(The following story by William Johnson appeared on the Daily World website on November 5.)
OPELOUSAS, La. — Russell Miller, who lives just across the Union Pacific Railroad tracks east of Port Barre, can’t go home.
“They just came one morning and when I arrived from work I had no way to get home,” Miller said.
Miller said crews from Union Pacific cut deep ditches on either side of the private crossing that has connected his home with U.S. 190 for the past three years.
Robert Taylor, who lives just down the road from Miller, said the railroad told him it plans to do the same thing to his private crossing within a month.
Paul Rathgeber, manager of industry and public projects engineering for Union Pacific, said the railroad is seeking to remove dozens of private crossings in the parish to help limit the number of potential accidents.
The parish currently leads the state in the number of fatal railroad-related accidents.
He declined further comment, referring all questions to the railroad public relations office, which did not return calls by press time.
“They told us the federal government has required them to do it,” Miller said.
In place of the crossings currently used by Taylor and Miller, the railroad is urging them to use a nearby private crossing that empties into the driveway of Kenneth Miller.
According to Taylor, the railroad will sell them a portion of its 50-foot right-of-way beside the track so they can build private roads from that crossing to their property.
Taylor is not sure what purchasing the right-of-way will cost, but estimates he would have to spend about $10,000 to build the road.
“I just spent $8,000 to build my crossing. I definitely can’t afford that right now,” Taylor said.
Attorney Jefferson J. Moss, who is representing another homeowner in the area, believes the railroad should pay for the roads.
“The legislature has granted railroads the rights of expropriation. With that comes obligations. They are taking away a $10,000 assets from these people – they need to give these people a right of access.” Moss said.
Kenneth Miller and his wife Elise are not sure the railroad’s plan makes much sense. For one thing it is going to mean a lot of people driving through their yard.
In addition to their neighbors, there is a cell phone tower adjoining their property used by six different companies.
“I don’t see why it would be any safer to have 20 people going through one crossing instead of three,” Kenneth Miller said.