They meet again at
9 a.m. Thursday in the Borough Assembly chambers to plot a route.
A private railroad safety group goaded the officials to resume plans to move the railroad.
The estimated $200 million project stalled because of opposition from private interests adverse to having the railroad as a neighbor.
The railroad safety group wants the number of railroad crossings reduced, thereby cutting the risk of a collision.
“There is an urgency, emergency, the whole works, to remove the railroad from the box store area,” safety group member Dick Brickley said.
Proposals so far are for track to follow the Parks Highway, either beside it or down the middle, into Fairbanks and then turn south and follow the Tanana River. Where to put the southward bend is a sticking point.
Alaska Railroad Corp. President Pat Gamble said determining the best route for railroad track is difficult.
“It’s like a mine field and you’re sitting there trying to find a path through it,” he said.
Also at the meeting were Steve Titus, northern region director for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, municipal leaders and engineers.
“We just want to see the project move forward,” Assemblyman Hank Bartos said. He sponsored a resolution, which the assembly postponed, asking the state to fund an environmental assessment of a railroad move.
Contact staff writer Amanda Bohman at 459-7544.
I drive past the turn off for NP High School. Even though that intersection was totally re-paved to meet new safety standards - they still have one big accident a week. Who knows how many fender benders that drive off and just exchange addresses.
Seems once a week there is a 2, 3, or 4 car accident at the High School entrance. The main issue - the rail road track 40 feet away that is causing all the confusion. I'm sure novice drivers and the number of buses contributes. This intersection is a ticking time bomb. Only a matter of time before we read about a major bus accident, or, three or four teenagers killed.
The RR really does need to move. This is just one intersection. It aint no boondoggle.