Boardman trustees wrestle with problem railroad crossing

BOARDMAN

When township Trustee Tom Costello thinks about the patchy, barren railroad crossing on Maple Avenue, he is frustrated by the problems he and other township officials are unable to fix on their own.

The crossing, he said, has been an eyesore and safety hazard for too long, and the lack of jurisdiction the township has over it is a problem as well.

To him, Youngstown & Southern Railroad Line’s owner Mule Sidetracks LLC, a subsidiary of MarkWest Energy Partners of Denver; and the operator, the Indiana Boxcar Corp.; are like neighbors to the township. Costello said he and the residents feel they aren’t being entirely understanding.

“All Boardman Township wants is for them to be good neighbors,” he said.

The biggest problem has been safety on one of the busiest railroad crossings on Maple Avenue before the intersection on Southern Boulevard. The crossing has been the topic of discussion for more than 15 years with multiple owners.

But resolution may be possible after more than a year of meetings led by the Ohio Rail Development Commission involving township officials, the Mahoning County Engineer’s Office, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, MarkWest Energy Partners and the Indiana Boxcar Corp.

Read more about the situation in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.