MOUNT VERNON – The City of Mount Vernon has plans to rehabilitate the intersection of South Main Street and Parrott Street, which includes a railroad crossing and is used daily by school buses.
Safety service director Joel Daniels said Monday the city will open bids for construction on Thursday. They will not be allowed to order a contract with city funding until July 1, according to city engineer Brian Ball. He estimates construction on the intersection will begin by the end of July.
The process will be arduous, as the railroad tracks, gas, electric and water lines that cross the intersection will all have to be moved. Ball said the project will likely take 180 days, placing the estimated finish line in November.
“Between all that and the traffic that goes through that intersection, it’s not going to be an easy project,” Daniels said.
Even though the project will likely cut into the school year, when Daniels says “every school bus in Mount Vernon probably passes through that intersection once or twice a day,” the city does not believe construction will be an issue.
Ball said the proposed detours will not cause inconveniences for the bus drivers or students, and many drivers will be grateful not to have to pass over the intersection.
Construction on the intersection has been on the city’s radar “for a few years now,” Daniels said. The pavement on both sides of the railroad tracks is bumpy and inconsistent, creating an intense drop-off from the tracks.
The goal is to change the elevation of the intersection, creating a smoother ride for motorists.
Daniels said the railroad tracks will have to be raised to meet the new pavement. Genesee & Wyoming, the company that owns the railroad, will likely try to install new railroad tracks for that stretch near the intersection during the same time, Ball said.
Given the amount of traffic that passes through the intersection on a daily basis, the city is eager to face the challenges that will come with its rehabilitation.
“That’s been a very rough intersection to negotiate for school buses, semi-trucks and just the motoring public. So that’s going to be a good project,” Daniels said. “And there will be some inconvenience with that. We’ll try and maintain traffic as best we can, but there’s an awful lot of cars that go through that intersection every day.”
