Ray Porter, Benchmark Traffic's Direct Supervisor to the Advanced Coordinator of the crosstie replacement project, tells Elbert County authorities he estimates the project to be completed in Elbert County around June 11. (Photo by Toney)
A crosstie placement project will begin Tuesday and will temporarily close 31 CSX railroad crossings throughout Elbert County. The project is expected to be completed in about two weeks.
The project will affect all public and private railroad crossings and will begin at Johnsontown Drive then follow east to west until Crystal Drive, which is when the project will move into Madison County.
According to Porter, the project will have a "domino effect" meaning not all railroad crossings will be closed at once, but will instead close and re-open as the crew moves throughout the county. "When one is done, we go down," he said.
Porter told Elbert County law enforcement and emergency services in a meeting Thursday afternoon that the crews will work from 6:00 p.m. to 5 a.m. throughout weekdays until the project is completed. He said that each crossing will take two or three days and that it should be even quicker since crews are working at night.
More high traffic railroad crossings to be effected are Heardmont Drive, Middleton Church Road, Old Middleton Church Road, Jenkins Road, Seaboard Street, Williams Street, Willow Street, Locklin Street, Mill Street, Campbell Street. McIntosh Street, Harper Street, Granite Plaza, Brewers Bridge Road, Victory Road and Sweet City Road.
Porter said that the North Oliver Street crossing is not a part of the project right now since it is a state highway and is regulated by the Georgia Department of Transportation.
"We want to give as much active information out to our communities so they know what's going on," Elbert County Emergency Services Director Chuck Almond said. "When it comes to the railroad, it cuts this county in half ... we want to try to be prepared," Almond continued.
The projected is expected to be completed by June 11 in Elbert County and is a part of a larger project that will span over four weeks and will go from Abbeville, South Carolina to Athens.