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Mills County commissioners say railroad crossing needs engineering review, possible county aid
Summary
Commissioners described a severely deteriorated railroad crossing on a county road, asked an engineer to assess repairs and discussed limited county funds and potential railroad assistance.
Mills County commissioners said a timber culvert and adjacent roadway near a railroad crossing have deteriorated to the point that the county needs an engineering assessment before any repairs.
County officials described the problem as deep and structurally complex and said they expect an engineer to inspect the site “sometime in the next few weeks.” Commissioners said the railroad has acknowledged the issue and that its representatives indicated they could provide some financial help, but county officials also warned the work will be expensive and complicated.
The matter arose during road reports when commissioners described the crossing as “very deep, what, 13, maybe 15 feet deep,” and said the structure beneath the road appears to be old wood rather than modern culvert material. Commissioners said removing the timber and rebuilding the approach will likely require excavation and engineered replacement rather than routine county road work.
Commissioners said a railroad representative told them the railroad’s technical responsibility extends only a short distance beyond the track bed, which complicates the county’s options. A county official also said past dealings with rail companies had led to trade-offs — such as closing another crossing — and cautioned that the county’s bargaining position is limited.
County staff said they do not yet have a cost estimate and that any significant reconstruction would require outside funding or state/railroad cooperation. Commissioners said an engineer will visit the site and that the county hopes the railroad will contribute; they asked staff to follow up and report back when the engineer’s findings are available.
If the engineer confirms full replacement or deep excavation is needed, commissioners said they will have to identify funding sources before starting work. No formal funding motion or vote occurred at the meeting; commissioners characterized the item as a developing infrastructure issue that requires technical study.
