to inspect railroad tracks, signals, hazardous materials transportation, and companies’ operating practices. Inspect railroad crossings. Broker surplus crossing signal equipment to achieve cost savings and increased signal deployment. Provide grants for crossing improvements and pedestrian trespass prevention. Analyze and make recommendations for action on proposed railroad crossing changes. Coordinate the activities of Washington Operation Lifesaver, a non-profit public education program. Investigate train and vehicle or pedestrian accidents. Regulate specific aspects of railroad employee safety. Provide technical assistance to companies. Update and keep current accident, crossings, and assignment databases.

5. Rail Safety Outputs Inspections, including crossings, employee safety, and FRA-certified Investigations of accidents and complaints Notices of defects, including compliance letters Operation Lifesaver presentations and attendees UTC orders in response to company petitions Crossing signal deployment Grants to fund crossing and pedestrian safety improvements Accurate, current information on crossings, accidents, complaints, and assignments

6. Rail Safety Outputs – Inspections Crossing Inspections – Ensure that crossings meet state standards (i.e., vehicles travel the crossing easily; warning signs and markings are present and visible). Note: Beginning March 2005, we changed the frequency of inspections from 18 months to 3 years, in accordance with federal guidelines. This reduced the number of inspections for the last 3 quarters of 2005. Federal Partner Inspections – Inspect track, signals, hazardous materials transportation, and companies’ operating practices for compliance with federal standards. Note: This number will decrease until we have a new FRA-certified track inspector on staff.

7. Rail Safety Outputs – Defects FRA Defects Noted – The number of defects found by state FRA-certified inspection staff and sent to the FRA for action. This includes hazardous materials, operating practices, track, and signals. Note: The decrease in the 3rd quarter is due to the loss of our FRA-certified track inspector. State Defects Noted – The number of defects found by staff conducting crossing or other state inspections and sent to the railroad company for corrective action.

8. Rail Safety Outputs – Operation Lifesaver Operation Lifesaver Presentations – This is the number of presentations that Washington Operation Lifesaver, coordinated by UTC staff, provided to the public. Operation Lifesaver provides public education about safety around railroad tracks. Operation Lifesaver Attendees – This is the number of individuals that attended an Operation Lifesaver Presentation, hearing the message of safety around railroad tracks.

9. Rail Safety Outputs – Accident Investigations Accident Investigations – Investigate fatal accidents to determine if there are actions staff or the commission could take to mitigate safety hazards.

10. Performance Measures Current Performance Measures: Grade Crossing Accidents – Train vs. Vehicle Pedestrian Accidents – Train vs. Pedestrian Crossings with Current Inspections Human Resource Management Possible Additional Measures: Defects Corrected within 30 Days Railroad Employee Safety – Developing the Program Accident Investigations – Defining our Role Processing time for petitions without hearings

11. Grade Crossing AccidentsTrain vs. Vehicle – What the Data Shows • Measure: The number of grade crossing collisions per year. • Strategic Goal: Increase safety at crossings for the traveling public. • Data Source: Accidents reported to the UTC as required by rule. • Crossings: • Approximately 2,600 public crossings • Approximately 3,000 private crossings • Approximately 500 crossings in first-class cities, where we gather information and assist minimally with inspections • External Factors: • More trains on the tracks; increasing from 2000 to 2005 by 13%. • More people living in our state, particularly in the Puget Sound Basin; increasing from 2000 to 2005 by 6½%.

12. Grade Crossing AccidentsTrain vs. Vehicle – Next Steps • Discussion: • We do not have written standards or forms for conducting crossing inspections; defects found during an inspection are not tracked to ensure correction; and crossing accident investigation recommendations are not tracked to ensure implementation. Fatal Accidents: In 2005, nine individuals were killed in 50 crossing accidents; one accident killed 2 people. • Next Steps: • Initiatives for 2006: • Clarify section policies and procedures in conducting crossing inspections and accident investigations. • Develop method for follow-up of inspection defects and investigation recommendations. • Increase public education regarding the dangers of railroad crossings. • Map crossing accidents statewide; develop plan for addressing problem areas.

13. Pedestrian AccidentsTrain vs. Person – What the Data Shows • Measure: The number of pedestrian fatalities per year. • Strategic Goal: Reduce the number of pedestrian fatalities at railroad tracks. • Data Source: Fatalities reported to the UTC as required by rule. • Increase in 2004: • Four fatalities in the Gorge. • Four fatalities on bridges. • Known problem area: • Golden Gardens Park in Seattle, where pedestrians take a short cut from the park to the beach across the tracks. Three teens have been killed in four years. • As a result, in 2005: • In conjunction with Lewis & Clark Bicentennial, we increased public education and enforcement in the Gorge. • We installed signs at bridge ends. • We continue to work with BNSF and the City of Seattle to decrease pedestrian access to tracks at Golden Gardens.

14. Pedestrian AccidentsTrain vs. Person – Next Steps • Discussion: • This measure represents the number of pedestrian fatalities on or around railroad tracks. In 2005, there was one fatality in the Gorge, decreased from four in 2004; and still three fatalities at bridges. • Next Steps: • Initiatives for 2006: • Increase public education regarding the dangers of railroad tracks. • As outlined in the FRA safety plan, develop a plan focusing on pedestrian safety education for the Hispanic migrant worker community. • Addressing Problem Areas: • Operation Lifesaver, providing education about behavior on or near tracks. • GCPF grant program, providing funds for safety improvements. • Review accidents to determine what measures might be available to avoid future accidents in the same area. • Work with City of Seattle and BNSF to decrease pedestrian access to tracks at Golden Gardens. • Through GCPF, fund grants for problem areas; particularly, through the Gorge. • Map pedestrian accidents statewide; develop plan for addressing problem areas.

15. Crossings with Current InspectionsPerformance Measure • Measure: Inspect every grade crossing once every three years. • Strategic Goal: Increase safety at crossings for the traveling public. • Data Source: UTC crossing database. • Next Steps: • Initiatives for 2006: • Clarify section policies and procedures in conducting crossing inspections. • Develop consistent inspection methods with written guidelines and standards. • Develop a crossing inspection form all staff will use. • Develop method for follow-up on defects found during inspections. Discussion: Our goal is to inspect all crossings once every three years. In addition, we respond to reports of problems at crossings, or crossings with repeat problems, with more frequent inspections if necessary.

16. Human Resource ManagementPerformance Measure • Measure: The percentage of performance evaluations, work plans, training plans, and position descriptions that are current. • Strategic Goal: Employees have the information, training and tools needed to do their jobs. • Data Source: UTC Human Resources Organization. Discussion: We have current performance evaluations, work plans, and training plans for all of our staff. We have updated position descriptions on the new DOP forms for 50% of staff. • Next Steps: • Initiatives for 2006: • As evaluations become due in 2006, update position descriptions for each employee.

17. Defects Corrected Within 30 DaysFuture Performance Measure Defect Performance Measure: No measure is available; however, we believe this could be a good performance measure. The numbers of defects, excluding FRA-certified staff, are: • Possible Measure: The percentage of defect reports returned within 30 days with corrections noted. • Strategic Goal: Increase safety for the traveling public and railroad employees. • Data Source: UTC defect database. • 1st Quarter 2005 – 95 • 2nd Quarter 2005 – 31 • 3rd Quarter 2005 – 78 • 4th Quarter 2005 - 18 Discussion: After an inspection, staff sends a defect report to the railroad showing problems found. It requires the railroad to return the form within 30 days, noting how it corrected the defect. We do not take steps to follow-up on those not returned, nor does the system automatically tell us how many are returned within 30 days. • Next Steps: • Initiatives for 2006: • Work with IS to modify the defect database to track the number returned within 30 days.

18. Railroad Employee SafetyDeveloping the Program • Railroad Employee Safety: • UTC responsibility for railroad employee safety includes: • Walkways • Clearances • Measure: None currently. • Program: UTC has statutory responsibility for specific areas of railroad employee safety. • Strategic Goal: Increase safety for railroad employees. • Data Source: None yet developed. • Next Steps: • Initiatives for 2006: • Clarify section policies and procedures in conducting safety inspections. • Develop consistent inspection processes and forms. • Develop method for follow-up on problems found during inspections. • Develop performance measure. Discussion: We do not have written standards or forms for conducting employee safety inspections; nor do we have a method of tracking inspections to ensure problems are corrected.

19. Accident InvestigationsDefining our Role • Accident Investigation Results: • Based on causal factors, if appropriate, staff recommends action the railroad, local jurisdiction, or UTC could take to avoid a future accident. Examples include: • Measure: None currently. • Strategic Goal: Increase safety for railroad employees and the public. • Data Source: None yet developed. • Increased public education to a specific group. • Fencing or other methods to block access to tracks. • Increased crossing warning devices such as signals. Discussion: UTC has statutory responsibility to investigate fatal employee and train passenger accidents. In addition, we have historically investigated all crossing and pedestrian fatality accidents. If we investigate fatal accidents in order to recommend increased safety measures, why don’t we investigate non-fatal accidents? • Next steps: • Initiatives for 2006: • Determine whether we should investigate non-fatal accidents. • Develop investigation program that includes consistent priorities, timelines, and processes. • Develop performance measure.

20. Information Management Needs • Include appropriate walkway information in existing databases. • Include appropriate clearance information in existing databases. • Additional needs: • In addition, Rail Safety finds the need for the following: • Reliable laptop computer access for field staff. • Problem: Rail Safety does not have current technology and information to support its operations, data, and information needs. • Strategic Goal: Employees have the information, training, and tools needed to do their job. • Needs identified in GMAP presentation: • We have the following data needs: • Identify which defects are, and are not, corrected within 30 days and track compliance. • Map crossing accidents statewide. • Map pedestrian accidents statewide. • Review current Access databases to determine additional needs. • Improve access to, information about, and organization of GMAP data. • Make useful information available on the web. • Track processing time for petitions without hearings.