Grand Island – Drivers, be warned – beginning Monday several Grand Island roads will be closed due to construction.
The city of Grand Island Public Works Department was recently informed the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Company Double Track project will begin the week of July 16. Different operations will occur at each crossing over the next four months resulting in several road closures.
According to information provided by BNSF officials, culvert work is scheduled to occur at Gunbarrel and Webb Roads the week of July 16. The culvert work will require each crossing to be closed for two to three days.
Work will begin at Gunbarrel Road and proceed westward.
Operations to remove existing grade crossing base material and pave new sub-ballast material, under the tracks will begin the week of July 23. The company expects the work to result in road closures of four to sex days per operation.
The other streets closed as part of this operation will be Shady Bend Road, Bismark Road, Broadwell Avenue and Webb Road. In addition, private crossings will be closed in order to construct the improvements.
Shady Bend and Bismark Roads will remain open when Gunbarrel Road is closed. Due to the proximity of the roads, both Shady Bend and Bismark Roads will be closed simultaneously for the paving work.
Broadwell Avenue and Webb Road will not be closed simultaneously.
Traffic control will be set up to detour traffic when Broadwell Avenue, Shady Bend, and Bismark Roads are closed.
Other work scheduled in the coming months will require more closures, each requiring approximately a three day closure.
In September, it is anticipated that a track laying machine will be put in operation to lay new tracks. Other track improvement operations are expected to follow.
The work requiring road closures at these at-grade crossings is expected to be completed in November.
The city of Grand Island will provide current closure information on its web site, www.grand-island.com/BNSFproject. A hotline for the project has been set up at 308-385-5444 ext. 514. Citizens can call the hotline to hear the most current BNSF railway crossing closure information.
