CSX strikes again locking up and parking a train across several Apex crossings

A CSX crew locked up their train engine and walked off the job leaving a line of train cars blocking three street crossings in the heart of Apex at 4:00 AM Friday April 23rd until around 9:00 AM in the morning. Never mind that this left the neighborhoods blocked with residents not aware they could not cross the tracks at these streets. Never mind that should anyone need emergency help that police or EMS personnel did not know they could not cross at these streets if they got an emergency call.

What's missing from this report is that this is not the first time CSX has done this in Apex. From time to time a train is left parked near the same crossings blocking traffic in the same manner. It is a simple , but necessary, courtesy to the community for the train to be moved a few feet to leave the Chatham Street crossing unblocked. They could also have pushed the train all the way past the Tingen Road crossing and left it parked until a new crew could have been brought on scene.

CSX crews routinely leave engines parked at the Center Street train depot with engines idling all night and all weekend causing a constant engine noise problem and venting diesel fumes into the neighborhoods with no concern to the health and welfare of the neighbors of the entire downtown area.

Leaving crossings blocked for a few minutes during busy traffic times is largely an inconvenience. But leaving a train parked and blocking three traffic crossings with no crew to move the train could easily lead to a crisis for a local resident needing police or EMS help while the crossings are blocked. The extra time needed to figure out the train is not going to move and then find an alternate route could make or break a life or death situation...

News & Observer

April 23, 2010

Staff Report

Train blocking 3 intersections removed

A train that was abandoned by its crew and left sitting on the railroad tracks where it blocked three roads in downtown Apex for several hours Friday morning was removed about 9 a.m. police said.

The train was left parked on the tracks about 4 a.m., and when police contacted CSX railroad officials, they were told the members of the crew had reached their limit of work hours, stopped the train, locked it up and left, Sgt. Greg Rhodes said.

A spokesman for the police department said that apparently CSX sent out another crew to move the train.

The train blocked Tingen Road, Moore Street and Chatham Street, police said. Rhodes said the three blocked intersections did not cause any traffic problems. Drivers figured out alternate routes on their own, he said. Read original report...

Center Street School Bus Accident in Apex

A Wake County school bus was hit by an auto on November 16, 2009, around 7:15 AM. Apex Police and Fire personnel quickly arrived to manage the incident and take care of the injured but the event didn't get any coverage by area news media.

An EMS team carried the auto driver away and the bus passengers were offloaded onto another school bus. It appeared the auto driver was the only person injured.

These State DOT provided traffic lights were replaced in 2009 but the intersection has only one left turn light (seen in photo) to control traffic turning left (east) from Mason Street onto Center Street. There are no turn lights for traffic turning onto Mason Street in either direction on Center Street or from South Mason Street turning west onto Center Street. This school bus accident could likely have been prevented had the Town of Apex and State of NC installed the missing turn lights to make the intersection safer. It's likely this was another cost saving plan implemented at the expense of driver's safety when the lights were upgraded this year. It is unfortunate the Town of Apex always responds that Center Street (and others like Salem Street) is owned by NC DOT and that Apex is not responsible for maintenance or concerns along the road.

There are many Apex intersections like this where short cuts have been taken at the expense of driver safety by omitting some of the turn light signals. To name a few intersections - Center and Mason, Hunter and Peakway, Hughes and NC55.

As always, you can make a difference by asking your Apex Town Manager and Town Council Members to address these issues.

It's always interesting when events like school bus accidents get wide coverage on TV news and in the paper except when they happen in Apex.

Live local traffic cams

Check the nearby traffic before you head out. Live traffic cameras are available to help you steer through the maze on your way to work, shopping and other destinations.

Click for a map of cam locations. Click and drag the map once your are on it yo slide to different spots. Click on individual cam dots to see a current image of traffic. The cams are a product of your tax dollars. The Google map is featured in our local News and Observer interactive website.

Is the sky over NC 55 falling in Apex?

It's time for CSX to pony up and be a responsible citizen in Apex. A recent report on WRAL-TV news highlights the questionable condition of the aging railway bridge that is more than sixty five years old. CSX and the State DOT agency have both deferred replacement and repair of the bridge for years and continue to point a finger to the other side with regards to responsibility. Some 25,000 cars pass under the bridge each day on their way to outlying destinations and many notice gaping holes and exposed rebar in the sides and bottom of the bridge and worry that pieces of the bridge could fall on their car at any time.

Even though the DOT bridge inspectors claim to inspect the bridge every two years they do not go onto the property and conduct a structural examination of the bridge claiming that "would be trespassing" on CSX property. The inspections amount to only a mere cosmetic inspection and do not validate the structural integrity of the bridge.

As noted in the report, Tim Donnelly, Apex public works director noted in an internal memo, "The bridge negatively impacts our citizens and clearly the traffic flow and safety of N.C. 55." On any given day traffic is constantly backed up to the town corporate limits in both directions as a direct result of not replacing an unsafe, decaying and inadequate overhead bridge. Town officials and citizens have questioned reliability of the bridge for many years and pressed for the bridge to be made wider to accommodate the huge volume of vehicles passing under it to deaf ears on the part of CSX.

For as long as anyone can remember, the concrete bridge has been the worst bottleneck on NC 55 for commuters and locals and has been the one item blocking improvements in the road that could prevent most of the massive traffic backups through out each day. As the condition of the bridge continues to decline, drivers worry that it is only a matter of time before a chunk of concrete falls onto a windshield and causes a serious injury or a major accident.

What do you think about leaving an old bridge in place and allowing safety and traffic backups to continue unchecked? Shouldn't the bridge be moved to the top of the list for replacement?

Read the entire news report...

Update on Bumpy Rides in Apex

It seems the NC DOT may have finally gotten enough complaints about the north Salem Street area in Apex that they may have decided to fix it. But not until 2009. Good news for Apex residents and visitors driving or biking on north Salem Street between Hunter Street and Highway 64.

An earlier report about the rough and dangerous section the street indicated that the Town Manager and Town Council Members have not made any effort to effect repairs on this main entry to the town because the local philosophy is that "its not our road and we aren't responsible for maintaining it" reflecting a general attitude by Town employees, no doubt a top-down management problem, of not taking full responsibility for issues within town limits...

June 23, 2008
NBC17.com
Jaclyn Asztalos, Cary - Apex Reporter

DOT To Make Improvements To Apex Roadway

APEX, N.C. – Apex will see some road improvements in the next year.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation will be repaving and beautifying North Salem Street from Hunter Street to Highway 64 next spring.

Jim Stella with the Chamber of Commerce said that the road is the main entrance to downtown but is currently a dangerous roadway.

Stella said people swerve to avoid divots and bumps which could be life threatening for the many walkers and bikers in their path.

The road could also give people coming to town the wrong impression.

“Folks might get the impression that all the roads are like that in Apex and might not want to move here or do business here. If they can get it paved, do a nice job and enhance with flowers it will be a good gateway into the town,” Stella said.

Steve Halsey with the N.C. DOT said the project will cost over $120,000. He said the project will be completed by next summer. Original NBC17 Report...

Bumpy rides in Apex NC

When driving or biking in Apex be prepared for a bumpy ride and be aware some of the main roads are always spotted with major heat cracks and pot holes. This is not a new issue with the Town of Apex but continues despite efforts of citizens to get the town to keep roads in town in good shape. The town staff routinely answers complaints about many local road conditions with the response that "Apex is not responsible for road problems along state maintained roads even if they are inside the town limits". When road problems are referred to the town manager, Bruce Radford, the immediate response is that "roads maintained by the state and are not our responsibility and we have not been able to get anyone in NC DOT to address the problems". Town officials insist that the town is not responsible for problems with roads the state oversees even if they are inside Apex. This response was included in a recent news article pointing out problems bikers have riding on Salem Street, the road through the center of downtown.

Bruce Radford, Apex's town manager, states in the article that he is well aware of the problem. "Of all the roads I receive complaints about in the town of Apex, this one is much worse than any other," Radford said. "It will jar your teeth and your car as well."

An article published March 22nd, 2008, in the News and Observer (also discussed in the Triangle Troubleshooter) touches on a problem along a portion of south Salem Street that presents riders, especially bikers, with a constant series of jolts when traveling the road. Although the north section of Salem was not mentioned, the area from Hunter Street all the way to US 64 is much worse and is riddled with major cracks across the whole road that deliver a jolt to drivers and bikers alike. No doubt these are the result of high temperatures from years of summer heat but the problem persists and neither the state or town will make an effort to repair or resurface the road.

Other roads in and around town (NC 1010, Davis Drive, NC 55 and parts of US 64) are in similar poor and unsafe condition. On US 64 between Laura Duncan Road and US 1 there are no less than eight significant dips in the road heading toward US 1 that cause vehicles to drop several inches when driving in the left lane at normal speeds. The left lane of US 64 onto US 1 northbound at the US 1 underpass also has had a sunken area across the lane for several years and the state does not see fit to repair it. It would seem the likely cause of these dips is a collapse or compression of the road support beneath these areas from storm runoff routed from drains in the center of the road to the shoulders. This same problem is evident in numerous places along NC 55 between Apex and Holly Springs and suggests poor construction during recent road improvements that seems to pop up in many places around the state in news reports about NC road construction projects.

Since neither the state or the Town of Apex seems to take responsibility for keeping roads in good shape it would seem prudent for drivers and bikers to stay alert for poor road conditions and be prepared to be jolted while traveling local roads...

News and Observer
March 22, 2008
David Bracken, Staff Writer

No smoothing out in sight for a bumpy ride in Apex

APEX - If you're one of the many cyclists who regularly ride down South Salem Street in Apex, you know the particular stretch we're talking about.

Situated between Apex Barbecue and Tingen roads, this half-mile section is lined with cracks, unexpected bumps and the occasional pothole.

"I'm just not sure what they think cyclists are supposed to do there," cyclist Janyne Kizer said. "They're telling us to go there."

This section of South Salem, also known as old U.S. 1, is part of the U.S. Bicycle Route 1, which runs along the eastern seaboard from Florida to Maine. Kizer is one of dozens of cyclists who ride the route each Saturday.

Kizer has complained to the town of Apex but was told the road's condition is the responsibility of the state Department of Transportation.

Bruce Radford, Apex's town manager, is well aware of the problem. "Of all the roads I receive complaints about in the town of Apex, this one is much worse than any other," Radford said. "It will jar your teeth and your car as well."

In addition to being a popular cycling route, the section of road is an entry point into four subdivisions, Radford said. He has no idea when it was last resurfaced, and he says DOT officials have not been able to tell him when it will be repaired.

"We've not really received much hope that it's going to be repaired," Radford said.

Messages left with engineers in charge of road maintenance for N.C. DOT District 5, which covers Wake County, were not returned this week. Original article...