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Show Railroad safety ordinances urged By PAULCHALLIS News Editor WEST BOUNTIFUL Citizens demands to change fencing, fenc-ing, eliminate whistles and forbid a second railroad line from passing through the city may be able to be met. Attorney David Hartvigsen told the city council Tuesday there are things the city can do to enhance safety near railroad tracks including the adoption of local ordinances. "It is very complicated with the railroad industry being regulated by federal, state and local statutes," Hartvigsen said. West Bountiful officials have contacted state representative Lane Beattie (R-Bountiful), calling for a review of legislative action on the railroad industry. "I think something can be done on fencing restrictions similar to the laws to regulating federal highways, Beattie said. "Our legal counsel is researching the federal laws right now. I think there is something the legislature can possibly do." L West Bountiful citizens want the Union Pacific Railroad to put chain link fences along its track through the city. The tracks are currently fenced with barbed wire which residents claim do not keep children off the tracks. Hartvigsen said his legal study into the issue shows that if the federal fed-eral and state statutes don't apply, local ordinances and regulations can be enforced on trains. "If it applies to local hazards and is not in conflict with federal laws. there are things that can be done," he added. Hartvigsen said that fencing and sirens (whistles) are not addressed by federal law. "You need to work ! with state agencies to make long j term safety changes. West Bountiful Boun-tiful can draft certain ordinances on fencing and health safety and welfare issues. Beattie suggested that West Bountiful have its attorney contact state counsel to work together on the issue. SEE WHISTLE ON A-2 Whistle CONTINUED FROM A-l The matter surfaced at the March 20 council meeting when the town's governing body voted to protect the public safety of its citizens in West Bountiful by fighting the reopening of Southern Pacific's Ogden railroad line. The council will also consider ways of making the railroad crossing cross-ing within its city boundaries safer. They plan a public hearing on whistle noise and to address wire fencing safety problems in residential residen-tial neighborhoods. James Behunin, chairman of the transportation committee of the West Bountiful Planning and Zoning Zon-ing Commission, asked the council for its support in four areas of concern. "I propose that the council consider con-sider taking the following action: Encourage the railroad companies (Union Pacific and Southern Pacific) Paci-fic) to cooperate, seek tougher penalties for delays at crossings, regulate the use of whistles and call for a review of the railroad statutes by the state legislature," Behunin said. Behunin told the council that since 1984 the Ogden line of the Southern Pacific (formerly Denver Rio Grande) has not been in use. During 1984 the flooding of the Great Salt Lake inhibited traffic flow on that line. An agreement was made between the then Denver Rio Grande and Union Pacific to allow Union Pacific to operate on its line through the Jordan Narrows and Union Pacific would allow Denver Rio Grande to operate on its Ogden line through Davis County. In July 1990, Southern Pacific h announced plans to reopen its Ogden line. The reason given by Southern Pacific Superintendent Mike Davis was that the Denver Rio Grande had merged with Southern Pacific and the increased business requires the reopening of the Ogden line, and "We've had some pretty serious delays on those (UP) tracks.' West Bountiful citizens have complained that trains stop or move very slowly across local intersections. intersec-tions. Other complaints include the crossing gates frequently drop without a train ever coming, and some gates go down and stay down for several minutes and the cars back up. The council is also contemplating holding a public hearing on whistle noise from the trains traveling through Davis County and West Bountiful. |
