Residents urge Matthews commissioners to release bond funds for East Charles Street railroad crossing

Several residents from the Cresthill neighborhood and nearby churches asked the Matthews Board of Commissioners during public comment on May 12 to direct bond funding to safety work at the East Charles Street crossing and the Cresthill railroad crossing, saying the location has become a recurring hazard for pedestrians and vehicles.

The immediate request: Petitioners asked the board to “lift the bond fund for East Charles Street and Cresthill Railroad Crossing,” a phrase repeated by Pastor Larry Whitley, who presented a petition the speakers said contained roughly 75 signatories from the neighborhood and local churches.

Why it matters: Petitioners said large vehicles regularly get stuck at the crossing, sometimes blocking both lanes of travel; Pastor Whitley and others said there have been dangerous incidents, including what they described as a pedestrian death in the last year tied to the tracks. Residents said sightlines and overhanging trees on the railroad right‑of‑way make the crossing more hazardous and that congestion is increasing as the corridor becomes a more used thoroughfare.

What petitioners asked the commissioners to do

- Release bond funds identified for transportation and downtown street improvements (petitioners used the phrase “lift the bond”) so the town can address the railroad crossing and East Charles Street improvements.

- Inspect and remove or trim trees overhanging the track and address other immediate safety hazards at the crossing.

Speakers and statements

- Pastor Larry Whitley (Crestdale community): “We...come before you tonight with a couple of things. We are here tonight... requesting that you release the bonds fund for East Charles Street and Cresthill Railroad Crossing.” He also noted petition signatories from local churches and urged the board to make the crossing a priority.

- Fred Baylor (resident): Described repeated incidents of tractors and lawn‑service vehicles getting stuck on the track. “I use Crestdale Road and East Charles Street quite a bit... I’ve seen a lot of mishaps right there.”

- Reverend Chris Whitley (Mount Moriah CDC): Told the board she often intercepts truck drivers whose GPS routes send them toward the crossing; she said drivers frequently become stuck and that residents regularly have to redirect traffic to avoid collisions.

Town response and next steps

Town staff told the speakers they would look into the tree concerns and coordinate with CSX as appropriate. Assistant Town Manager Malia James said staff would “get in contact with CSX depending on where they are and our ability to take care of them.” No formal action was taken at the meeting; the petitioners’ request will be a matter for staff follow‑up and potential future agenda consideration.

City context and background

Speakers noted the community supported the town’s bond package at the ballot; petitioners asked that funds from the voter‑approved bond be applied to this crossing rather than using general fund dollars. The board did not vote on reallocating bond proceeds at the May 12 meeting; the bond proceeds were discussed elsewhere on the agenda in the budget presentation and in a separate action to create a capital project fund to hold bond proceeds as required by statute.

Ending

Residents said the crossing is a long‑running safety problem and asked commissioners to prioritize using bond proceeds to fix it. Staff committed to follow up with CSX and to examine the specific tree and roadway concerns raised by petitioners.