Full Notification

Good afternoon,

I am aware and was in contact with the officers working during the three times the town had been blocked by Norfolk Southern Railway on Friday and Saturday. I have had multiple conversations with NS about this concerning issue.

Today, I again spoke with management of NS, they again advised they will be sending out additional correspondence to their staff to avoid blocking Hillcrest.

On Saturday, I spoke with the engineer from US Steel, he advised that the bridge can be used in emergency situations only. For safety reasons, we will only send one car across at a time. We can still bring in emergency equipment if necessary.

I also spoke with him again this morning, he advised they believe that all repairs will be able to be made from the underside of the bridge. This is good and means that we will still be able to use it in emergencies. He also stated that work will begin soon and still has an expected completion date of approximately March 25, 2022.

I acknowledge your frustration, please be patient. Officers will communicate with the railroad and determine when and if the bridge will be used to let traffic out of town in the event of a blocked crossing based on expected time of blockage and number of vehicles waiting.
US Steel Security are monitoring the barricades and will assist officers when it is necessary to use the bridge.

Have a great day, stay safe and patient.
 
Jeremy Ogden
Chief of Police