Railroad offers help with elevated track

By TOM FINK The Claremore Daily Progress Thu Apr 10, 2008, 01:29 PM CDT

It may not be a love letter but it’s about as close as anyone can get from a railway company.

In a letter received by Claremore Mayor Brant Shallenburger, Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Company offered the City of Claremore support with its “Elevated Track Project” to the tune of “$200,000 per crossing closure” impacted by the project.

For more than a year, Shallenburger and other City leaders have actively pursued support from county, state, and federal sources to help finance the long-discussed raised track project.

Commitments for the project already have been made by the State of Oklahoma through the Oklahoma Department of Transportation for $20 million, and the City of Claremore for $10 million, with unsecured funding from the federal government for $10 million. State legislators, Sen. Jim Inhofe and Rep. Dan Boren have confirmed support of legislative efforts to obtain the $10 million in federal funding.

Even with $40 million in commitments for the project, City leaders were still wanting a “solid commitment” from the railway itself — one which came in the form of a response from BNSF, indicating its support of the project.

“BNSF Railway sincerely appreciates the progressive effort the City of Claremore has put forth on this proposed project,” wrote Lynn Hartley, BNSF director of Public Projects “Let me assure you we are in full support of this effort.”

Hartley continued to recommend the City authorize Tran Systems to take its finding to the draft stage or present a 30-percent design to allow a “more accurate overview” of the total scope of the project, which would close five railroad crossings.

“BNSF is prepared to offer $200,000 per crossing closure — any crossing that could be closed at this time could have the funds made available to assist in the 30 percent design effort,” Hartley wrote.

Initial estimates on the project cost ranged from $40 million to $45 million for the “short version,” which would elevate the BNSF track after Country Club Road and come back down after Blue Starr Drive before Lowry Road, and $55 million for the “long version,” which would elevate the tracks after Flint/King Road and come back down after Blue Starr Drive, before Lowry Road.

Intersections to be impacted by the project would include Archer or Claremore Street, First Street, Blue Starr Drive, Will Rogers Boulevard, and Sixth Street in the “short version.” Country Club Road also would be impacted in the project’s “long version.”

City Manager Troy Powell was in Oklahoma City Wednesday, finalizing the state’s commitment towards the project with ODOT director Gary Ridley.

Although the railway’s offer would assist the project by $1 million or $1.2 million depending upon which version the City ultimately approves, Powell said the project could still be three years away with regards to land acquisition, engineering and the actual track construction.

“Traditionally, railway systems have supported projects such as this in principle, while not with capital, so this is very good news for the City of Claremore and its residents,” Powell said. “We’ve been pursuing this (Elevated Track Project) for nearly two years now and the railway’s offer of $200,000 per intersection gets us even closer to making it a reality.

“It’s important to remember when talking about the ‘Elevated Track Project’ that it’s just a part of Claremore’s overall plan to solve the traffic problems in the city,” he said. “Having elevated train tracks won’t solve all of our traffic problems, but they’ll certainly be a huge part of the solution.”

Contact Tom Fink at 341-1101 or e-mail maned@swbell.net.

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