Greer council approves closing portion of Moore Street after railroad safety request

Greer City Council on second reading approved Ordinance 4-2026 to close a portion of Moore Street at the request of Norfolk Southern and the South Carolina Department of Transportation, citing a safety initiative tied to the city's quiet‑crossings program. The final vote recorded four members in favor and one opposed.

Staff told the council the proposal would allow the railroad gate to be moved to better regulate traffic at the at‑grade crossing and that Norfolk Southern and SCDOT are expected to pay for the bulk of required improvements, including relocation of the gate. "The parties are bearing the cost of that matter," a staff member said during the discussion.

Several council members pressed staff for details about design and long‑term responsibility. Members discussed whether double gates, median improvements or other engineering measures would be required and said any closure should include an attractive visual barrier rather than standard 'road closed' signage. Staff said the intersections are evaluated individually for required measures and that the city would define aesthetic and maintenance expectations.

A central point of debate was whether closing a portion of city‑owned roadway amounts to transferring an asset to benefit a for‑profit railroad. One councilmember said that if the request was primarily to address railroad safety, Norfolk Southern should compensate the city by purchasing the right‑of‑way and assuming maintenance. Staff replied the request was safety‑driven and that the current proposal would have the railroad and SCDOT cover construction costs while the road remained in the city's inventory unless a purchase agreement is negotiated.

Council also sought historical incident data. Staff said there were at least two incidents in the past five years at related crossings, including one fatality, and offered to provide crash and response records for additional context.

The council moved and seconded the ordinance for final reading. During roll call, Councilmembers Booker, Hopper, Bettis and Lamb voted yes; Councilmember Arrowood voted no. The ordinance passed with a recorded tally of 4–1 in favor. The council did not specify a sale or transfer of ownership as part of the approval; staff indicated details about landscaping and final design would be coordinated with the railroad and SCDOT.

Next steps noted by staff included completing design specifics, establishing aesthetic/maintenance expectations for the closed segment and coordinating the physical work with Norfolk Southern and SCDOT.