SYCAMORE, GA -
Do you remember that startling video from Sycamore earlier this summer where a train slammed into the side of a tractor trailer? The railroad crossing where that happened will be closed.
This is one of the reasons why city officials in Sycamore are closing the railroad crossing at Willis Road. They say it is hazardous, though crashes like this should not happen.
"That's not a legal crossing for 18 wheelers," said Sycamore Mayor Larry Youngblood. "You have commercial and then you have your people who work with agriculture."
There have been two train and vehicle collisions there in the last two years. There was even one more close call. Safety along with a federal recommendation led officials to vote to close the intersection. Mayor Youngblood got a letter from Norfolk Southern.
"The FRA recommends no more than one grade crossing per quarter mile of all railroads in the country that have been tasked with the elimination of redundant crossings," said Mayor Youngblood.
They have gotten a letter before about another train intersection. Both times, they called public forums to discuss it.
"And we had a public meeting about that one," said Mayor Youngblood. "That one was voted down. This one was the second time that they have come to us."
This time, it was voted unanimously to close the Willis Road intersection to all traffic. The Mayor says Norfolk Southern is offering money to the city to close it. He says it would have been a mandated closure anyway.
"They are already going to make the decision for us in the future," said Mayor Youngblood. "We felt like it was to our importance to the citizens of Sycamore to go ahead and make this decision."
This will be the second railroad intersection closure in Sycamore in the last 10 years.
Mayor Youngblood said they don't want to inconvenience any citizens. And there are crossings nearby that should help. Willis road may not be closed immediately. But, they will have it closed by next year.
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Mayor Youngblood
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