Railroad gate upgrade could cost more than $1 million — Upgrading three Delray Beach railroad crossings in the wake of the Dec. 28 Brightline train collision with a city fire truck will cost up to $1,050,000, City Manager Terrence Moore informed commissioners.
It is yet another cost associated with the crash for the city, which includes — among other things — pending litigation, medical costs and the purchase of a new $1.4 million fire truck.
The city is also checking to see if there may be grant money available to offset some of the cost for the crossing gate upgrades.
Brightline video shows the aerial fire truck attempting to go around the downed crossing gates on Southeast First Street. The driver of the fire truck, David Wyatt, remains suspended with pay.
The upgrades to crossings at Northwest 14th Street, Southeast First Street and Lindell Boulevard will prevent vehicles from being able to traverse the tracks from the other lane when the gates are down. Other crossings in the city already have those protections.
Implementation estimates from Florida East Coast Railway run between $150,000 and $350,000 for each crossing, Moore told commissioners in his March 14 memo to them.
There is an additional $15,000 cost for survey and design services.
FEC will complete all associated work, with the city to reimburse respective expenses, Moore said.
New vice mayor and deputy vice mayor — The Delray Beach City Commission on March 27 unanimously chose Commissioners Rob Long and Angela Burns to serve as vice mayor and deputy vice mayor for the next year.
The positions are largely ceremonial. Long will preside over the body if Mayor Tom Carney is unavailable and Burns will preside if both are out of pocket.
As usual with this commission, picking the positions was hardly a simple affair. The outgoing Vice Mayor Juli Casale nominated Commissioner Tom Markert as vice mayor, saying he is diligent about attending almost every city event.
Long objected, saying that the position was supposed to be rotating and as deputy vice mayor, it was his turn. Carney agreed not only for Long to be vice mayor but Long’s nomination to make Burns deputy vice mayor.
Casale and Markert, showing collegiality, voted in favor as well.
— John Pacenti
Comments