Norfolk Southern wants to close crossing but town says no.

[thpbears]

Despite pleas from Norfolk Southern, members of the Bluff City Board of Mayor and Alderman refused to shut down a crossing the railroad says will eventually cause a fatality.

Meeting on a new night, Tuesday, the Bluff City BMA began their agenda by hearing from William Miller, Norfolk Southern manager grade crossing safety. Miller started off by saying the railroad would like to close the crossing behind First Baptist Church in Bluff City, which he referred to as the Depot Street crossing.

"Obviously the reason we would like to close it is for safety," he told the Board. "The last two cars or vehicles that were hit at a crossing in Bluff City were both at that crossing."

The crossing connects Tennessee Avenue and Railroad Street. There are no mechanical features to warn vehicles of an oncoming train nor are there any lights. The only warning devices are signs on either side designating it as a railroad crossing. This particular crossing is the only one out of three in the immediate area that has no mechanical features to warn motorists of oncoming trains.

Miller told the board that the crossing was not used much, about 300 vehicles a day, according to the last traffic study which was done in 2006. He said from his observations, the crossing was mainly used as a cut through from the highway.

He then explained how Norfolk Southern closed railroad crossings. He said the railroad company would work with Tennessee Department of Transportation to provide federal funds, Norfolk Southern would offer cash incentives and would entertain property swaps. The company would then take care of removal of road.

"What you should know is the true incentive is that no one is ever going to get hit there again," he told the board. "It's going to guide people to crossings with active warning devices."

Miller said that the railroad does not decide to put up electronic gates. Those decisions are made by the department of transportation and usually only after someone has been fatally killed. He then asked the board for questions.

The first response was from City Manager Judy Dulaney and it was not a question, but a statement.

"Last year we tried to lease a piece of property from the railroad that connected with our Overmountain Victory trail," she told Miller. "We begged, pleaded, offered money, everything under the sun and we were treated awful."

Miller responded by telling the board the company has 30,000 employees and he apologized for the city's bad experience. He then encouraged the board to not let the bad experience stay with them for too long.

He then told the board he thought Bluff City would be better off without the crossing and that it was only a matter of time before someone was killed at the crossing.

Dulaney then said there were a lot of issues the board needed to look at, such as the change in response time for emergency vehicles. After some debate, a member of First Baptist Church was asked to address the board about the church's position on closing the crossing.

The church's property committee voted unanimously that the members of the church were in favor of closing the crossing. Safety was cited as the main reason as church members have witnessed a few near collisions involving vehicles and trains.

The idea was then floated out by Vice Mayor Ray Harrington to see what the citizens feel about closing the crossing by putting the decision on the ballot in May's election. There was some debate about what exactly would be on the ballot.

As Miller was wrapping up, Alderman Richard Bowling made a motion the board not close the crossing, which was then seconded by Lon Gene Leonard. Aldermen Melvin Carrier, Leonard and Bowling all voted to keep the crossing open, with Harrington abstaining.


Read more: Bluff City denies railroad request to close crossing | Kingsport Times-News http://www.timesnews.net/article/9084046/bluff-city-denies-rr-request-to-close-crossing#ixzz3OPgOnzUn
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[Trainman24210]

If you live in the area and read the Bristol Herald Courier you may form an opinion of Bluff City and those in charge there.

[thpbears]

Oh yeah I know what you mean.