CSX plans to move rail yard south

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CSX plans to move rail yard south
Company views expanding site in St. Clair Township

By Joseph Deinlein
Times Herald

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http://www.thetimesherald.com/news/stor ... 87237.html (photo and map-poor vision)

Tony Pitts

MOVING: A locomotive maneuvers the tracks at the CSX-owned rail yards at the base of Water Street in Port Huron. The company plans to move its storage yard to St. Clair Township and its offices near St. Clair's industrial park.


IF YOU GO
PLANNING COMMISSION
The city planning commission will meet at 7 p.m. in City Hall, 547 N. Carney Drive.

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CSX Transportation is looking to relocate its Port Huron railroad storage yard to St. Clair Township. It also hopes to construct a new building near the city of St. Clair's industrial park.

The company is to meet with the city planning commission tonight to discuss plans to build an office and maintenance building at 4370 Yankee Road.

The company needs only federal approval for the yard. Local municipal approval is needed for the building.

The rail yard would stretch about two miles between Davis and Yankee roads along an existing CSX railroad track.

Acheson Ventures plans to redevelop the 10-acre rail yard along the St. Clair River in Port Huron as part of its Desmond Landing project.

Tom Drake, CSX regional vice president of public affairs, said the new rail yard would be an extension of a small yard south of Davis Road. He said the yard temporarily stores train cars before they are taken to local customers, such as Marysville Underground Storage in Marysville or the BP Amoco facility in St. Clair.

"We're moving it down south where it will be a lot closer to many of our customers," Drake said.

The company hopes to start work this spring.

Dan Carnahan, 44, who lives on Range Road near the proposed rail yard, is concerned about the safety of his children and others who might wander into the area. Because CSX is regulated by the federal government, not local governments, he said there's little he can do.

"It's out of my hands," Carnahan said. "They're going to do something regardless of whether I like it."

City and township officials also worry about safety at the site, given the proximity of St. Clair Middle School on Yankee Road and several other subdivisions off River Road.

"There's a big concern about, heaven forbid an event happens, but how do we deal with it if it does?" said Jeff Sergent, the city's director of building and planning.

Drake said the company is committed to safety and will do what is necessary to be good neighbors.

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In Brief
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Planning board approves CSX plan

ST. CLAIR -- The city planning commission Wednesday approved the site plan for a new CSX Transportation office building off Yankee Road near the city's industrial park. The building is part of a larger rail-switching yard that would span between Davis and Yankee roads in St. Clair Township. City and township officials were concerned about fire safety, but Jeff Sergent, the city's director of building and planning, said a hydrant, plus a fire-department tanker truck, is enough to fight a fire at the building. The company is regulated by the Federal Railroad Administration and technically didn't have to come to the city, Sergent said. "They did it to be good neighbors," project contractor Dennis Krausenek said. Township Supervisor Sandra Kilby requested CSX officials speak at an upcoming township meeting about the project. The company hopes to start work in the spring.

http://www.thetimesherald.com/news/stor ... 92781.html