Railroad Repairs Prompt Closures

BROOKSVILLE --

BROOKSVILLE - There will be detours galore throughout the county in the coming weeks as CSX works on nearly all of its numerous railroad crossings.

The railroad company is doing major maintenance to its line, replacing ties, replacing timbers at grade crossings, raising the rails and repaving the crossings.

That will entail closing portions of 15 roads for roughly eight days, said Gregg Sutton, assistant county engineer.

"This is a major disruption, and we're working to minimize the inconvenience, the detours and the delays," Sutton said.

Most of the detours will be "easy and short," Sutton said. Others will be rather lengthy, forcing motorists to "take a roundabout way."

He cited the detours for Powell and Crum roads as examples of the latter.

"The way to look at this is, the railroad was here first and our roads cross their railroads," he said. "We have to work around their schedule."

Over time, the timbers rot at the crossings. The rocky base, called ballast, sinks. The repairs typically raise the crossings up about 4 to 6 inches.

"That becomes our problem," he said, because the county will have to follow behind the CSX crews to lay new asphalt on either side of the crossings.

The payoff for residents will likely be smoother rides over some of the rougher crossings in the county, Sutton said.

On Friday, Sutton did not have an estimate of what the work would cost the county. He said the county did have to lease or make additional detour signs and barricades to have enough during the course of the project.

Gary Sease, spokesman for CSX, said its work in Florida is the first leg of its 2008 maintenance program. Crews start in Florida and work north to coincide with the arrival of warmer weather.

Sease said the company has "a very low" accident rate due to track failure because of its vigilant maintenance program.

"This is how we make sure the tracks are safe and reliable," Sease said.

Reporter Tony Marrero can be reached at 352-544-5286 or lmarrero@hernandotoday.com.

Closure schedule

Here is the list of roads affected by the CSX railroad crossing work and the approximate dates the roads will be closed. To view detour maps, go to the county's Web site, www.co.hernando.fl.us, and click on "Current Events." Detour maps are also available at the Sheriff's Office and sub-stations, fire stations, Brooksville Police Department, the Government Center, Brooksville City Hall and the county public works department. For more information, call Gregg Sutton, 754-4062.

Feb 18-26

Fort Dade Avenue

Feb. 25 to March 4

Main Street

March 3-11

Ayers Road

March 17-24

County Road 476 (Lake Lindsey Road)

Yontz Road

March 18-25

Manecke Road

East Avenue