Southern Illinois News

State Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) feels a sense of pride knowing it’s now just a matter of days now before the Jefferson County train trestle will be only a memory.

“It’s finally happening,” Bryant said in a post to Facebook. “This roadway has a demolition date.”

With the job slated to commence on Aug. 21, Bryant said simply knowing that residents and roadways will now be safer makes all her years of hard work more than worth it.

“While it may have taken longer than I liked, I am so pleased to finally see progress being made to remove this hazard,” she said. “Canadian National will finally take responsibility for their property.”

Bryant said the trestle has deteriorated to the point of being nowhere near what it once was.

“Decades ago, this trestle was used to haul coal, but it’s been left abandoned and deteriorating for years,” she said in a post to her website. “Wood is rotting, trees are sprouting throughout the structure and pieces of the track are coming loose. I’m beyond grateful that we are finally able to address these safety concerns and remove the structure before someone gets hurt.”

Bryant adds her dogged commitment to seeing the trestle go are about much more than just aesthetics.

“Given the current trestle structure, certain sized trucks and larger farm equipment couldn’t pass underneath the bridge,” she said. “The only solution was for our farmers and truckers to travel around the track, costing both time and money.”