The seldom-used railway crossing warning system at the intersection of Fourth Street and Victoria Road is coming down.
City of Revelstoke engineering director Mike Thomas explained that CP has deemed it unnecessary since trains cross the intersection only a handful of times a year.
The two large metal towers with lights, bells and signs will be taken down.
The City of Revelstoke will pay $14,000, half the cost of removal. Thomas said it’s expected to pay for itself in a few years because the city pays CP $3,656 annually for maintenance of the crossing warning system. The city is also on the hook for repairs if someone crashes into the metal towers.
CP will continue to use the short spur line for yard purposes.
Revelstoke city council will vote on the engineering department recommendation shortly.
Approval of the concept seems likely, as it will also make room for potential upgrades to the dangerous intersection.
ICBC studies signage in Revelstoke
Traffic experts from the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia have been in Revelstoke to study city road signage, with a view to modernizing, harmonizing and improving city transportation signs. They’ve provided a draft report to the City of Revelstoke, which should make its way to city council soon.
“All of the signs should be consistent,” Thomas noted. “They should say the same thing, but they don’t.”
Some signs are improperly installed or no longer meet contemporary safety standards.
If all goes well, the report could pave the way for potential ICBC funding to assist with some roadway safety improvements.
“It was a good experience and now we’ve got this big report to work out and digest,” Thomas said.
He said his two main transportation infrastructure priorities are the Victoria Road & Fourth Street East intersection and the Mutas Loop road on Victoria Road at the Trans-Canada Highway. No work is budgeted for either this year.
City council still hasn’t adopted the Transportation Master Plan, which has been in development since 2010. Roundabout plans for both of the troubled intersections were presented in a draft version of the transportation plan in early 2011.
Staff changes have led to an extended delay of the transportation plan. Thomas said that short-term improvements are his priority, such as shifting paving projects from residential neighbourhoods to Victoria Road, for example.
