Motorists travelling south on Main Street over the railroad tracks have likely been swerving to avoid puncturing their tires due to a piece of track sticking up.
Two orange construction signs have sat on either side of the road for several weeks, warning drivers to be careful as they cross the rail lines. This issue has become so unavoidable that it was raised during city council’s Jan. 13 regular meeting.
Coun. Crystal Froese explained that she has received several complaints about the railroad crossing near Canadian Tire. She pointed out this has become a bigger safety issue than before and wondered where this problem was on the list of projects that required repairs.
“I don’t think that can be left any longer … ,” she said, while wondering when an answer could be received since this has been raised before. “The metal pieces are lifted right up off (the track). It’s a real danger to people’s tires and anyone driving over it.”
City administration can reach out to CN Rail to discuss the problem and remediate it, while the engineering department can see if there’s cold mix patching it can perform in the short-term, said engineering department director Josh Mickleborough.
Another step the department can take is to conduct a hazard assessment, he added. If it becomes a significant issue, the department can also erect pylons and barricades.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Jan. 27.
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the rail line as belonging to CPR. The story has been corrected. We regret the error.
