Document: 346 U.S. 74 S.Ct. 92 98 L.Ed. 51 ATCHISON, T. & S.F. RY. CO.v.PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF CALIFORNIA et al. SOUTHERN PAC. CO. v. PUBLIC Nos. 22, 43. Argued Oct. 14, 15, 1953. Decided Nov. 9, No. 22: Mr. Douglas F. Smith, Chicago, Ill. for appellant Atchison, ry. co. Roger Arnebergh, Los Angeles, Cal., appellees. 43: Burton Mason, San Francisco, Southern Pac. Co. Hal Wiggins, Justice MINTON delivered the opinion of Court. 1 These cases present same questions law and will be disposed together. The Public Utilities Commission California entered orders1 authorizing th construction certain grade separation improvements allocating costs therefor, pursuant to § 1202 Code California.2 On petitions Supreme Court California, that court denied review Commission's orders,3 these appeals followed. We postponed jurisdiction until a hearing on merits. 2 think orders must treated as an act legislature purposes determining our under 28 U.S.C. 1257(2). Live Oak Water Users' Ass'n Railroad State 269 354, 356, 46 149, 150, 70 305; Lake Erie Western R. Illinois ex rel. Cameron, 249 422, 424, 39 345, 346, 63 684. has construed orders. appellants presented squarely their contention in allocation costs, take property without due process are so arbitrary burdensome constitute interference with interstate commerce, violation Constitution United States. In sustaining by denying writs review, upheld statute applied Commission, properly here appeal. Kansas City Ry. Road Improvement District 6 Little River County, Ark., 256 658, 659—660, 41 604, 605, 65 1151. 3 principal question is whether reasonable cost railroads unless imposed basis benefits received, or, since incurred exercise police power interest public safety, convenience necessity, may they allocated fairness reasonableness. 4 22. 5 this case, authorized enlarging two existing railroad underpasses where Santa Fe tracks cross Washington Boulevard Angeles. were constructed 1914 agreement between providing each party was pay one-half cost. found structures 75% depreciated. When constructed, chief utility facilitate access garbage reduction plant. now one main east west thoroughfares other streets highways feed into it. It not part highway system nor it freeway. separations concerned industrial districts traffic bottleneck. For most its length, 60 feet wide, but at site question, roadway narrows 20 feet, vertical clearance less than 14 feet. City's easement point 90 As improved, 33-foot roadways 7-foot sidewalks provided, heightened. improvement being made promote safety meet vastly increased local transportation needs, necessary rapid growth City. 1910, had population 102,000, 1920 576,000, 1948 1,987,000. Angeles County's 1910 504,000 over four million. Vehicular area tremendously 1914. Considering all facts evidence there no derived from improvement, decided 'is need widening increasing height underpasses,'4 preferred plan submitted 'sets out which would practicable best necessity matter.'5 $569,355 attributable presence should 50% amount 50%. 7 8 This case does differ materially Case 22 except crossing replaced underpass. Feliz runs northeast-southwest direction, five Pacific approximately boundary cities Glendale. street becomes known freeway, but, like Washington, Boulevard, adjacent properties feeding congested through reached capacity. blocked trains, 38 or more vehicles back up three lanes, causing 'backlash' Fernando Road, 820 distant. manually-operated gates, several relatively minor accidents have occurred during last 25 years. approved passes tracks, 40-foot roadways, separated median strip 5-foot side. structure when completed 105 wide. total necessitated estimated $1,493,200. ordered borne railroad, 25% 12 1/2% Construction 'in * *.'6 9 cases, introduced intended show share based received receive little benefit construction. part, related nature boulevards, fact required primarily flow streets, 'revolution' early century effect reasons constructing financial position railroads, competition afforded motor utilizing highways, proposed operation railroads. contended distributed benefits, only small nothing, be. both bear tracks. After lengthy hearings after considering arguments advanced, bound follow any particular theory apportioning allocate sound discretion. 10 Wo do understand contest right enter reasonableness costs. Their them accrue property. contention, we error. whose purpose end result enhance value involved reason added facilities, such street, sewer drainage projects, assessed some relationship received. Chesebro County Flood Control Dist., 306 459, 59 622, 83 921; Valley Farms Yonkers Westchester 261 155, 43 261, 67 585; supra; Gast Realty Invenstment Scheneider Granite Co., 240 55, 36 400, 1239. 11 Rather, bar, instituted subdivisions needs further convenience, communities. circumstances, consistently held power, Board Utility Com'rs, 254 394, 409—411, 169, 170—171, 322; Missouri Omaha, 235 121, 127, 35 82, 83, 157; M. St. P.R. Minneapolis, 232 430, 441, 34 402, 58 671; Cincinnati, I. W.R. Connersville, 218 336, 344, 31 93, 94, 95, 54 1060. There proper limitation mush fair reasonable. Nashville, C. L. Walters, 294 405, 415, 55 486, 488, 79 949, cited. standard Commission. refuse alone. matter permission subdivisions. creates burden convenience. Having brought about problem, complain because eviating solely special accruing improvements. rely heavily Nashville supra, decision accord long-established rule applied. said case: 'The claim unconstitutionality rests wholly upon shown.' page 413, 487. railroad's fixed Tennessee consideration given application statutory unreasonable advanced. located rural community Lexington, Tennessee, 1,497, 1,792, 1930 1,823. Lexington regard community's considerations resulting growth. removed economic engineering planning qualify federal aid. Other offered pointed principally state nation-wide involved, users revenues importance means assuring movement rather exclusively measure. 13 stated Court, '(t)he impose railway, action deprive Fourteenth Amendment.' Thus, recognized could subject always against unreasonableness arbitrariness. judgment reversed remanded thereto refused consider shown 'were persuasiveness hold order complained unreasonable. That determination should, first instance, state.' pages 432 433, 496. distinguishable many material particulars unlike determine statute's unreasonable, considered offered, including going sanctioned occasion showing records arbitrariness orders, none claimed do. 15 next excess constitutes undue commerce. attack Certainly, if not, acted arbitrarily law, interfere commerce incidental. use peculiarly concern great leeway allowed authorities conflicting regulation, even though interference. Railway Express Agency People New York, 336 106, 111, 69 463, 466, 93 533; South Carolina Highway Department Barnwell Bros., 303 177, 187, 625, 510, 514, 82 734. No conflict regulation here. See Lehigh 278 24, 35, 49 69, 72, 73 161. 16 went assumed sharing changes 17 'To engage get land comply conditios citizens.' 411, 171. 18 unreasonably 19 judgments Affirmed. 21 CHIEF JUSTICE took cases. Petition consideration. 23 Denied. 24 THE application. final Cal.P.U.C. 771 788. '§ 1202. Exclusive powers commission. commission exclusive power: '(a) To prescribe manner, crossing, terms installation, operation, maintenance, use, protection another publicly used road vice versa, provisions Sections 1121 1127, inclusive, Streets Highways far applicable. '(b) alter, relocate, abolish physical closing heretofore hereafter established. '(c) require, practicable, grades established, shall proportions expense construction, alteration, relocation, abolition crossings divided corporations affected State, county, city, political subdivision affected.' Deering's Cal.Pub.U.C.A., 1951. 40 Adv.Cal. 54—55; 472—473. 771, 779. Ibid. 788, 795.

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