Perrysburg Community:
Many of you have contacted city officials complaining about the condition of the railroad crossings at a number of intersections throughout town. We have repeatedly forwarded those concerns on to CSX asking that repairs be made as soon as possible.
In April, CSX let the city know it had limited funds to repair crossings in Perrysburg in 2018. It asked us to provide a list of crossings that were in most need of repair. CSX would then determine what if any repairs could be done in 2018. CSX further represented it would allocate funds in the 2019 budget to repair any intersection not done this year. Based on citizen complaints and our own investigation, the administration identified Eckel Junction Road, Louisiana Avenue, East Boundary, and Indiana Avenue as priority intersections that needed repair.
Since that time, the administration has continued to communicate with CSX, including letting CSX know that the city has continued to receive complaints about the condition of railroad crossings. On June 21st, Haraz N. Ghanbari, the Chair of the Public Safety Committee of Council, also wrote CSX requesting it make repairs. Consistent with that ongoing dialogue, CSX has recently advised us that it will make substantial repairs to the railroad crossings at Indiana Avenue and Mulberry Street this summer. CSX is not only repairing the crossings, but replacing approximately 300 feet of track in that area.
CSX has also represented to the administration that it will physically inspect each crossing within the city this summer. During those inspections, minor repairs may be made to some crossings, but more extensive repairs will have to wait until 2019.
While not a complete fix yet, I wanted to let you know of this step towards repairing railroad crossings in town. We will continue to work with CSX so that the crossings at Eckel Junction, Louisiana Avenue, and East Boundary are addressed next year as CSX has represented they would be.
I want to thank everyone who has been working behind the scenes with CSX since January to facilitate the repairs to Indiana Avenue and Mulberry Street this year.
Mayor Thomas G. Mackin
