BNSF wants Court Street closed

Representatives of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad are pushing for closure of the Court Street crossing as part of the city?s quiet zone plan.

The closure of Court Street is just one of several suggestions to come from BNSF during a diagnostic meeting Thursday with three representatives from the railroad, one from the Iowa Department of Transportation and one from the Federal Railroad Administration. Councilman Michael Halley reported on the feedback during Monday?s Fairfield City Council meeting.

BNSF recommended extending the north median on D Street 60 feet to 100 feet from the crossing and adding 30-foot and 45-foot medians at the Ninth Street crossing. The city?s current quiet zone plan does not propose safety measures at the Ninth Street crossing, leaving it open to larger vehicles; however, BNSF officials would prefer medians that those larger vehicles could straddle.

BNSF also asked that sidewalks be extended up to the rail lines and that a 45-foot to 50-foot median be installed south of the spur tracks at Fourth Street ? or that the gate arm be moved to encompass that set of tracks. Halley said moving the gate is an estimated $80,000 expense.

For the full story, read the Aug. 11, 2010, printed edition of The Fairfield Ledger.