Sen. Terri Bryant | Facebook
Sen. Terri Bryant | Facebook
Veteran state Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) breathes a sigh of relief over the thought that the Jefferson County train trestle will soon be coming down.
“It’s finally happening,” Bryant said in a post to Facebook. “This roadway has a demolition date.”
Bryant takes pride in being among those leading the charge in arriving at this point.
“I have been actively working to have this trestle demolished for more than seven years,” she said in a post to her website. “While it may have taken longer than I liked, I am so pleased to finally see progress being made to remove this hazard and make our roadways safer. Canadian National will finally take responsibility for their property.”
Bryant said the trestle has fallen a long way from being what it once was.
“Decades ago, this trestle was used to haul coal, but it’s been left abandoned and deteriorating for years,” she said in a post to her website. “Wood is rotting, trees are sprouting throughout the structure and pieces of the track are coming loose. I’m beyond grateful that we are finally able to address these safety concerns and remove the structure before someone gets hurt.”
Bryant stresses her reasons for wanting the trestle gone are about much more than just aesthetics.
“Given the current trestle structure, certain sized trucks and larger farm equipment couldn’t pass underneath the bridge,” she said. “The only solution was for our farmers and truckers to travel around the track, costing both time and money.”
The demolition is slated to commence on Aug. 21.
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