Union Pacific, Community Move Rails To Get Traffic Back On Track
By Jeff Todd
LASALLE, Colo. (CBS4)- If you've ever been caught behind a train crossing and thought the train took forever to pass, you still have no idea what the residents of LaSalle have dealt with for decades.
"It's ridiculous," said Terry Hanks. "I have waited for up to maybe 45 minutes. We know a back way now but that's a pain."
Trains in the LaSalle switchyard back up and block the crossing on Main Street. LaSalle is located about 45 miles northeast of Denver.
"I've lived here since 1964," said LaSalle Police Chief Carl Harvey. "There's times even today we wait up to 20 to 40 minutes."
Harvey first lived on the east side of the train tracks but the problems mounted so he and his wife soon moved to the west side.
"One of the main reasons was the track we couldn't get across it. My wife and I had problems getting to work so we had to take a different route," Harvey said.
Studies haven't found an easy solution, A bridge would be too steep because Highway 85 is so close and a tunnel under the tracks would be below the water table and flood.
It's also caused safety issues for police, firefighters and EMTs along with the general public.
"I've heard stories where kids, because the elementary school is on the other side of the tracks, young kids would be climbing underneath the train or over the train to get across the road to get to school," said Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer.
Union Pacific Railroad started discussions a few months ago with the town and Weld County to find a solution to the Main Street blockage issue.
"We finally got all the partners at the table," said Kirkmeyer. "What has really made the difference is Union Pacific has said, 'You know what? We're going to be in this community. We want to see what we can do to make it work and resolve the issue of having Main Street closed all the time.'"
Union Pacific has said it will match a state grant LaSalle and Weld County are applying for. The $1.5 million would be used to move the switchyard farther north so trains don't block Main Street.
"It's going to improve everyone's travel especially EMS," said Harvey.
"Where do I sign up? That would be really great. It really would," said Hanks.
Jeff Todd joined the CBS4 team in 2011 covering the Western Slope in the Mountain Newsroom. Since 2015 he's been working across the Front Range in the Denver Headquarters. Follow him on Twitter @CBS4Jeff.
