WASHINGTON —
The Daviess County Commissioners are mulling the closure of a section of a road near Plainville for a new railroad siding.
During Monday’s commissioners meeting, representatives from the Indiana Southern Railroad asked to close a portion of Division Line Road near CR 900N for a $2.1 million siding near its main line.
Steve Hefley with Indiana Southern said the siding would service Boyd Grain’s Plainville Mill along with the Bear Run coal mine and the Duke Energy plant at Edwardsport.
“This siding is being done to attract more business to the area,” Hefley said.
He went on to say this siding was originally approved to be located near Elnora in 2009, but the company decided to move it to Plainville.
“After talking with Mr. Boyd at Boyd Grain, we feel there is the potential for them to do a lot more business,” Hefley said. “With this new siding, they can participate in the market of 90-car grain trains.”
Tom Boyd with Boyd Grain agreed the siding would help his operation in Plainville. The siding will connect with Boyd’s line near the mill. Currently, the mill can hold 20 to 30 cars at the most.
“I think it’s to my advantage and for the community as a whole,” Boyd said.
The siding is being built by a $1.6 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration. The company is funding the other $500,000 for the siding. There is no other land to purchase for the line as it falls within the railroad’s right-of-way.
Hefley proposed closing Division Line Road where the railroad line crosses it, just south of Plainville, and putting in a turnaround on the north side of the road. There would be a barricade on the south side of the county road.
Commissioners were optimistic with the proposal, but wanted more space for the turnaround.
“If we are going to block a crossing up at Division (Line Road), we will be there for a couple hours,” Hefley said.
Bids for the project begin in two to three weeks, with construction to begin in October. Commissioners were open to the idea of closing the road, but wanted to hear from property owners first.
“I think any improvement is good for the county, but I think we need to have a meeting where we need to invite property owners to get their feelings,” Commissioner Tony Wichman said.
Commissioner Mike Taylor, who represents the Plainville area, agreed.
“I’m in favor of doing this project,” Taylor said.
According to county mapping data, most of the land around the crossing is owned by Divine Farms, Inc. John Divine said he just heard about it and said he would “be interested to hear more about it.”
During the meeting, Indiana Southern said they would be able to consider making the crossing a farm gate where they and the farmer in the adjoining property would have access to the siding.
The crossing is set to be discussed at the commissioner’s next meeting on Sept. 10.
900E contract
The commissioners signed an amended contract with the Indiana Department of Transportation for the second part of the CR 900E project. The county now has $2.1 million more to widen the road and build buggy lanes on the Odon-Cannelburg road from just before Swartzentruber Sawmill to CR 800N. A total of $5.46 million has been awarded to the project.
15th Street bridge
County Attorney Grant Swartzentruber informed the commissioners that CSX, owners of the overhead railroad bridge on SE 15th Street, will work with the county.
Swartzentruber relayed the information that CSX is willing to work with the county to receive federal funding to repair or rebuild the bridge. They also gave the county a person to contact to get the process going.
“At least we have a person to work with,” Swartzentruber said.
The railroad would not set a dollar amount on matching funds to repair the bridge. CSX offered the county $500,000 two weeks ago to take the bridge from its ownership.
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