Burlingame's Broadway crossing considered California’s most dangerous

Burlingame’s Broadway train crossing keeps landing Caltrain in hot water, with an ongoing lawsuit and numerous vehicle strikes — two occurring in the past year — reaffirming the high-risk state of the intersection.

The 2021 death of Cynthia Robinson prompted a civil suit against Caltrain and the city of Burlingame, alleging the responsible agencies failed to sufficiently mitigate the risks in a particularly dangerous crossing, which left Robinson stuck on the train tracks while waiting at a traffic stop. Two vehicle strikes at the same crossing have occurred in the past year, including one last month.

The crossing, located next to the Broadway and California Drive intersection, has been noted as particularly hazardous, as two closely situated traffic signals on either side of the tracks on Broadway are in many cases insufficiently timed, causing traffic congestion to build in between the lights, including on a portion of the train track. About 12 to 15 similar incidents have occurred there in the past few decades, averaging around two per year since 2015, Jessica Danielski, one of the lawsuit’s attorneys, said.

When a train is about to enter a well-trafficked area, surrounding traffic signal sequencing is often in place to ensure vehicles can vacate the vicinity. However, Anthony Petru, managing partner and attorney on the case, said timing of the traffic lights did not work as intended — as is often the case at that location — which partially explains why the California Public Utilities Commission, in charge monitoring and evaluating such issues, listed it as the highest-risk crossing in the state.

“The CPUC has a priority list for crossings to receive funds for grade separation projects, and this Broadway crossing was the number one priority because of its dangerous character,” Danielski said.

The transit agency has committed to the construction of a grade separation, which would raise the tracks above the road in a design resembling an overpass. But securing funds for the project has proved difficult, with about $58 million, or 20% of the project’s budget, still needed to break ground. It’s likely that completion is closer to 2028, if not longer.

“You have an intersection which is known to be exceptionally hazardous. You have a number of people who have been maimed and killed over the years,” Danielski said. “They submitted an application to fund grade separation because they know there’s a need, but they didn’t get the funding. So what do they do in the interim to protect passengers? Absolutely nothing. They blame the driver that gets killed.”

The concern is particularly acute, as Caltrain’s electrification project is slated for completion around September, which will eventually increase the speed and frequency of trains through the Broadway crossing.

The Caltrain Board of Directors discussed the lawsuit during a closed session meeting Thursday, Feb. 1, but did not provide comment. A trial date has yet to be scheduled.