Medicine Hat Alberta - One of the most congested intersections in Medicine Hat could be opened up over the next few years, according to city roads officials lobbying CPKC railways to remove a spur line that crosses Dunmore Road near the Seven Persons Creek.
 
The line leads to the former P&H grain elevator further along Kipling Street, but the facility closed to grain deliveries after 2020, and is now privately owned with the intention of redeveloping the land as non-industrial use.
 
With no more trains crossing the connection between Kingsway and Dunmore at the Shannon Bridge, more room for intersection improvements could be opened if the line was removed, said city development division head Pat Bohan.
 
"We are doing road rehab on Dunmore Road (this summer) and we are talking to CPKC about potentially removing those tracks," said Bohan, referring to asphalt resurfacing of the area this summer.
 
Agreement might not be made on the rails or right-of-way, which is federally controlled and not subject to local government authority, until after the current work is complete, said Bohan.
 
But, he added, the change could be worked into other near term work.
 
Railroads are traditionally leery toward abandoning track considering the difficulty in getting new lines approved and the cost of reclaiming older ones.
 
All railroads must provide notice of intentions to abandon track on a three-year rolling basis as a requirement in the Canada Transportation Act.
 
Author unknown.