Eagle Pass City Council Considering Closing Three Streets With Railroad Crossings
By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2018
The City of Eagle Pass, Texas City Council is considering closing three streets with railroad crossings as part of an agreement with Union Pacific Railroad to develop a “Quiet Zone” in the downtown area of the community, having already approved two of three public readings of an ordinance at the August 7th and 13th, 2018 City Council meetings.
The three streets being considered for closure are Church Street, Rio Grande Street, and Williams Street. All three streets have railroad crossings of the Union Pacific railroad within the city limits of Eagle Pass.
The Eagle Pass City Council only lacks one more public reading and approval of the ordinance to finalize the closure of these three city streets with railroad crossings. The City Council has not yet scheduled the third and final reading of the ordinance.
The City of Eagle Pass under the leadership of Mayor Ramsey English Cantu has been negotiating with Union Pacific to establish a “Quiet Zone” that would cause Union Pacific locomotives not to sound their horns while crossing streets within the city limits for several years, but Union Pacific has requested the City of Eagle Pass to close these three streets in exchange for establishing the “Quiet Zones.”
There is actually a proposed agreement between the City of Eagle Pass and Union Pacific but said agreement has not been made public as the City Council has been reviewing it under closed session (executive session) in consultation with legal counsel. The citizens of Eagle Pass are unaware of the exact contents of the proposed agreement and what other provisions are included in it as the Mayor and City Council have failed to explain to citizens the full contents of this proposed City of Eagle Pass and Union Pacific agreement. Obviously, one of the provisions of the agreement includes the closure of these three city streets with railroad crossings.
Public opinion for the proposed closure of these three city streets with railroad crossings has largely been in opposition among Eagle Pass citizens. Citizens have expressed safety and traffic concerns regarding the proposed closing of these three streets, particularly since two of the streets (Rio Grande and Williams) are in the downtown area.
Citizens have noted that currently when Union Pacific mile-long trains block these city streets the City suffers severe traffic congestion at the intersection of Garrison and Monroe Streets as motorists seek to take the Garrison Street Overpass, blocking traffic on North Monroe Street all the way from Garrison Street to Main Street.
Another concern expressed by citizens is the potential safety issues arising from hazardous and toxic chemicals carried by many of these railroad cars in residential and school areas within the city limits.
Many citizens have noted that the City and Union Pacific should build either overpasses or underpasses at these three city streets with railroad crossings as well as others such as Ferry and Second Streets to alleviate traffic congestion when the Union Pacific trains are blocking these streets for long periods of time.
Some citizens have expressed support for establishing “Quiet Zones” along residential areas so that Union Pacific locomotives do not blow their horns while passing residential areas within the city limits.
Union Pacific’s Eagle Pass Railroad Port of Entry has become the largest on the United States-Mexico border with the most railroad car crossings per month and is only going to get larger in the near future, possibly doubling or tripling the number of railroad cars passing through Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico.
