Railroad crossing needs warning signals
Lowndes County has a location that could be the venue of death for a school child. The Beersheba Road railroad crossing is simply waiting for some school bus driver or a harried student to make a mental mistake and claim the life of another New Hope student.
Currently, Beersheba Road is used by at least five New Hope school buses and hundreds of cars and trucks, transporting children to New Hope School. We notice that new cross-ties and new rails are being installed. We have heard rumors that the speed will be increased, adding to the already excessive danger.
There are no flashing lights or any type of warning device activated by the approaching trains at the Beersheba Road location. It took the deaths of at least two persons to gain warning lights on neighboring New Hope Road crossing. One of those was my daughter, Laura. The other was Joseph Reed Andrews a member of a New Hope family.
Approximately 20 years ago this community rallied at Beersheba Church in an effort to bring attention to this deadly situation. We were told there was insufficient traffic at this dangerous, overgrown site to justify the expense of a flashing light. How can you determine the price of the life of a child?
In an effort to reopen this “cause,” we solicit your help. We have no hidden motives against the railroad companies that use this track, nor did we sue for damages in the accident that took the life of our daughter. Our only goal is to prevent another family from having to endure the nightmares, anguish and heartache of losing a child. I ask to be allowed to address the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors.
We would like to ask county officials to make an accurate assessment of the number of crossings at the Beersheba Road RR crossing. We want to produce petitions and make these available at neighboring schools and churches, so that parents may be aware of this frightening danger. We would like to make an attempt to involve as many of our county and state officials as we possibly can.
John F. Lumsden
Columbus
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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