Strathroy-Caradoc Mayor Colin Grantham says the municipality should begin developing a long-term plan to address concerns surrounding railway crossings in Strathroy, including the possibility of an overpass.
Grantham made the comments in response to a resident who asked about the need for an overpass, specifically citing concerns about emergency vehicles becoming delayed by trains at the Caradoc Street crossing.
The mayor says he has personally seen an ambulance waiting in traffic for a train and shares concerns about the potential impact on Police, Fire and EMS response times.
Grantham says he previously asked the three emergency services about contingency plans for situations involving long-term railway stoppages and was assured plans are in place. However, he says the concern remains.
He says the issue extends beyond emergency response, pointing to traffic flow, quality of life and economic considerations. Grantham says potential investors would likely want to see efficient movement of traffic and goods through the community.
The municipality is also expected to experience continued population growth. Grantham says current projections for the entire Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc range from 1.4 to two per cent annually, with a projected population of approximately 35,000 by 2046.
He says the municipality should begin examining potential solutions now, starting with the development of what he calls a “shovel-ready plan.”
Grantham says a study was conducted several years ago examining various railway crossings in the community and their suitability for an overpass. He says that study should be revisited to identify a suitable location and determine a high-level cost for a potential project.
He cautions that Caradoc Street presents challenges that may not be possible to resolve or could make a project cost-prohibitive.
Another consideration is jurisdiction. Caradoc Street is a Middlesex County road, and Grantham says the County would therefore need to have significant input into any potential location.
He also believes the County should be a financial partner in the project, along with the provincial and federal governments.
Grantham emphasizes that an overpass would be a long-term project and says he is not suggesting one would be built within the next four years.
Instead, he says the immediate goal should be developing a workable plan that could eventually be used to advocate for funding from all three levels of government.
Grantham says having a plan would allow future municipal councils and mayors to bring a specific proposal to government officials and seek financial assistance.
His proposal is for the next term of council to work with Middlesex County to develop that plan, which he says would be an important first step toward addressing railway crossing concerns in Strathroy.
Written by: C. Soares
