Pedestrian rail crossing safety discussed

As various projects prepare to update Uptown Creston and the Elm Street rail crossing, Creston City Council is looking for the safest options for residents.

During the Tuesday, Oct. 21 council meeting, Austin Smith of Garden & Associates said one of the final design decisions for Elm Street rail crossing improvements was whether to keep the two sidewalks or cut it down to a single sidewalk.

“It’s not so much a dollars and cents issue, it’s more of a safety concern between federal rail and DOT and BNSF,” Smith said. “The more crossings you have with the rail crossing, the more likely you’ll have an accident. We more than likely will have fencing to deter folks from trying to walk across.”

However, there were worries that if a sidewalk was taken out and fencing put in, pedestrians would still cross there.

“I think if you get rid of one side, you’re still going to have people walking on the other side,” council member Steve Wintermute said. " My opinion is, keep both sides."

With the new design, wherever a sidewalk is at the rail crossing, an arm will go down to stop pedestrian traffic, similar to the arms for vehicles.

Public Works Director Kevin Kruse said that while the council might prefer two sidewalks, the city doesn’t yet know what the DOT is willing to pay for.

“If [DOT] only think one is necessary, they’ll only pay for one,” Kruse said.

If the DOT only agrees to pay for one sidewalk, council member Kiki Scarberry suggested sticking with one on the west side as the Comprehensive Neighborhood Revitalization Plan will add updates and potential activities to the west side of Adams Street.

Wintermute made a motion to continue the plan with a sidewalk on both sides if the DOT agrees to pay for both, seconded by council member Martin Graham. The motion was passed unanimously.

In other city council news…

The council approved a new fire agreement with the city of Cromwell to slowly increase the annual fee to meet other contract cities. The fire agreement, which allows the Creston Fire Department to provide fire protection services for Cromwell, has been at $500 per year since the 1980s. The new agreement will result in a $1,000 fee in 2026 and $1,500 fee in 2027.

The city has acquired three vacant/dilapidated properties through Iowa Code Chapter 657A, which states a city can petition a district court to be awarded the title for a property that has been abandoned. In order to be considered abandoned, a property will have been vacant and in violation of city codes for at least six consecutive months. Properties acquired include 411 ½ W. Howard St., 435 Wyoming Ave. a