The City of Hattiesburg has acquired two more parcels of land for a project that will build an overpass for the Canadian National railroad line on Hall Avenue, helping alleviate traffic congestion caused by trains in several downtown areas.
Hattiesburg City Council members voted Tuesday to authorize acquisition for the two properties: one with a fair market value offer of $620 and the other with a fair market value of $310.
The overpass is made possible by a $5.39 million grant from the Department of Transportation’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program that will allow for quicker transfers in the rail yard, along with a digital messaging system to alert motorists when a crossing is blocked.
“There are over 30 pieces of land that we have to acquire individually,” Mayor Toby Barker said. “Now that you have involved the Federal Railroad Administration, the process slows down a bit.”
The project will begin in the East Jerusalem Neighborhood at East Hardy and Gulfport streets and turn west, passing over the Canadian National line and ending at Bay Street and Hall Avenue.
The Hall Avenue section will consist of two lanes, a curb and gutter, a new drainage system and improvements to lighting and landscaping.
A traffic signal also will be installed at the intersection of East Hardy and Gulfport streets.
The design phase for the project is expected to last through the end of this year, with officials hoping to break ground by 2021.
The overpass also is expected to provide easier access for emergency personnel to the Hattiesburg Public Safety Complex on Hall Avenue, which upon completion will serve as the new home to Hattiesburg Police Department and the city’s municipal court.
In total, the project will cost $11.9 million, with the grant providing the $5.39 million and the city matching its share of $6.59 million.
“While the railroads have been a source of economic progress for our city – and have helped create our identity as the Hub City – the location of these lines has caused unique problems for Hattiesburg,” Barker said during a news conference in early March. “There are 22 rail crossings in and around downtown Hattiesburg.
“None of those are grade-separated, which basically means there’s no other route to take that’s above or below the rail line, plus there are no alternatives to take when a route is blocked. Unfortunately, as our downtown continues to grow, and our city continues to see development in every neighborhood, the amount of train delays at crossings poses several concerns people often take to Facebook to share.”
Along with the East Jerusalem overpass, Barker has identified three other distinct areas in Hattiesburg with an abundance of trains that cause headaches for motorists: another Canadian National line in the Mobile-Bouie neighborhood and two Norfolk Southern lines in downtown and near Scooba Street.
“We know (this project) doesn’t solve the whole problem,” Barker said. “Our biggest challenge awaits us at the other end of Hall Avenue at the Norfolk Southern rail line, but we’re going to go after a BUILD grant for that one to tackle this last part of fixing our train problem.”
