Early conversations about the future of Emporia’s railroad crossings may not lead to action on those specific points, but there are already some notable options under discussion — and the areas around the Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks could look quite a bit different as a result.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Manager of Public Infrastructure and Investments Jeremy Wegner and Emporia City Engineer Jim Ubert joined KVOE’s Morning Show on Thursday to discuss the need for the study, the need for changes locally and some of the next steps in the overall process. Ubert says the overall goal is to enhance safety, and he has two options in mind. Option 1? Overpasses.
The other main possibility, at least for now, is turning certain thru streets into cul-de-sacs.
Along with the 20-25 percent of any given day where trains are actually going through the city’s 15 crossings between State and Weaver, the core area for the study, Wegner says close to 100 trains go through Emporia every day, and he says changes could benefit both residents and the railroad.
Wegner says changes here could also impact traffic up and down the railroad.
Ubert says there will have to be cost-benefit work done before any project moves forward. Perspectives from federal transportation agencies and the Kansas Department of Transportation will also be needed.
With the potential costs involved, Wegner says this effort will likely focus on special funding.
The study was announced in late January. The study, funded by the Federal Railroad Administration, will likely go through January 2027. The Federal Railroad Administration does not fund studies strictly for quiet zones — a talking point for well over a decade — but Ubert says it does fund studies that may lead to certain “secondary benefits” like reduced horn use as part of recommended safety upgrades.
More information about the study and an upcoming advisory committee is online at corridorsafetyimprovements.com.
Click here for KVOE’s YouTube channel, including a YouTube Short report.
