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Aug 25, 2008 4:32 pm US/Central
Rail Crossing Delays Concern Justin Officials
JUSTIN (CBS 11 News) ―
Officials in the City of Justin say with all the trains that pass through the city a local crossroad has become very dangerous. Some city leaders and residents are worried that it's only a matter of time before emergency vehicles are stuck waiting for a train to pass during a life or death situation.
There are three street crossings in the City of Justin, and trains pass by all the time. The wait for vehicles on either side can vary – from short, to very long.
"Sometimes I've waited at that train crossing over there for up to 45 minutes," explained Justin resident Darren Moncrief. "And it's just a bad situation. They need to build a bridge or something."
The idea of a bridge is something Justin officials have been considering. "We're thinking we have been very lucky up to this point. And that will not hold out in the future," Assistant City Administrator/City Secretary Virginia Blevins says.
Officials are worried about situations when emergency response crews, located on the west side of the city, have to wait to cross the tracks to get to the east side of the city, where development has grown.
The east side of the city also includes a new nursing home. "What's really scary is we may lose lives, property," said Blevins. "We could have a chemical spill, [or] a large fire."
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway trains pass through Justin's only three street crossings at least 24 times a day.
A recent agreement with the railroad has kept one crossing open, but the city says train traffic is increasing in frequency and length.
In the past, Blevins says that emergency vehicles have to wait at railroad crossing anywhere from 20 minutes to nearly three hours.
Five years ago city officials say Texas Lil's, Justin ranch was destroyed because trains blocked Justin fire engines from getting to the scene quickly. In another instance, fire crews had to wait to get to a 2007 house fire because they were stuck at a rail crossing. Fortunately, damage in that case was minor.
One answer to the problem would be to build an overpass, but that would cost several million dollars. City leaders are hoping federal, state and railroad funding will help make it possible.
Justin Journal Newspaper contributed
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