Columbia City Council introduces removal of railroad on Business Loop – ABC17NEWS

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council introduced an agreement between the city and the Missouri Department of Transportation to remove the railroad crossing over Business Loop 70 East at Monday night’s meeting.

According to a council memo, the agreement would establish responsibility for MoDOT and the city’s part in the removal of the railroad.

The city’s railroad staff would be responsible for removing the rails, crossing surface, support structures and hardware. MoDOT would be responsible for repairing and maintaining the roadway.

The city is in charge of maintaining the railroad near the city’s power plant, however, it has not been used since the city stopped using coal to fuel the plant. The memo, prepared by the city manager and staff, highlights the crossings’ deterioration over time, creating poor road conditions for drivers.

The memo also states that MoDOT is planning to resurface Business Loop 70 this year and that the temporary removal of the railroad crossing is reasonable. The agreement also allows for the city to replace the crossing in the future if needed.

The removal on the city’s part would be expected to have no additional expenses because of the agreement.

The proposed agreement states that the city is not anticipating using the railroad in the near future but will keep the railroad signs, lights and markers in case it is needed down the road. It would cost the city more time and money, in the long run, to continue maintaining the railroad crossing.

In April, ABC 17 News spoke with a driver whose new truck was damaged near the railroad crossing. The driver estimates the damages to his truck exceeded $2,000.