Mt. Pleasant Awaiting Reports on Possible RR Crossing Closures
Mount Pleasant officials are waiting on reports from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and their town engineer before deciding to ask whether any of the four railroad crossings be closed.
Both studies were prompted following last February’s deadly crash when an SUV driver moved into the path of a Metro-North train at the Commerce Street crossing, which killed the driver and five people aboard a northbound train.
While the NTSB is continuing its inquiry, another report will be completed by Mount Pleasant Town Engineer David Smyth, said Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi.
Fulgenzi’s comment was in response to questions at the Jan. 5 town board meeting from resident Ken Noonan regarding the process of closing railroad crossings. Noonan said he was particularly interested in whether the Cleveland Street crossing near the Valhalla train station would be shut down.
The two other railroad crossings in town are at Lakeview and Stevens avenues.
Fulgenzi said if the two reports advise that any of the crossings be closed he would support the recommendations. However, there would be public hearings before any decision is made, he said.
“It is common knowledge that all crossings throughout the United States are considered dangerous; closing them is a difficult, lengthy and an expensive process,” Fulgenzi said.
If the NTSB or Smyth recommend closings for public safety, it would be irresponsible for the town board to ignore those recommendations, he said.
The town does not have the authority to close railroad crossings on its own. Officials would petition the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and the state Department of Transportation (DOT).
DOT spokesman Gary Holmes said the agency would consider information from the NTSB and the town about potential Metro-North crossing closures due to safety concerns. To close rossings, the town would need to petition the DOT, then an administrative judge would make the final decision, he said.
Although there have been closures of grade crossings in the past throughout the state, Holmes did not immediately have information regarding how many have been shut or their locations.
Messages for the MTA were not returned on Monday.
