SD&G – A railroad crossing on County Road 2 at the South Stormont-Cornwall municipal border may be coming out next year.
The crossing, next to Trillium Drive at Guindon Park, is part of a spur line that has been there since 1975.
The privately owned line, which services a welding shop, isn’t connected to the main Canadian National Railway line near Richmond Road.
County Engineer Ben de Haan told council this week, the owner “might be agreeable” to removing the crossing portion, provided they could reinstate the crossing in future if it’s needed.
A county report states the crossing would have to be brought up to today’s government standards with gates and lights, should it be reinstated.
As a good faith gesture, it appears the county would be prepared to pay for the removal of the rails on the roadway, but would only be responsible for the cost of putting them back, if needed. Upgrades to reinstate to current government standards would fall to the business.
The railway crossing is mainly an inconvenience for school bus drivers, who are required by law to stop at all railway crossings. That causes a backup of traffic during high traffic periods in the weekday mornings and afternoons.
Coun. Jim Bancroft wondered why the county couldn’t pave over the rails instead of removing the track.
The removal of the rail crossing will be part of 2016 budget talks in February.
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