Mounds crossing gets OK

By John Howell
Railway Logistics Services got the go-ahead Tuesday to build the rail crossing to Batesville Mounds for $180,140.
Aldermen voted to proceed with the project after several delays, including advertising for bids for the project before they learned that Railway Logistics Services has the sole right to build crossings for Iowa Pacific railroads.
“I think we have a public safety issue out there,” City Engineer Blake Mendrop said, prefacing his reading of a letter to the mayor and aldermen. The letter cited the city’s agreement to provide a protected crossing at the site, the partial completion of the approaches to the crossing and the pending grant-funded work to build a concrete walking trail through the Mounds area and a paved parking lot that will be accessed via the crossing.
“People will be trying to start using the crossing; there’s nothing to stop them now,” he said.