Kalamazoo officials consider closing some railroad crossings

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — The Kalamazoo City Commission will vote Monday on whether to enter into negotiations with the Michigan Department of Transportation to obtain safety incentives for closing three railroad crossings in the city.

The crosswalks are located at Water Street, Elm Street and Elm Crossover, between Main Street and Kalamazoo Avenue. According to city documents, the project could generate $250,000 for each crosswalk, in addition to additional federal funding.

The documents, which are part of the record for Monday’s meeting, also mention the potential elimination of a track that runs through downtown and the relocation of the Grand Elk rail yard near the east side of town.

City officials say it’s part of a much larger traffic improvement plan.

“This potential decision is part of the city’s conversion of Kalamazoo and Michigan avenues to two-way traffic. The resolution before the City Commission is the first in a series of steps in the process for the city to begin these negotiations with MDOT,” Michael Smith, the city’s communications manager, said in an emailed statement.

An MDOT official said the safety incentives are not negotiated but rather applied. The payments are part of a program aimed at reducing the number of railroad crossings nationwide by 25 percent, a U.S. Department of Transportation goal.

Transportation officials said some of the many benefits of closing the crossings include reducing the risk of accidents between trains and vehicles, as well as reducing traffic speeds through the new dead ends.

As city officials push to improve traffic flow, they say community engagement will be part of the process.

The Kalamazoo City Commission meets Monday at 7 p.m. at Kalamazoo City Hall.

For the latest news, weather, sports and streaming video, visit WOODTV.com.