20 December 2008
Railway Overpass Could Become Costly Error
Cambridge Ontario - It makes no sense to spend $31
million to build a railway overpass that's not needed.
Unfortunately, this could happen in Cambridge, in the showdown over the railway tracks that cross busy Hespeler Road.
The tracks support the Cambridge Toyota factory and local industries. Good jobs depend on them.
But the noisy trains also bother neighbours. The at-grade crossing has long been a notorious traffic headache, forcing
long lineups.
A win-win solution was within reach just weeks ago.
Canadian Pacific Railway and Waterloo regional government reached a tentative deal to slash road crossings by 75 percent and speed up
remaining trains, to shorten traffic impacts.
Trains would relocate to a rail yard west of Ayr, meant to serve the Toyota automotive factory in Woodstock.
While this was not the best news for Ayr neighbours, the overpass could be cancelled or delayed, saving taxpayers millions. The
railway would be spared its share of overpass costs.
However, CP Rail has since abandoned the deal, and has not responded to requests for comment. A regional report blames "recent
changes in the financial markets".
Speculation is the railway is less keen to relocate trains after Toyota scaled back production.
Regional government has responded by reviving its overpass plans. Soon, it will ask a federal agency to order CP Rail to pay up to 85
percent of overpass costs, by blaming traffic woes on increased trains. A ruling is expected next spring.
In 2005, the same agency ordered CP Rail to pay 15 percent of costs for an underpass on Maple Grove Road.
This range suggests CP Rail may face a bill between $5 million and $26 million for overpass costs.
The higher the bill, the more likely it is CP Rail may choose to relocate trains instead. But that's just one possible outcome.
The cost ruling could be appealed. Overpass construction, planned to launch in 2010, could be further delayed. CP Rail has already
withdrawn from overpass planning, which may slow design work.
The worst outcome? The parties spend $31 million building the overpass. This estimate includes $2 million already spent. Construction
disrupts traffic for two years.
Meanwhile, the economy recovers. Toyota prospers. The railway decides to relocate trains.
The overpass then becomes a white elephant, an unnecessary bridge siphoning maintenance dollars from worthier projects.
Surely the parties involved won't let it end this way.
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