judifilksign: (Default)
[personal profile] judifilksign
 Rails to Trails tried to get permission to tear out the rail line that goes past my little townlet to build a bike path into Columbus.  The railway, the major way the farm communities west of Columbus get their goods to market was unwilling to just give up their business.  

So, some kind of deal was struck, and over the past few months, the berm areas close to the rails have been developed into a bike trail, with sweet wooden fencing and the crossing of doom has been improved.  When the weather gets nice again, I'm going to love biking and skating on this trail.

Except that the bike trail people put up, like three signs that totally blocked the flashing lights that warn drivers of the impending train.  We don't have the lowering guard rails, either.  So those YIELD TO BIKES  and STOP HERE and the bike symbol signs were actually increasing the danger at the intersection.  This troubled me.

Yesterday, I called both Angels on the Tracks (who helped us so much with the railway after the Sparkle incident) and the posted numbers on the flashing lights (put up after Angels on the Tracks contacted the railway about the Sparkle incident.)  I spoke to a secretary at the rail line, who took a message.  I spoke to an earnest, very interested type at Angels.  I explained my issue, without going into the Sparkle incident of yore, (worrying that too much from me might hamper the cause.)

Today, the signs are gone, leaving only the posts behind.  I'm not sure whether the rail line removed them, or Rails to Trails, or the construction company, but I'm glad that they are re-thinking this.  I wonder also how many other drivers this past week have driven across the rails as annoyed as I have been, and how many other complaints there have been.  I know the county sheriff lives in our neighborhood, so he could have gotten the ball rolling, too.

Date: 2010-12-15 03:10 am (UTC)
ext_12246: (Glory Variation #2)
From: [identity profile] thnidu.livejournal.com
(HIGH FIVES!)

Date: 2010-12-15 03:53 am (UTC)
kyrielle: painterly drawing of a white woman with large dark-blue-framed glasses, hazel eyes, brown hair, and a suspicious lack of blemishes (Default)
From: [personal profile] kyrielle
Yay! I see why they'd want the signs but surely they can come up with a solution that doesn't hide the flashing lights, at all.

Date: 2010-12-15 12:59 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] maiac.livejournal.com
What Were They Thinking?

Or maybe that should be, Were They Thinking?

One would expect someone with at least two brain cells to notice that the train signals were blocked, and realize that this is dangerous, and fix the bike-trail signs without prompting.

Good on you for taking action. You're an awesome person, you know.

Date: 2010-12-15 08:04 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pondside.livejournal.com
I'm proud of you dear. Too many people just grumble to themselves and whine in public without ever telling the people that could make a change.

Good on you -- much love!!

Date: 2010-12-16 02:31 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] judifilksign.livejournal.com
Well, I've had the experience of Angels on the Tracks making such a difference before, so I was extra motivated.

The day the signs went up, I parked by the side of the road and talked to the construction crews putting up fences, and painting lines on the road, but neither set of guys were the ones who'd put up the signs. They thought it was dumb, too, and said what did we expect from a government operation? Communication?

Date: 2010-12-15 08:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] needlewomyn.livejournal.com
Neat to hear about the trails. I wonder if it would be possible for a very fit and energetic person to get all the way from your neighborhood to mine on the trails?

Date: 2010-12-16 01:36 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] judifilksign.livejournal.com
I'm thinking that when they're done, that will be a distinct possibility. Construction is done for paving this year, it looks like, but I can see further on down the tracks where they've cleared the trees and widened a spot for a trail leading towards Columbus.

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