(Florida television station WJXX posted the following story by Ken Amaro on its website on October 6.)
BRYCEVILLE, FL — In this rural part of Nassau County, many of the homes are on the other side of the tracks. Now it is going to cost to get there.
“First of all I think they’re trying to bribe us, then I think it’s a bunch of bull and it is not necessary” says Robert Mizell.
Mizell and four other families live on Hambone Drive. The only way in and out is across the CSX railroad tracks.
A few days ago, they found a bright orange sign posted near the tracks. It told them to call within 30 days or the tracks might be closed.
“This caught me by surprise” says Danny O’Neal. O’Neal has lived on Hambone Drive more than seven years and says he has never had to pay to use the railroad crossing.
“This is our only ingress and egress,” says O’Neal. “I was told they want each family to pay $800 a year, that is not fair.”
CSX spokesman Gary Sease says the company has launched an aggressive program to close unnecessary or redundant crossings.
“Those for the exclusive use of property owners will remain open, but we would like them to pay a portion of liability, protection, maintenance and upkeep,” says Sease.
The bright orange signs are the first step to begin a dialog he says. CSX spokesman Sease says anyone with the bright orange sign near their crossing needs to call.
“We are very willing to negotiate (a fee) based on the property owner’s ability to pay,” says Sease.
The idea is all a part of the railroad’s safety program. Closed crossings are safe crossings according to Sease.
Residents would like safer crossings, but feel they’re being railroaded by the railroad to pay a toll to keep their crossings opened.
“I think $800 per year is a bit much for access,” says O’Neal