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
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Haida elder suing Catholic Church and priest, hopes for 'healing and reconciliation'
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Yemen's Houthi rebels claim downing U.S. Reaper drone, release footage showing wreckage of aircraft
Yemen's Houthi rebels on Saturday claimed shooting down another of the U.S. military's MQ-9 Reaper drones, airing footage of parts that corresponded to known pieces of the unmanned aircraft.