 "High-speed
rail is coming to Lincoln and Logan County,"
said Snyder. "If we don’t proactively
address all of the issues surrounding
high-speed rail, we may get stuck accepting
what we are given. If there are alternatives
that would benefit Lincoln, we need to
identify those and actively promote those to
our elected representatives, regulatory
authorities and the railroad."
The goals of the committee are threefold:
-
Develop recommendations on crossings, on
the locations of additional grade
separations and on other crossing safety
measures.
-
Develop recommendations for sight, sound
and safety screening between crossings
in Lincoln.
-
Develop
recommendations for the number and
timing of station stops.
Darren Forgy, a Lincoln resident and an
engineer employed with Hanson Professional
Services in Springfield, will co-chair the
committee along with Snyder. In addition, 13
other members will serve on the committee:
Marty Neitzel, who chairs the city’s streets
and alleys committee; Mark Mathon, city
engineer; Mark Miller, interim fire chief;
Ken Greenslate, police chief; Terry Carlton,
Logan County Board chairman; Dan Fulscher,
director of Logan County Emergency
Management Agency/911; David Lanterman,
downtown business and property owner; Lisa
Kramer of Prairie Engineers of Illinois; and
representatives from Main Street Lincoln,
the Lincoln & Logan County Development
Partnership, Lincoln College, the Abraham
Lincoln Tourism Bureau, and the
Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce.
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top of second column] |
The committee will have a series of
meetings from November through January
2011. A public information session is
planned for February.
In early March the committee will present
its findings to the Lincoln City Council and
the Logan County Board and will solicit
letters of support from community members
and organizations. By late March, the
committee hopes to present its plan to
legislators, planners, regulatory bodies,
Union Pacific Railroad and others.
[Text from
news release from Lincoln Mayor Keith
Snyder]
 |
