Dear Sir:
Regarding the story concerning CN’s extension of five sidings on its north line.
How nice that CN has decided to spend hundreds of thousands or possibly millions of dollars building new sidings in the middle of nowhere purely for the convenience of passing more trains and increasing train traffic.
What does this mean for Terrace? More blocked intersections at the Kenney St. crossing which is one of the main connections for half of the south side of Terrace.
The blockages are already unbearable for local residents and the many businesses along that half of Keith Ave.
Since the port went into Prince Rupert this crossing has been blocked multiple times a day and at key times when people would be going to work and school.
There is no good option as the Sande Overpass intersection is completely un-functional and uncontrolled, and any other routes involve directing large amounts of irritated drivers through residential areas with school zones and playground zones.
For some reason CN has this blanket and unquestioned right to do whatever they want and they don’t care in the least about cutting off a main roadway herey as often as they wish.
CN is no longer our wonderful Canadian National Railway. It is now largely owned/ run by Americans and its main purpose is to feed goods straight into the USA market from China.
Terrace is just an annoying speed bump on their road to large profits. This is now going to get dramatically worse, double the problem in fact according to this story.
Instead of sidings where is our second overpass? CN doesn’t think it’s their responsibility. They want us to pay for it through our municipal taxes. Why should we pay for their booming business?
CN contributes very little to our community except irritation and pollution. Have you noticed the toxic smoke billowing out of the engines as they sit there idling right in the heart of downtown Terrace?
How about the stacks of old creosote-coated railway ties they have dumped all along Highway 16 West just left to leach right into the beautiful Skeena River?
It is long past time for someone to hold CN accountable for their complete disrespect for our community and the residents here.
This was the first question I posed to all the municipal candidates in last November’s election, “what is your position on the second overpass?”
I think city council as well as the province (who CN also wants to pay for the overpass) and maybe the councils from other small communities that CN is abusing should all come together and make them address this issue before allowing them to double train traffic.
Maybe all the southside residents and businesses should get together and show our opposition to increased train traffic blocking Kenney Street. I think we should all start laying on our horns every time we are held hostage by CN so everyone can hear our frustration!
Honk if you’re sick of being blocked by CN! Make some noise!
Chris Arnold, Terrace, BC
