ST9604-CS 970408 214 ?49 36~9
.- ePR-e8-1997 14:16 ,,.COMMUTER RRIL [TRE) ~ Z14 ?49 3609 P.01
Dallas, Texas 75266-0163 ~X '~ b ~
April8,1997
Honorable Mayor Tom Morton
City of Coppell
P.O. Box 478
Coppell, Texas 75019
Re: Proposed Fairway Drive crossing of the DART-owned former Cotton Belt Line
Dear Mayor Morton:
Chairman Billy Ratcliff asked me to respond to your March 26, 1997 letter. The Fairway Drive
crossing is on the agenda of the DART Board of Directors Tuesday, April 22, 1997. It is my
internion to make the following recommendation to the Board:
In lieu of closure of two at-grade public or private crossings within th= city limits of Coppell for the
proposed new at-grade highway/rail crossing, a standard license agrccnv~t for the Fairway Drive crossing
should be approved subject to the follovnng:
· the City agrees to execute an agroclnent with DART for the "Johnny Thompson Crossing" accepting ~
crossing as a public crossing for public use
· by end of fiscal year 1999, the City shall bring approaches of the "Johnny Thompson Crossing" to city
standard, tee/instruct the crossing if neeessay/including upgrade rails, fund mstalhtion of full warning
protection de~riccs, and restrict exit from the crossing to fight turn only
· the City shall coordinate/fund installation of a traffic light at the intersection of Fairway Drive and
Beltlinc Road
· the City shall set aside a sum of $50,000 for saf~7 improvements to existing crossings within the city
· the City shall cxccute an agreement with DART for the existing Coppell Road (existing agreemcnt for
Moore Road dated September 18, 1986 faxed to City February 12, 1997 for comparison to DART
Liealso)
· the City agrees to pass a resolution that no additional crossings of the Cotton Belt Lin~ axe fores~n in
the future
DART's standard license agreemere provides (1) for a one-time consideration to DART
mounting to 40% of Fair Market Value for the square footage of the crossing within the railroad
right of way and (2) that all cost and expense to the Fairway Drive highway/rail crossing shall be
.. ~PR-L~8-1~9? 1~: 17 ,,,_:iEIPII'IUTE~ R~iL (TRE) 21d ?49 3609 P.02
Page 2
Mayor Tom Morton
April 8, 1997
borne by the City in accordance with plans approved by DA_..',.T and the operating railroad. The
City shall be responsible for future maintenance of the at-grade crossing. The operating railroad
(or its authorized contractor) shall install and maintain the warning protection devices at the
proposed crossing subject to reimbursement of costs by the City.
Please contact me at (214) 749-3008 or Jan Seidner at (214) 749-2917 should you have further
question or concern regarding our proposal to the Board.
Sincerely, -
Vice President
Commuter Rail & Railroad Management
LEB:JMS
c: Billy J. Ratcliff
Roger Snoble
TOTAL P,02