Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Railroad Intersection Concerns Gurdon Officials

Railroad crossing, look out for the cars, can you spell that without any "R"'s.

While this was a popular children's rhyme, there's nothing remotely funny about one of Gurdon's three railroad crossings.

In fact, the potential danger at the South Street crossing is growing almost daily.

Gurdon Mayor Rick Smith said plans are in the works to pave Front Street to the new Gurdon High School. The South Street crossing will then be used even more as buses and students with vehicles utilize this means of getting to GHS from the downtown area.

The approach is dangerous, Smith said, because rail cars are often parked on the side tracks and block the view. The problem, he said, is there is no signal at this crossing.

"This has been a concern for some time," Smith said. "I don't know if anyone's ever been killed there, but there have been several close calls."

When Front Street is paved to GHS, buses will have to use this crossing to get children in the neighborhood. Smith said there is no alternative to using the South Street crossing.

He met with Bill Ryan, with the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department's traffic safety division, and Gary Grimes, an AHTD engineer, to discuss the manner. Bobby Smithson, Gurdon superintendent, and Gurdon Street Superintendent Jim Caldwell, along with Jimmy Martin, transportation director for Gurdon schools, were also at the meeting.

Representatives for Union Pacific Railroad were supposed to be at the meeting as well, but went to the wrong crossing. Smith met with David Peterson, of UP, later.

While Ryan expressed his concern, he informed Smith and the others there's really very little the AHTD can do. He said the state receives federal money for railroad crossing safety, but railroad companies aren't required to fund signals.

These signals, Ryan said, could cost between $300,000 and $400,000 to install at this location because of the switches there. This money could install three signals at single track crossings, he added.

This means getting signals installed at the South Street crossing would be up to the City of Gurdon or the state.

Once the funding is found, however, the railroad company is required to furnish an engineer to install and maintain the crossing. The state or city must pay for the initial setup.

Smith said crossings are liabilities to railroad companies. He said if one of Gurdon's other two crossings are closed, though, this could be incentive enough for Union Pacific to help fund signals at the South Street location.

"The council needs to study this," Smith said, "see what can be done and get the ball rolling."

According to the mayor, it will take two years to complete the project once it's approved.

"People need to look ahead," he said, "and do something before someone is hurt or killed.

"If anyone feels strongly on this, they need to contact their councilman and express their views. It will take a lot of people pulling together to get the AHTD to listen and get our foot in the door."

Smith also wrote a letter to Ryan stating the city's concern in the matter, stating the danger of having the crossing there with no signal.