State Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) is excited to announce that after years of advocacy, the dilapidated train trestle located in Jefferson County will be demolished.
“I have been actively working to have this trestle demolished for more than seven years. 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,” said Sen. Bryant. “Canadian National will finally take responsibility for their property and, with support from IDOT, will begin demolition later this month.”
Sen. Bryant began working toward the demolition of the Waltonville trestle, located on Illinois Route 148, in 2015. The abandoned railroad is owned by Canadian National, a Montreal-based freight railway company.
“Decades ago, this trestle was used to haul coal, but it’s been left abandoned and deteriorating for years. Wood is rotting, trees are sprouting throughout the structure, and pieces of the track are coming loose,” said Sen. Bryant. “I’m beyond grateful that we are finally able to address these safety concerns and remove the structure before someone gets hurt.”
Sen. Bryant also noted that beyond the glaring safety concerns, the trestle also hindered farmers and truckers from utilizing the roadway.
“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.”
Sen. Bryant has received word from Canadian National that demolition of the railroad trestle will take place beginning Aug. 21.