Hays County, Kyle sign onto rail siding relocation project to help mitigate downtown traffic
November 5th, 2021
Nov. 4, 2021 - CommunityImpact.com -
The Kyle City Council and Hays County Commissioners Court signed onto an interlocal agreement to relocate the Center Street Union Pacific rail siding from its location near Center Street on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, respectively. The new rail siding will begin approximately 2,000 feet north of Burleson Street and end near Kohlers Crossing, according to the agreement.
A switching station is a section of tracks that run parallel to the railroad and allows one train to pull off the main track while another train passes. When a train pulls into the Center Street switching station, it can cause traffic jams and even pose a threat to public safety as emergency services must find an alternate route. Carlos Lopez, senior vice president at HNTB Corporation, said at the City Council meeting the relocation project will help mitigate the time spent waiting for the trains to pass each other.
The project has been in the works for a few years as the City Council approved $270,000 in 2017 to conduct a preliminary study for the relocation. It finally came to fruition when City Council members amended their budget Nov. 1 to allocate $1.23 million toward costs directly related to Texas Department of Transportation and utility relocation costs.
Read more: https://communityimpact.com/austin/san-marcos-buda-kyle/transportation/2021/11/04/hays-county-kyle-sign-onto-rail-siding-relocation-project-to-help-mitigate-downtown-traffic/
The Kyle City Council and Hays County Commissioners Court signed onto an interlocal agreement to relocate the Center Street Union Pacific rail siding from its location near Center Street on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, respectively. The new rail siding will begin approximately 2,000 feet north of Burleson Street and end near Kohlers Crossing, according to the agreement.
A switching station is a section of tracks that run parallel to the railroad and allows one train to pull off the main track while another train passes. When a train pulls into the Center Street switching station, it can cause traffic jams and even pose a threat to public safety as emergency services must find an alternate route. Carlos Lopez, senior vice president at HNTB Corporation, said at the City Council meeting the relocation project will help mitigate the time spent waiting for the trains to pass each other.
The project has been in the works for a few years as the City Council approved $270,000 in 2017 to conduct a preliminary study for the relocation. It finally came to fruition when City Council members amended their budget Nov. 1 to allocate $1.23 million toward costs directly related to Texas Department of Transportation and utility relocation costs.
Read more: https://communityimpact.com/austin/san-marcos-buda-kyle/transportation/2021/11/04/hays-county-kyle-sign-onto-rail-siding-relocation-project-to-help-mitigate-downtown-traffic/