Railroad officials ease safety concerns

Upgrades will be part of a railroad trade which will bring more train traffic the to county.

BENTON, Mo. -- Union Pacific railroad has alleviated some fears Scott County officials had about a proposed track swap.

Railroad representatives met with the Scott County Commission last week, announcing plans to improve several railroad crossings in the area.

The railroad filed with the federal Surface Transportation Board in March for a track swap with Burlington Northern Santa Fe. The proposal would trade UP track in Colorado to BNSF in exchange for track in Scott County, leading to an increase of about 10 trains a day locally.

The proposed track swap is currently under review by the transportation board and might not be finalized until March, with the traffic increase beginning at the end of 2006. But county officials expressed concern earlier this year about the increase in traffic and its safety ramifications.

"We're not anti-railroad," said Northern District Commissioner Jamie Burger. "The railroad is important to Scott County, but we want the railroad to be a good neighbor, like we would any corporation."

Commissioners were concerned the extra traffic could cause more accidents at poorly marked railroad crossings on county roads. The railroad has announced plans to improve those crossings with lights and gates at County Road 209 in Rockview, County Road 252 between Oran and Chaffee, County Road 411 on the southwest side of Oran and County Road 450 near Vanduser.

Improvements would also be made at Highway 91 west of Morley and Highway Z north of Sikeston. Improvement with lights and gates would cost $200,000 at each intersection (except for Highway 91, which already has lights) and would be paid for by a cost-share agreement between the state and the railroad.

Commissioners also proposed improvements at County Road 452 near Vanduser.

Last week's meeting was the first time county officials had been approached by the railroad with possible safety improvements, said Presiding Commissioner Martin Priggel.

Commissioners estimate there are currently 11 county roads and six state road the trains would cross south of Rockview, many without lights or gates.

"We feel better about it, but I still will be concerned about the other crossings that won't have anything," said Priggel.

Mark Davis, a spokesman with Union Pacific, said the track swap is still under review and the safety proposals are part of that process.

The railroad also asked the commission to close County Road 205 at Rockview, where trains could park to allow other trains to go by.

Commissioners are skeptical about this proposal. The Rockview issue is contentious, since there is concern that long trains could block traffic from the town's two main exits on County Road 209.

Burger said that even if County Road 205 is closed it won't guarantee that County Road 209 won't be blocked, causing concern for Rockview residents seeking a way out of town and emergency personnel seeking a way in.

But the railroad has talked about improving drainage in Rockview, which has been a testy issue for years. Residents of Rockview claim they've been subject to increased flooding due to poor maintenance of land along the railroad tracks that wrap around much of the town.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182