How much of a headache are the crossing closings?

Just taking in stride because few Nebraska officials have any foresight.

what a fricking no brainer of a question.
Duh. An inconveince? No, never. I love sitting on 26th ave, waiting for the da*ned thing to get through, then figure i'll hurry down to 12th, and by that time, it would be gone. Oops,, guess i never took into consideration, that thee would be one coming from the other direction,,,,now another 5 minutes or more. Well guess i can get caught up on my paperwork, while sitting there. Do i sound sarcastic? No kidding...
And this isn't as good as it's going to get,,yet. Wait till we get the detoured traffic.

What a no brainer is right. Last Tuesday at 4:30PM I waited a Half hour for the switch train to play around. ( your right its going to get better, wait when the viaduct closes. Sure tell who runs this town, and it isn't the city council.

The tracks really are becoming more and more like the Berlin wall...

I personally haven't had any problems, but have heard many complaints. To: geoluckycharm, This is true, there aren't any politicians with any clout that have the forsight to see past their own noses or the next election, whichever comes first. That's why we're in the economic situation we're in, nationally and why whatever has been done or is to be done, won't do anything but postpone the inevitable.

At first I was upset but after I started driving to other crossings to get through I realized that I'm seeing parts of Columbus that I never drove by before. So it's been interesting for me to see other neighborhoods.

It sucks! With all the traffic that backs up north of the tracks on 26th Ave. to wait for the trains, if you are parked in the parking lot behind Tooley's, you can't get out because nobody leaves enough room for you to get out. The worst part is, is that you are stuck waiting for a train, and you are not even going to travel over the tracks. CAN'T WAIT FOR THE VIADUCT TO CLOSE!!!! Ha Ha!!

“You can't make a cake without cracking a few eggs.” The point is you have to put up with a small inconvenience to have progress. People complain that there is no progress in Columbus and then they complain when there is. Progress doesn't happen at night while you're sleeping and then magically appear in the morning. So quit whining and embrace the future or don't get out of bed for 6 months.

If there are any businesses still open in a year south of the tracks, it would be a miracle. Berlin Wall is right. I guess its fitting that the rest of downtown is a ghost town as well, with Wal-Mart and the rest of the sprawl out on Hwy 30. Our city leaders are deaf, blind, and have no vision or plan to help Columbus grow and become a better place to live.

Stop complaining! How many times did the city try to build additional overpasses and have the voters say no?

"Our city leaders are deaf, blind, and have no vision or plan to help Columbus grow..."

The "sprawl" out on Hwy 30 IS growth. Complain, complain, Columbus doesn’t have any new stores. Complain, complain, Columbus has new stores but they’re in the wrong place. Every new beginning is some other beginnings end. It's time to say goodbye.

Columbus has been "looking" at adding a new viaduct(s) for well over 30 years now. The current viaduct was old, 30 years ago also. The lanes added to the viaduct, that were useful then, are barely adequate now. Nobody wanted new viaducts back then either. Now that the people of Columbus are finally adding the new viaducts, their past short-sightedness is biting them in the butt now. Don't blame the railroad, or the city gov't... Blame yourselves!!

I live on the north side and I am not affected by the trains. However, ya'lls stories are hallarious specially the guy getting a view of other neighborhoods. LOL

Anyone who lives past the tracks knows what a pain this is. Progress should have been done years ago when this progressive city knew we needed to fix our viaduct. To the people who say "quit whining" obviously this hasn't affected you because you probably don't have to cross the tracks.
It doesn't matter if you leave your house 10 minutes earlier than you used too...anymore your still stuck sitting and waiting.

TimK

If you recall the last election to vote on the viaduct on 3rd Ave required that if this was constructed that all other crossings would be closed. DUH!! wonder why it was voted down! Yes, the viaduct should have been placed on 3rd Ave but leave the other crossings open. Maybe then we would have progress. Lets see this was the idea of the council to make this stipulation bc if not the UP wasnt going to pitch in a cent for the project. Now we have to build more viaducts to solve this idiotic situation. Does Columbus really need 4 viaducts...dont think so. Build one on 3rd, leave the other crossings open and be done with it. Dont let the UP have control over this town!!!

Having 25th, 23rd, and 21st closed at the same time is the main thing I can't understand. I'm sure they can't work on all 3 at the same time. Why not close one at a time and get it done, then go onto the next? But even with that said, sure seems like they have been liking to let trains sit and block the crossings that are open. As for a plan on roads and traffic control in this town, I don't even think those in control can spell "traffic control". This town is a complete mess when the factories have shift change, and that doesn't even have anything to do with the railroad crossings. You have 2 east/west roads, 23rd and 8th. Neither one is nearly enough capacity to handle the traffic that is trying to traverse them. "Power and Progress" with no "Plan" doesn't add up to much "Progress"!!!!!

To zwiddlez I say AMEN!!
To Sandy I say AMEN!!
Go across the viaduct and look to the east - UP has a total mess. I'm sure
they don't know what is going on either.

Be happy it only takes a maximum (on a bad day) of 30 minutes to get to work, that is anywhere in Columbus. Majority of the population of the US spends 2 hours or more in a commute. Find some good music and listen to it or maybe NPR while you wait. Maybe those "NO VIADUCT" signs that were up a couple years ago are putting the blisters on your bottom from waiting.

Hello, Columbus! I'm a Mimi from Tyler,Tx. traveling by way of the internet this AM because the cost of gas has made it impossible for me to visit your city this past summer. I have 3 beautiful grandchildren in Columbus. My daughter was smittened by one of your own a few years back and moved her home to Nebraska. I was looking for pictures, stories,or news that would make me feel more a part of their lives and not so far away. Your problems with the crossings made me chuckle because we have so many traffic problems in Tyler that yours appeared to be smaller in comparison. I will pray that your crossing problems will be corrected as soon as possible. We are to pray for those in authority over us that we might have peace. Blessings from Texas. Mimi in Texas

Amen to Citizen1
Amen to TimK
I haven't lived in Columbus for long but from what I've heard the rail road offered to chip in more money for viaducts long ago, but they kept getting voted down. The single viaduct has been a problem since I've lived here. People complain about the railroad, but how many factories that provide numourous jobs for residents rely on them. Now your only choice is to deal with it.

I live at Wagner's Lake, on the track side. Let me tell you. It is a missery trying to sleep, sit outside, or even talk to anyone in our house while the trains are running, switching, or sitting and waiting, meanwhile keeping all of us sitting and waiting at the ONE CROSSING we can use! I wonder what all the citizens of 8th street are going to think when we all have to use their road to drive on to get anywhere in this FREAKING town! What a dissapointment this town is. The mayor is my neighbor and I don't see him doing anything about any of this, so as far as I can see, he is just fine with this situation. If the council is going to let the RR run our town, we need to burn up their (council and mayor) phone lines with our complaints. Let's call them at say 9:30 pm at home. See how they like it, or we could ask them to take our kids to school when the viaduct is gone. We all know our little town motto, "The City of Power and Progress" is a total joke but do they???

Amen to doobsdragnbaby!

You are right no railroad no factories. No factories no no jobs. No jobs no city. No city no problems to complain about!

Raise the mill levy on the Wagner Lake properties and use that money to build a new viaduct. Then we would all be happy. Progress costs money and since you just volunteered...

I like to sit and watch the trains go by in the evening while I have a spot of tea.

I was just parking my car and walking aross but then I blew out my flip-flop
Stepped on a pop-top
Cut my heel had to cruise on back home
But there's booze in the blender
And soon it will render
That frozen concoction that helps me hang on

I have lived on the southside for close to 40 years. Yes, I believe a new viaduct on 12th ave. would have been a nice addition to our community. After all these years of people complaining every time we tried to build a viaduct, there seemed to be alot of excuses why it shouldn't be built. I don't get it, now we hear many people complaining why the city didn't do something about it. Well hello! Maybe the city should have changed a few city laws and did what's better for the community anyway. We would have still heard alot of whining and bawling. Seems our nice town of Columbus can't win on this issue.

I know it is not an option for some.
But since the ave's have closed we just avoid downtown.
It will only get worse.

The majority of the people live on the north side. The majority of the people don't cross the tracks. The majority of the people don't want to spend tax money on a new viaduct. These are the people fighting against a viaduct. The people on the south side complain when there isn't one. Majority rules. That's reality.

Reality,

Ive always thought we weren't one community. Now we know for sure. Thanks for your worthless two cents.

Reality:
The reality is that the North Side voters supported the Viaduct issue at the polls. Your whole dialog is based on fallacy not reality. Get a clue before you spew!

Yes, the tracks being closed is very frustrating, but keep in mind it is not a permanent situation...yet.
It is our own fault for not working towards a viable solution years (and years) ago. Everyone put their own personal agenda ahead of the needs of our community and now we are paying the price. Shame on us!

P.S. To frustrated citizen--the tracks were there BEFORE your house was even built. You can't complain about the noise since you chose to live there.

The thing about it that really bothers our family is that we live on 8th street, and in order to get anywhere we have to cross the tracks--yet we can't except for few openings. SO the crossings are closed, YET the trains think they need to hold their freakin whistles down all the way through town, even at 3 am....excuse me? and why? Thanks for waking my children again.

--Reality--

Perhaps we southsiders should sell
'our' Quail Run and build our own
viaduct.

To: Southside; I'd like change back from that.

To: Doc; My dialog is based on lunacy not fallacy.

to Sandy: AMEN! i live in platte center and work on the east end of columbus and it's absolutely murder trying to drive thru town! therefor, i usually take back roads to get to cbus, and sadly, gravel roads are usually smoother than highway 81...

the way i see it tho, is that hopefully after they get the bypass done north of town, it will ease the traffic in town a little bit.

i read one of the articles about how the council was concerned about emergency vehicles making it from one side to the other. i don't see how they're going to work this out b/c just as someone said b4, one train is sitting there, then when it finally moves, another one shows up and makes u sit a while longer.

i've got no problem waiting. usually when i am, i'm on the clock and getting paid anyway. but, i'm sharing the concern for those on the south side that will need to get to the hospital sometime. i once heard someone say something about a helicopter, but how long will that last until someone gets tired of running it for ever measly little call, or someone doesn't wanna pay the more than likely high bill to run the thing?

don't sit there and preach to me that the UP is going to schedule everything and keep the town informed about when trains will be where. corporate america doesn't give 2 thoughts less about inconveniencing others, as long as their bottom line isn't effected. and if anyone thinks that a lawsuit is gonna solve something when it does go bad (say in the case of getting someone to the hospital) think again, they've got a mob of lawyers chained up in a basement somewhere waiting to get their chance!

To Doc
Speak for yourself not others.
I live on the north side and voted against the viaduct because of safety concerns for routing traffic on 23rd ave and because of the clause to close the crossings.

To geoluckycharm:
Sorry didn't realize your ONE vote represented the ENTIRE north side. The vote count by Ward indicated the North side supported the viaduct.
Old saying that sums up your statement: Better to be thought an idiot than open your mouth and remove all doubt. Get a clue before you spew!

To Frustrated Mom: One dirty little secret that wasn't talked about much during the viaduct routing is that there is nothing in the agreements that would prevent UP from blowing their whistles while going though town even if all three viaducts get approved and all at grade crossings are closed. Now while you may ask why would they continue to blow their whistles when there are no crossings open, a very good question. I would pose a follow up question to that asking then why wasn't that written into the agreement?

To Doc: When someone wants to voice their opinion about something why must you launch a personnel attack? If someone has their facts wrong then simply point that out and allow the facts to speak for themselves, there is no disputing facts which are accurate. While geoluckycharm may not have had all the facts, they did simply state that the reason they voted against the viaducts were for safety concerns regarding the funneling of all the traffic down 23rd ave into two school zones. A very valid point that if the third viaduct gets voted in we will all unfortunately have to live with the consequences of that.

My uncle is an engineer and he says that he blows his whistle when he goes thru a town just because he can. He figures if he's up everybody else can be too. It's like mowing your lawn at 6:30 in the morning. I know this isn't what you want to hear but but that's how it is. Maybe you could park in front of the depot and lay on the horn until they get the message.

To Cacher:
Because I can. Who made you the blog police? The count is now up to two on those who have removed all doubt!

To Doc:

I'm glad that free speach allows you to do so. What I don't understand is why you feel you must do so!! With that please feel free to have the last word!

Getting the feeling there are a lot of things you don't understand, but then again it could just be me.....nah.
When someone sits down types out stupids, I just hate to disappoint them by not pointing it out. Oh yes they are their opinions but the ones I respond to are the ones that misrepresent the facts and do so in an authoriative tone.
Last words are the right words!

To Doc
"Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength"

I agree with Doc. If we want to chastise and insult people that's our prerogative. There's no reason for us to be nice or act humanely. If we have no life and no future we should be able to take it out on everyone else especially behind the veil of anonymity.

Somebody needs a hug!

To Doc
You're such a child. Shouldn't you be in school?

I do not know why so many people in this town think we need to keep any at grade RR crossings open, after the 3 new viaducts are completed. With the future increase in RR traffic, you will not be able to use them anyway, I guarantee it. They will continually be blocked by trains parked or traveling through. A side benefit of closing all of the remaining at grade crossings, is NO MORE HORNS.

Point 1. Perhaps the time spent
waiting for trains could be
spent improving the grammar,
language, sentence structure,
and spelling made obvious by
most of you Neanderthals.

Point 2. Those of you who are
complaining about the
shortsightedness of elected
officials are not stating
publicly that you will seek a
city council position. I
cannot imagine why! Perhaps
you fall into the group that
finds it far easier to sit at
home watching the mindless
TV sitcoms or to complain
than to think or to attend
council meetings or to voice
your opinions or even to run
for office.

Point 3. My sixth grade class has read
your messages. They find it
entertaining and educational
to study such poor writing.
Thank you. Your writing is
improving theirs!

L. Jenkins

Point 1. I consider myself a Troglodyte not a Neanderthal.

Point 2. I watch mindless Reality TV Shows not mindless TV sitcoms.

Point 3. I never got past the 5th grade.

Point A. Perhaps you could spend your time examining your low self esteem and therefore the need to make derisive accusations about others.

Point B. These elected officials chose to run for office and promised to operate this city in the best interest of the citizens. We expect them to honor this.

Point C. Do the parents of your students know that you are teaching them to ridicule others with "mindless" insults?

Your first point makes no sense. What is being made obvious? The fact that people are using grammar,
language, sentence structure,
and spelling or the fact that they are using them incorrectly? Please proofread your comment. You don't actually state what the problem is. Those who live in glass school houses...

I moved back here from Denver nine years ago after living in the city for over 30 years because I didn't want to deal with rush hour,crowds and big city life anymore. When I here someone say I had to wait five minutes for a train, I chuckle. Try spending 504 hours a year in your car commuting in a city. That's how many hours I calculated I spent in my car (that is twenty-one, 24 hour days a year). It is a pleasure for me to have to slow down or stop for the tractors on the road and the trains on the rails. It is a small inconvenience to wait 5-10 minutes for a train.

To Frustrated Citizen:
I too live at Wagner Lakes, a "choice" I made 33 years ago. The trains don't bother me--it's something you get used to. What keeps me where I am is the lake. Alot of these posts are getting way off track, pardon the pun. The issue is the crossings closing, not spelling, grammar, where you live or any personal attacks against other posters or the elected officials. If you think you can do better being on the council, get your butt in gear and run for office. If not, talk to your councilman or mayor, they will listen and maybe just maybe, Joe the Plumber can come up with a solution to the crossings problems. Until then, deal with it!

Five and counting......

To lovemylab: The last time I talked to my city councilman he said we will just have to "suck it up".