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Select Board authorizes permit for CSX Main Street crossing repairs; town expects up to three-day closure with detours
Summary
The Select Board authorized a town staff member to sign a permit allowing CSX contractors to close the Main Street railroad crossing for up to three days next week to replace ties and ballast; town staff and CSX agreed on measures to keep adjacent businesses accessible and to minimize disruption.
The Town of Southborough Select Board authorized a town staff member to sign a permit allowing CSX contractors to carry out track repairs on Main Street starting next Tuesday, a project CSX has estimated could take up to three days.
Bill (last name not specified), who briefed the board on the project, said negotiations with CSX date back to February 2019 and that the company is proceeding on safety grounds. He told the board CSX agreed to several measures intended to reduce disruption, including widening the length of work within CSX’s 33-foot right of way, dust mitigation, signage and detours, and ensuring parking and customer access for businesses abutting the work zone. “The businesses will be open for business,” Bill said, adding that he had communicated directly with affected business owners including Morrow’s Café.
Board members pressed for practical details. Aboard member asked how customers would access Morrow’s parking; Bill said the businesses’ parking lots will remain accessible. Chief Newell requested six police details to help with traffic control, and Bill said CSX agreed to provide traffic control and signage; he also said Maurice, CSX’s municipal contact for New England, will meet with town staff next week to discuss follow-on work and the larger Main Street project.
The board discussed the project’s scope and its relationship to a longer-term Main Street improvement project for which the town has funding but has not yet secured CSX approval. Bill said the near-term repairs will not preclude later work: stormwater and service lines could be installed under the tracks in the future using drilling methods that would avoid tearing out the repairs.
Select Board member Sam moved and Andrew seconded a motion authorizing Bill to sign the permit; the board approved it 4-0 on a roll-call vote (Marguerite — aye; Sam — aye; Andrew — aye; Cook — aye). The board did not require additional formal votes on conditions during the meeting; members asked staff to prioritize public messaging, including a prominent banner on the town website and a notice to local media and the town’s communications lead, Beth Miller.
Board members and staff said they would monitor the contractor’s progress and ask CSX to accelerate work where possible; Bill characterized the three-day estimate as an outside limit and said the CSX contact Maurice considered that conservative. The board also confirmed that the contractor has been placing railroad ties along the corridor and that tie and ballast replacement across a broader route is part of CSX’s planned work, not exclusively the town’s project.
No vote was taken on the long-term Main Street project during this meeting; Bill said he expects a meeting next week with CSX engineers to discuss remaining design and permit issues.
