Royston Hears From Public on Proposed Railroad Crossing Closings

Hartwell Railroad is not responding to offers from the City of Royston to work out alternative plans to closing four railroad crossings.

That’s according to Royston City Manager Ed Andrews and Royston City Mayor David Jordan.

Royston’s City Council meeting room was packed Tuesday night with citizens who attended a public hearing regarding Hartwell Railroad’s demands the city close the railroad crossings at SR17/Lee St., Carlton St., Bowers St. and Tony Jones St.

But representatives from the Hartwell Railroad who were expected to present their case to the City Council, Mayor and the public Tuesday night, were a no show, even though City Attorney Andrea Grant produced a letter from the Hartwell Railroad acknowledging last night’s public hearing.

Andrews told the City Council and Mayor during the hour and half public hearing the City was notified last November by Hartwell Railroad to close the four crossings.

Since then, he said the City has made numerous attempts to negotiate with the Hartwell Railroad, but their requests have fallen on deaf ears.

“I went back to Mr. Bishop and explained to him that what he’s doing is closing for crossings that would have an economic impact on this City, and for us to explore some options that would be feasible,” Andrews said. “On 18 December, I had a phone call with Mr. Dave Bishop and discussed further options and specifics at each of these crossings. Still, they indicated no options would be explored at that time.”

Further Attempts by Andrews and the Transportation Committee to meet with Hartwell Railroad representatives and negotiate other options, Andrews said failed.

Tuesday’s public hearing was required by law after the Royston City Council refused to close the four crossings.

After hearing from Andrews, other City Staff and personnel spoke about the economic impact closing those crossings would have.

DDA Executive Director Candy Rhoades pointed out parts of Royston had just been designated Economic Opportunity zones by the State.

“In 2013, Royston received the designation of Economic Opportunity Zone from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs,” Rhoades said. “This was designated in three areas. With crossings closed, it would make smaller street, it would impact businesses with traffic going around and avoiding those businesses. Royston worked hard for  years to secure this Opportunity Zone designation, having studies done and working with the Department of Community Affairs to have this.”

Royston Police Chief Donnie Boleman said closing those crossings would create a nightmare of traffic congestion at other intersections where crossings were open.

“I’m just very worried that if we close these crossings and force our residents and commercial traffic directly into high-volume intersections, not counting emergency vehicles, we’re talking about tripling the volume of traffic at these intersections,” he said. “We’re going to see many more accidents and people injured.”

Royston Fire Chief Matt Parham said closing the Bowers St. crossing will cause significant delays in their response time.

“It’s our responsibility to provide life-saving services to the people of the City of Royston,” Parham told the mayor and council. “By having several crossings closed in the downtown area, this creates tremendous obstacles that would have to be negotiated by rerouting emergency response vehicles through other approaches and other streets and onto more congested and heavier traffic routes, such as Highway 29.  That will, in turn, add critical time to responses which may mean life or death.”

Andrews said the City Transportation Committee has proposed making a new crossing on the north side of town to handle truck traffic.

But he said, Dave Bishop, Hartwell Railroad representative, was not interested.

Business leaders who spoke to the Council noted the railroad runs through the middle of downtown Royston and closing those crossings would essentially cut some businesses off and force their delivery trucks to take longer ways around to get to them. 

Others, like attorney Mays Davison said they had moved their businesses to the new Economic Opportunity Zones to get the tax credits, but may have to move if customers and clients can’t get to them easily anymore.

After hearing from local business leaders and other citizens about the impact closing those crossings would have on their businesses, mayor Jordan said the City Council will meet again on May 26th and vote on whether to close those crossings.

However, Jordan indicated City plans to fight the closings all the way to the State Attorney General’s office.