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Railroad crossings at Market Street and Winona Avenue in Warsaw will be upgraded this year after almost a year of meetings between city and Norfolk Southern officials.
The improvements will require the city to put some financial “skin in the game,” which the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety approved with the contract with Norfolk Southern at their meeting Friday morning.
In presenting the contract agreement with Norfolk Southern, Warsaw Public Works Director Dustin Dillon said, “For many years, our community has experienced very poor railroad crossing conditions. In fact, in many instances, vehicles almost come to a crawl to go across our railroad crossings. So for nearly the better part of last year, city officials have been holding meetings with representatives from Norfolk Southern to improve communication as well as the maintenance of the crossings within our city.”
Dillon stated Norfolk Southern has been “very responsive” to the city’s requests, but, unfortunately, things just move a little slow.
“They have offered an opportunity for us for a better partnership with the city,” he said.
The contract agreement with Norfolk Southern is to upgrade two major railroad crossings within the community - the Market Street and Winona Avenue crossings, with Winona Avenue having two tracks.
“These would be replaced with full-depth rubber panel-grade crossing surface, as well as rail replacement to support the new crossing material,” Dillon said. “You can see this on the CF&E Railway there at Jefferson and State Road 15, or Detroit Street. That one was put in, I believe, probably around six, seven years ago and it’s still in very, very good condition, so that’s what we’re shooting for there.”
He noted city attorney Scott Reust provided a guidance letter to clarify the ability to award a contract to a sole source provider (Norfolk Southern Railroad).
“The railroad crossings, we have about 16,000 residents in the city of Warsaw, a little more than that during the day with industry and all the job markets and stuff that the population more than doubles. This has been a struggle that we’ve been facing for as long as I can remember with the railroad crossings,” Dillon said. “Typically, the asphalt upgrades as they do yearly or every other year often fail rather quickly. So this is a chance to partner with them. We have to put a little skin in the game here to partner with them to hopefully create that longevity for the crossings and not just for the community but the entire city.”
He thanked Staci Young, assistant to Mayor Jeff Grose, for setting up all the meetings for the last year with Norfolk Southern.
Grose thanked Dillon, Reust and Young for all their efforts.
“It’s been real positive. There is a lot of money involved, but I firmly believe it’s in our best interest, not only for our residents but the countless, countless people who have driven over the tracks,” Grose said.
He said he believes the local dollars put in toward the improvements will extend the life of the crossings and protect the community.
According to a copy of the agreement, the city will “reimburse the railway for the actual cost, less MWS (Maintenance of Way) labor costs, of the work performed by the railway or on behalf of the railway, which is currently estimated to be $318,548 ... but this estimate is not a cap and city shall pay all actual costs, less MWS labor costs, to complete the work.”
Grose said he was excited about the improvements and there’s been discussion about other crossings that he didn’t want to mention at this time.
Dillon said, “The whole gamut here is to improve the relationship between the city and also improve the crossings.”
Regarding Norfolk Southern being the sole source provider, Reust explained, “So, Indiana statute requires municipalities to bid large ticket items, and that’s a good thing, right, so you get good costs, make sure it’s fair. Make sure different vendors have a chance to provide a quality product and it’s not self-dealing. But, Norfolk Southern Railroad is who works on the Norfolk Southern Railroad crossings. There is no other way to do it, and that makes sense.”
He stated Norfolk Southern is the “truest definition” that he can think of a sole source provider who is able to do the work. He compared it to the electric company being the one who lowered the power lines at the Warsaw Municipal Airport last year because no one else is going to do that.
“So, Norfolk Southern Railroad is familiar with what it takes to put in this better, much better, full-depth rubber panel grade crossing service. And we know those are really good compared to the asphalt ones. It’s necessary,” Reust said, adding Dillon has been involved in working with the railroad on the improvements needed.
With Norfolk Southern being the sole source provider, the Board of Works just has to accept, approve and agree they are the sole source provider of the work and it won’t need to be bid out.
Reust said the city’s estimated cost portion for the work seems “pretty solid” and reasonable. Norfolk Southern will also work with the city when crossings have to be closed for the work. He said the city doesn’t have to pay for the labor, it’s paying for the materials because it’s an upgrade over what the railroad would normally do.
“So, they would do the asphalt portion, but this is - I don’t think anybody would disagree that this is better - you’ve been over the good railroad tracks compared to all the other railroad tracks, and this is safer and better,” Reust stated.
Grose asked Dillon if the work would be done probably late summer or fall. Dillon said if approved, both crossings are slated to be completed “yet this year.”
Board member George Clemens made the motion to approve the agreement. Councilwoman Diane Quance seconded the motion “in hopes that this is only the beginning of many more (improvements) to come.”
The motion passed 3-0.
