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City staff outlines Summit Avenue railroad crossing closure package, conditional on reimbursements and regional agreements
Summary
Staff told the Hagerstown council that closing the Summit Avenue crossing requires four conditions be met: developer reimbursements for city costs, Columbia Gas access upgrades paid by the Meridian Group, a pre‑annexation agreement, and agreements from CSX and the Maryland Department of Transportation to permit improvements to two other crossings; staff estimated other crossing work could begin within a year.
City staff presented a multi‑party package to close the Summit Avenue railroad crossing and asked the mayor and council to move forward if certain conditions are met.
The staff presentation laid out four conditions: that the city be reimbursed for the physical costs to close the crossing (pavement removal, new curbing and signage), that the Meridian Group (TMG) reimburse up to $40,000 for city costs and up to $70,000 for CSX’s closure fee, that Columbia Gas’s access concerns be addressed with developer‑funded improvements to the company’s storage yard, and that Meridian enter a pre‑annexation agreement committing future annexation when utilities are needed.
“TMG has signed that agreement,” the staff member said, and staff described a separate agreement with Columbia Gas under which Meridian would fund a motorized gate and fencing so deliveries can be rerouted. The staff member added that CSX has indicated in a draft agreement it will not block state efforts to fund and design repairs for two other crossings — Walnut Street and Virginia Avenue — and that a state agreement would be needed to pass federal funds through Maryland’s process.
Why it matters: closing one crossing can create operational and access effects for local utilities and for future roadway work, so staff packaged developer commitments, a pre‑annexation understanding and assurances from CSX and the state into a single proposal to limit downstream obstacles.
Timing and next steps: staff said CSX will design the improvements to the other crossings and estimated it could take four to six months after agreement execution to lock in federal funding, with the earliest work possibly starting before year‑end but more likely beginning next spring. The presentation noted execution of the CSX and Maryland Department of Transportation agreements is necessary before the city proceeds to physically close the Summit Avenue crossing.
The proposal prompted council questions about exact timelines and whether the agreements give sufficient assurance that work on the other crossings will follow; staff recommended moving forward with the package while continuing coordination with CSX and the state.
