Last public rail study meeting scheduled for Nov. 2

The public will get a final chance on Nov. 2 to learn about a detailed engineering report aimed at increasing safety and reducing inconveniences associated with train traffic though Fort Scott.

The final of three "open house" meetings hosted by the City of Fort Scott, Kansas Department of Transportation and BNSF is set for 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2 at the Fort Scott Community College Academic Building Room No. 126.

Engineers from the Omaha, Neb.-based firm Felsburg, Holt and Ullevig will give a presentation of the study they conducted this year. People attending the meeting can then informally discuss the options and ask questions of the nearly yearlong study.

On Oct. 3, Kyle Anderson, a principle engineer with the firm, recommended to city commissioners three options that culminated from the study.

The recommendations include the following:

* Establish a quiet zone at Sixth Street, 10th Street and east National Avenue and ultimately expand the zone to include Jayhawk Road and Wall Street.

* Construct a grade separation at 23rd Street.

* Increase the vertical clearance at Third Street.

* Eliminate plans to relocate the railroad track.

Anderson gave cost estimates for each of the options. Constructing a quiet zone at all five crossings would be $300,000; increasing the vertical clearance at the Third Street underpass would cost $500,000; around $4.5 million would be needed to build a grade separation; and about $120 million would be required to relocate the BNSF track. The total price tag of implementing all the options, excluding the costly track relocation, is around $5.3 million.

Commissioners praised the study and the options Anderson presented to them at the meeting. However, finding avenues for paying for one option could be a difficult task for city officials to achieve.

City officials contacted the Kansas Department of Transportation late last year about possibly doing a comprehensive study that would gather information about the impact trains have on the community and options for solving the problems. KDOT absorbed all costs for the study, which is estimated to be about $100,000, transportation officials have said.

Residents filled out a survey that asked them their opinions on each option at the previous two public meetings attended by what officials considered good number of people.

Results found that 88 percent of respondents said an overpass is needed; 72 percent said a quiet zone should be established (61 percent said train horn noise is a problem); 78 percent agreed with increasing vertical clearance on Third Street; and 29 percent thought the train track should be relocated. About 264 residents completed the survey.