Will a rail overpass bring north and south together in Strathroy?
Small-town growth and public safety concerns have sparked talk of a major infrastructure project in Strathroy.
A rail overpass is back on the minds of residents who are growing tired of being divided. For well over a century now, trains have split the community.
“We have a train that historically bisects our community. It is the perils of living in Strathroy,” Mayor Colin Grantham told CTV News London.
While rail lines were a part of the community’s early success, they present challenges in modern times.
For example, Grantham says a stopped train cut off north and south Strathroy for over an hour just a few weeks back.
The incident frustrated some commuters and had others worried.
Many residents say it is not the first time frequent trains have blocked emergency services.
“It has caused problems in the past. Once somebody died waiting for the ambulance,” recalled Zelih Camara, who has called Strathroy home for five decades.
“There is a concern, and a valid concern, with police, EMS, and fire” Grantham said. “What do they do in case of a train stoppage?”
A train derailment in April, 2017 sparked an investigation by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. (CTV London file image) Residents said a serious train derailment here in April 2017 amplified the need for a report on rail safety and perhaps another on traffic flows.
The mayor conceded the buzz about the need for an overpass is growing.
“It’s time for a conversation, and that’s all I want to do,” he said. “You know we need to plan long-term and see if we can bring other partners to the table.”
But until then, Strathroy remains a town divided by rail.
Camara can’t even fathom how many hours she has spent waiting for trains in her 50 years, but also said for now, it is part of the community.
“That is what we have to do, wait, or fly over it!” she commented in laughter.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Spike in 'violent rhetoric' since Oct. 7 attack from 'extremist actors,' CSIS warns
The Israel-Hamas war has led to a spike in 'violent rhetoric' from 'extremist actors' that could prompt some in Canada to turn to violence, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warns.
Russia announces nuclear weapon drills after angry exchange with senior Western officials
Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin reacted angrily to comments by senior Western officials about the war in Ukraine and Moscow warned that tensions with the West are deepening.
Summer forecast: What to expect as El Nino weakens
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Israeli army tells Palestinians to evacuate parts of Gaza's Rafah ahead of an expected assault
The Israeli army ordered some 100,000 Palestinians on Monday to begin evacuating from the southern city of Rafah, signaling that a long-promised ground invasion there could be imminent and further complicating efforts to broker a cease-fire in Gaza.