New Albany, CSXT reach agreement over major Grant Line project

Written by jrood

It won't include an overpass, but New Albany, Ind., is aspiring to begin improving a portion of Grant Line Road next year, The Evening News and Tribune reports. The Board of Public Works and Safety approved a formal agreement with CSX Transportation, which owns the railroad tracks that cross Grant Line Road near the General Mills-Pillsbury plant entrance. The deal basically confirms that CSXT can begin forming design plans to improve the railroad crossing, with the city agreeing to pay the planning and construction costs. Due to safety concerns, CSXT rules that "no one can touch their facilities" except their crews, said John Rosenbarger, director of public facilities projects for New Albany. The standard agreement "gives [CSXT] the green light to do whatever engineering work they need to do and to coordinate with our road engineers," Rosenbarger said. Improving the railroad crossing surface and installing new gates and flashers are just some of the upgrades slated for Grant Line Road. The city will be using a portion of the $6.125 million it received from the state for taking over 4.5 miles of Ind. 111 in April to foot construction projects from Mount Tabor Road to McDonald Lane along Grant Line Road. Rosenbarger said that will include adding a lane near University Woods Drive along with the installation of sidewalks and pedways along the route. An August preliminary design submitted to the board of works called for Grant Line Road to be stretched to five lanes from Mount Tabor Road inbound to the railroad tracks. The Indiana Department of Transportation had pegged Grant Line Road for a similar project until it relinquished control of a portion of the thoroughfare to New Albany. The state had originally planned a 120-foot overpass to extend over the railroad tracks, but had scrapped that idea prior to transferring the road to the city's domain. Mayor Doug England said in a phone interview he wasn't supportive of the state's overpass idea, describing it as a "monstrous project for the community." "I think the overpass would have been horrendous with the businesses it would have knocked out," he said. The city will have access to the right-of-way the state purchased for improvements along the route, England said. Rosenbarger said additional property will likely have to be purchased, but the city's project will not have the impact on businesses the overpass would have created. England said the construction would hopefully alleviate some of the traffic flow problems in that section of Grant Line Road. The city is also working on extending Reas Lane to connect its industrial parks in the corridor as a way to keep much of the heavy truck traffic off of the busy thoroughfare. Rosenbarger said the city hopes to have design completed by the end of 2010 or early next year, with work to begin next construction season.

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