There are a couple of projects of which we all should be aware.
1. Take a drive headed east on South 124th Street in Allentown. This already busy street along the community center and through the Allentown neighborhood is the primary route for trucks entering and exiting the Burlington Northern Santa Fe intermodal rail yard. What they do is important. However, would you want this traffic in your neighborhood? Think there might be legitimate concerns about safety, health and property values? Of course.
2: Drive along the streets bordering the BNSF railyard. Imagine how the light, noise and vibrations might affect your life if you lived there.
The good news is that the city is working toward solutions. In the first case, they are looking for alternative routes for the trucks. One or two involve the construction of a bridge. In the second case, the city hopes to abate the conditions noted above.
These are long-term projects. Residents must be patient. Who will pay the bill? Will BNSF choose to participate and to what degree? Are there any reasonable prospects for grants? When preparation meets opportunity, good things can happen. We shall see.
