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Friday Ceremony to Celebrate Elevated Railroad Tracks

What:     The City of Olathe will officially mark the elimination of train caused delays on the eastern railroad tracks. 

When:     Friday, April 11, 2008 at 10:30

Where:   On the southeast side of the new railroad bridge on Ridgeview Road in Olathe.  The location is just north of Santa Fe on Ridgeview

Visuals: 

  • The final train horn sounding as a train passes over the crossing on the new railroad bridge.  (tentative)
  • The final lowering of the crossing arm blocking traffic on Ridgeview.
  • A ceremonial "disposal" of a crossing arm  (Note, this may include violence after years of frustration)
  • The ceremonial removal of the spikes holding the final stretch of street level rail
  • Comments during ceremony with the railroad grade separation project, including the artwork on the Ridgeview crossing and a train passing overhead, in the background

IFor more up-to-date City of Olathe info. including Construction Alerts and Job Opportunities, visit the City website at www.olatheks.org.
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100 E. Santa Fe; Olathe, KS 66061
913-971-8700

terviews:

  • United States Senator Pat Roberts (a key project supporter)
  • Olathe Mayor Michael Copeland and elected City Leaders
  • BNSF General Director of Communications, Steve Forsbrg
  • TranSystems, Senior Associate, Steve Schmidt
  • Jim Terry, a former railroad engineer who actually drove trains through Olathe.  While working for TranSystems, Jim came up with the concept of elevating the tracks.

 

Of Note:

  • Cities as far away as Mississippi have contacted Olathe to possibly emulate this remarkable project.
  • Trains on the eastern tracks have blocked motorists in Olathe since the first Model T's arrived in Johnson County
  • Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of car trips have been delayed by trains on the eastern tracks.
  • 7,000 vehicles were blocked each day equating to about 580 hours of time motorists spend waiting for trains on at the intersections last year.
  • East track train delays were equivalent to 24 cars idling in Olathe 24-hours per day, 7 days a week and 365 day per year.

 

Contacts:        Tim Danneberg, City of Olathe (913) 522-8420

                         Jennifer Sherwood, TranSystems (913) 461-5672

                        Sarah Little, Senator Roberts' office (202) 224-4774

 

For more up-to-date City of Olathe info. including Construction Alerts and Job Opportunities, visit the City website at www.olatheks.org.

To unsubscribe to this newsgroup go to http://www.olatheks.org/news/list

You may also receive the citizen newsletter via e-mail; go to http://www.olatheks.org/News/OlatheLink

100 E. Santa Fe; Olathe, KS 66061
913-971-8700