Closing of McGirk's State Street rail crossing discussed

August 2, 2011 at 11:35 a.m. | Updated August 2, 2011 at 11:35 a.m.

At the McGirk public meeting about the Route PP old Highway 50 intersection project on July 26, local resident Nelson Cook, far right, expresses his opinion to Jason Vanderfeltz and another Missouri Department of Transportation employee about the need to keep the State Street rail crossing open.
At the McGirk public meeting about the Route PP old Highway 50 intersection project on July 26, local resident Nelson Cook, far right, expresses his opinion to Jason Vanderfeltz and another Missouri Department of Transportation employee about the need to keep the State Street rail crossing open.

A score of local residents attended the open-house public meeting by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) on Tuesday, July 26. Although the meeting at the McGirk Community Building was billed as a discussion of plans to improve Route PP at old Highway 50 (now Lookout Trail), most of those at the meeting were more interested in expressing their disapproval of the plan to close the second railroad crossing at State Street.

The meeting was cordial but several local residents and property owners appeared and expressed displeasure with the closing of the second rail crossing. Among those making their wishes known were Clarice Nelson, Carl Kirchhoff, Nelson and LaVerne Cook, who spoke of the need for both crossings, partially because of the increased number of residents and an estimated 27 businesses which use the Route PP crossing.

For more of this story check out the Aug. 3 issue of the California Democrat.