Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission approves Housatonic Railroad vegetation-management plan after boundary review; commissioners press for leaf-off inspection next cycle
Summary
After a field review and discussion of residual tie fragments, the commission approved the railroad's five-year vegetation-management plan; commissioners asked for future runs to be done before leaf-out and to document any larger tie piles for removal.
Tom Lewis of Tech Associates, representing the Housatonic Railroad, summarized a site review of rights-of-way boundaries and noted that only small fragments of old ties were found in the spray area. Lewis said the state's contractor had completed a prior tie-replacement contract and that the state considered the contractor's work complete.
Commissioners asked whether older or larger piles of tie material might still be present and whether the railroad or state would remove them if documented. Lewis said he could not commit the railroad or state to additional removal beyond what the state contract required but offered to supply photos and recommended additional seasonal checks. Commissioners suggested using drone surveys or a pre-leaf-out inspection to create a clearer record of material on the right-of-way.
After discussion, Commissioner Chuck Horner moved to approve the railroad's vegetation-management plan; the motion was seconded and carried. Commissioners noted they could record in the meeting notes a request that the next vegetation-management run (in five years) include a leaf-off inspection or additional documentation should the commission decide to pursue it further.
The commission approved the plan for the current annual operational year; the discussion included requests for better documentation and a possible future field visit to verify any substantial debris.
