Bowden chief administrative officer James Mason says a CP Rail executive has suggested the town help cover the cost to upgrade a rail crossing at 17th Avenue in the town to ensure it complies with new Transport Canada regulations.
The company has until 2021 to meet the new standards, which came into effect in 2014.
Town council has no intention of helping to pay for the upgrade because it says the crossing is CP Rail's responsibility, not the town's. However, council did agree to write a letter supporting any application CP Rail makes for a grant to cover – or help cover – that cost.
Mason brought the matter up during the town's July 11 council meeting.
He said he met with CP Rail representative about the matter.
“I guess they've changed the standard and the recommendation is that they put crossing lights in there,” Mason told council, adding it's his understanding that the crossing is “a candidate for the (government) grants.”
“He came and looked at it and he brought a quote for the upgrade. And the total amount – estimated amount – is $285,980,” Mason said.
That raised some alarm among councillors.
“It's not too bad if you say it fast,” Mason said, sparking some laughter.
“And that's without the crossing arms, which would be another $50,000,” he added. “But he doesn't think that they'll need crossing arms to meet the new specs, because he doesn't think it's busy enough.”
“What they propose basically, is that they would apply for the grant, which would pay half of it. And then they would want to split one half with us. So basically, it would be 25 per cent,” Mason said.
He estimated the town's share of the proposed project cost would be $71,495.
“It's not our crossing,” Coun. Paul Webb said.
Mayor Robb Stuart said about five years ago, the crossing in Bowden was repaired and the town received a bill for $5,000 which it paid.
Stuart said years ago, a railway official discovered that if communities were billed for at least part of the work for upgrading railways/crossings in their communities, at least some would pay.
“If they bill, most times people (will say), ‘oh, I've got a bill in the mail, I'm just going to pay it,'” Stuart said. “But nobody's really checked in to what happens if you don't pay it. What are they going to do? Stop the trains from going by your town?”
“For us, I can't see it being a priority for us, especially until we know what's going to happen on the west side of the tracks for sure,” he added.
Council unanimously passed Coun. Webb's motion that the town would support a CP Rail grant application for the crossing work “as long as the town has no financial responsibility for the upgrade.”
When asked for comment on council's decision, CP Rail spokesperson Salem Woodrow replied, “it would be premature to comment on this crossing as these evaluations are still in progress.”
“CP has a long and positive relationship with the Town of Bowden. We have been in discussions with officials and road authorities to educate them on the new regulations and each party's responsibilities,” she said.
Woodrow noted railways and road authorities (the town in this case) have until Nov. 27, 2016 to share information regarding crossings. After that date, the two parties will evaluate the crossing and decide its fate.
