I think they need to four lane Rock Prairie from Holleman to Wellborn. It gets busy during rush hour, and the continued expansion of the Barracks, and Equinox and Mission Ranch not too far behind, it might provide SOME compromise in the issue.

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Well, they voted today to close Straub and Wade.

I do not feel that the county voted in the interest of its tax payers. I hope voters remember this come election day.

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Well they beg to differ. Without the court's approval, the RR would still build its extra track just like they want to, and then NOT help build another crossing at Greens Prairie. So the decision our local officials had to make was 1) Oppose the RR and nix any support, leading to the crossing being built anyway and no help on a new crossing or 2) Accept the RR's proposals, and get help for a new crossing.

Obviously they made the right and best decision for the county they could.

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Well, they voted today to close Straub and Wade.

I do not feel that the county voted in the interest of its tax payers. I hope voters remember this come election day.

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Well they beg to differ. Without the court's approval, the RR would still build its extra track just like they want to, and then NOT help build another crossing at Greens Prairie. So the decision our local officials had to make was 1) Oppose the RR and nix any support, leading to the crossing being built anyway and no help on a new crossing or 2) Accept the RR's proposals, and get help for a new crossing.

Obviously they made the right and best decision for the county they could.

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You make some good points techno, and many of the people in the community see the issue in a similar manner. However, I don't think the issue and potential courses of action are as simple as you make them out to be.

First off, IMO the GP crossing is far from a done deal. The county has to take that land by condemnation/imminent domain so it is likely a long ways off. With the way the county has intentional left us in the dark and misled us, I have no faith that they wil actually keep up their end of the bargain. I do believe that UP will throw money at them to fund the project if and when it materializes.

Secondly, the GP crossing is not the panacea that the county it making it out to be. There will be many issues with a crossing that lies a short distance from an RR siding. Traffic is expected to increase on this line up to 75 trains per day per the UP rep at the meetings. Many of these trains will be coming to a stop at the siding or starting from a stop at the siding. Some of the trains will be 9,000 or 10,000 feet long. This crossing will be blocked a significant portion of the day.


I will grant you that UP chose the location of the siding, but the county folded without sticking up for its tax payers. If they had gone ahead with the siding across Straub and Wade, there are still guidelines they have to follow about obstructing public roads. This decision was made to make UP operation easier/more efficient on this RR line. The county gets the financial benefit of no longer having to improve Wade or Straub and gets UP money to help fund the GP expansion/crossing. The residents get lower property values, decreased access to and from their neighborhoods, and the increased safety risks of a RR siding which are a common location for RR incidents.

News/Talk 1620 @WTAW1620 23s23 seconds ago
Right of way is being purchased to extend Greens Prairie Trail west of Wellborn Rd http://wtaw.com/?p=95189

One thing we have learned about eminent domain is that the government is going to get what it wants and resistance is futile. Might as well negotiate with intent to sell up front rather than wait for them to take it and pay whatever they think is fair. I hope the owners of that property get good value for their land.

I think it's pretty clear that UP was going to do what they wanted to do with what has been deemed their R.O.W. A light at GPT isn't the worst outcome though as someone else pointed out the city is going to have to deal with S. Dowling sooner rather than later to really make an impact on this area.

Another issue I've heard brought up that needs addressing is that all of the crossings south of 2818 are on grade so that you cannot cross the tracks south of 2818 without risking having to wait for a train. With the population growing so rapidly in the corner of town you'd think this will eventually pose a problem. How long before an ambulance can't get across timely and someone loses their life waiting for help?

Just use IGN/Koppe Bridge access in what used to be Wellborn.
The Straub corner was just too dangerous with a few people doing 80mph and passing blind. I've seen many close calls and a couple aftermaths of encounters there.

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One thing we have learned about eminent domain is that the government is going to get what it wants and resistance is futile. Might as well negotiate with intent to sell up front rather than wait for them to take it and pay whatever they think is fair. I hope the owners of that property get good value for their land.

I think it's pretty clear that UP was going to do what they wanted to do with what has been deemed their R.O.W. A light at GPT isn't the worst outcome though as someone else pointed out the city is going to have to deal with S. Dowling sooner rather than later to really make an impact on this area.

Another issue I've heard brought up that needs addressing is that all of the crossings south of 2818 are on grade so that you cannot cross the tracks south of 2818 without risking having to wait for a train. With the population growing so rapidly in the corner of town you'd think this will eventually pose a problem. How long before an ambulance can't get across timely and someone loses their life waiting for help?

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From the 1960s to 2011, there were NO crossings in town south of University that were grade separated, and trains seem like they were more constant back then too. Were there any incidents or are you just fearmongering?

I'm not saying you're wrong, but it seems fearmongering-y to me.

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One thing we have learned about eminent domain is that the government is going to get what it wants and resistance is futile. Might as well negotiate with intent to sell up front rather than wait for them to take it and pay whatever they think is fair. I hope the owners of that property get good value for their land.

I think it's pretty clear that UP was going to do what they wanted to do with what has been deemed their R.O.W. A light at GPT isn't the worst outcome though as someone else pointed out the city is going to have to deal with S. Dowling sooner rather than later to really make an impact on this area.

Another issue I've heard brought up that needs addressing is that all of the crossings south of 2818 are on grade so that you cannot cross the tracks south of 2818 without risking having to wait for a train. With the population growing so rapidly in the corner of town you'd think this will eventually pose a problem. How long before an ambulance can't get across timely and someone loses their life waiting for help?

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From the 1960s to 2011, there were NO crossings in town south of University that were grade separated, and trains seem like they were more constant back then too. Were there any incidents or are you just fearmongering?

I'm not saying you're wrong, but it seems fearmongering-y to me.

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I didn't consider it fear mongering, but I guess you can call it that. Of course post-2011 the number of people living west of the tracks has skyrocketed with a lot of student housing going in along with the growth of Meadowcreek on Koppe Bridge and the continued growth of Saddle Creek and Duck Haven. There are A LOT more people west of the tracks than there were five years ago. Maybe we'll never have to worry about this, we can hope. But like I told my liberal friends in 2008, hope is not a plan Mr. Senator. We don't appear to have a plan for emergency medical services for folks west of the tracks and south of 2818. Brazos County Fire Department is west of the tracks so we have that covered but while they have paramedics I don't believe they have an ambulance. Maybe that's not a big deal.

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Just use IGN/Koppe Bridge access in what used to be Wellborn.
The Straub corner was just too dangerous with a few people doing 80mph and passing blind. I've seen many close calls and a couple aftermaths of encounters there.

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Not sure I understand what you're saying.

Have you gone to a City Council meeting and inquired about an ambulance? I am serious, not baiting or trying to be contentious. I am asking as a voter and a person interested in the community. I agree with your comments about the growth and it may be that the City or County are considering something like this. It would seem to be prudent to have options on the table, anyways. That way if the next bond issue has plans for a west side fire station but it didn't pass, an ambulance might be a way to allow time to reassess what is necessary?

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Have you gone to a City Council meeting and inquired about an ambulance? I am serious, not baiting or trying to be contentious. I am asking as a voter and a person interested in the community. I agree with your comments about the growth and it may be that the City or County are considering something like this. It would seem to be prudent to have options on the table, anyways. That way if the next bond issue has plans for a west side fire station but it didn't pass, an ambulance might be a way to allow time to reassess what is necessary?

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I haven't. I live outside of the city thankfully but it's a good question to pose to the county. I don't really know how much of the area west of the tracks in city land anymore. Maybe I'll hit up both and see what comes of it.