Published: May 18, 2006 10:27 pm         

Three additional CSX railroad crossings to be rebuilt

Three additional railroad crossings in Terre Haute will be rebuilt under a reconstruction schedule established by CSX Transportation Inc., increasing the total to 24 street-grade crossings, said Kevin Hicks, construction manager for the Terre Haute Engineering Department.

The additional railroad crossings are Park Avenue, Head Road and Evans Lane, Hicks said. Rebuilding railroad crossings in Terre Haute is expected to be completed by the end of June, he said.

CSX is working with the city to plan its work, rather than close multiple crossings at once as was done in May 2002. CSX will begin its work May 29 in Clinton in Vermillion County, replacing railroad ties, then work south toward Terre Haute.

The company plans to rebuild rail crossings in Clinton at Main Street and Water Street on May 30, then move to Terre Haute to rebuild rail crossings at Locust, Spruce and Walnut streets, plus Margaret Avenue and Davis Drive, Hicks said.

“That work is scheduled to be finished by May 31, if the weather holds or there are no unforeseen problems with equipment,” he said.

Once those crossings are repaired, rebuilding will begin on Elm, Chestnut and Poplar streets and College Avenue, Hicks said, possibly starting June 1. When that work is finished, rebuilding crossings will extend to Springhill, McDaniel and Woodsmall roads.

Other crossings then will be rebuilt, including Grant Street, which CSX incorrectly had listed as Ostrand Street, Hicks said, plus Park Avenue, Head Road, Evans Lane, Haythorne Avenue, Rose Hill Road, Maple Avenue, Devonald Street, 25th Street, Fort Harrison Road and Third Avenue, which incorrectly was listed as Third Street, Hicks said.

Ash Street will be the last railroad crossing rebuilt, he said.

The work is part of a larger reconstruction project for CSX’s railroad corridor from Perrysville to Evansville, targeted for completion by fall. Railroad crews will remove old crossings and replace them with new rails, ties, ballast and asphalt, according to CSX.

Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com.