Sen. Terri | Facebook
Sen. Terri | Facebook
Travelers on Illinois Route 148 are familiar with a set of railroad tracks one mile south of Waltonville. More than 30 years ago, minecarts used the railroad, WSIL3 reported.
State Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) has been pushing to demolish the railroad tracks for six years now, WSIL3 reported.
"This bridge is a safety hazard to Illinois motorists" Bryant said in a post to her Facebook account on July 8. "For almost 7 years, I have been pushing to demolish the railroad tracks and bridge, demanding that Canadian National, the owners of these rails, take responsibility for their property. Yet, my calls for action have gone unanswered. Enough is enough. We are talking about making roadways safer and better for the people of Jefferson County. Hopefully my message is finally heard."
State Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-Pomona) stated that tearing down the tracks would help farmers save both time and money, WSIL3 reported. Over 30 years ago the tracks were put to use to transport coal. Now it is unused and in a state of disrepair.
Bryant and other officials have been lobbying for the tracks to be destroyed for over six years, with them being viewed as a safety hazard. The company Canadian National owns the tracks and once scheduled their demolition, although it never occurred as planned. Canadian National did not have a comment on the situation.
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