County Takes On Union Pacific Railroad

Union Pacific railroad crossing on E. College Avenue. Photo by MCDOT.

Milwaukee County is taking on the Union Pacific railroad.

Supervisors are demanding Union Pacific make repairs to a railroad crossing on E. College Avenue in Cudahy which is buckling a county highway, turning the crossing into a hazard for local traffic.

The railroad company owns the line running along the eastern edge of Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. It crosses College Avenue, a county trunk highway, between S. Pennsylvania and South Howell Avenue. At this crossing, the line is causing buckling, cracks and lifting pavement. The Milwaukee County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) has asked the company to address it, to no avail.

Now MCDOT is planning to use a state statute that gives county boards the power to require railroad companies to repair crossings. The county agency has drafted a resolution, and gotten sponsorship from area supervisors Steven Shea and Steve Taylor.

In its current state, there is a one- to two-foot lip on both sides of the rail line. This area of College Avenue, a county trunk highway, is a high traffic corridor, in part because of its proximity to the airport. “Since this at-grade intersection consistently experiences higher vehicle traffic, road conditions deteriorate at a faster pace than other roads within the County,” according to a report by MCDOT.

The supervisors said they have received numerous complaints of long-term and short-term damage to constituent vehicles because of the crumbling crossing.

If approved by the full board the railroad company will be required to make the repairs, according to MCDOT. The board will consider the item in January.

Legislation Link - Urban Milwaukee members see direct links to legislation mentioned in this article. Join today