Construction At Hillsborough Railroad Crossings Delayed

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Norfolk Southern's rail replacement project has been delayed into the new year.

Mayor John Ciccarelli provided an update on the project at the Tuesday Committee meeting, stating it will now be done in late Spring. As opposed to November, as initially planned.

Norfolk Southern had begun construction to replace the rails at all four of the train crossings in Hillsborough on Sept. 23.

In early October, criticism and complaints of the conditions of the railroad crossings arose, prompting Norfolk Southern to install temporary patches at all four railroad crossings.

"Fortunately, they filled the holes they made, and we reminded them they have to maintain the pavement at those crossings until the permanent pavement and rails are installed next year," said Ciccarelli.

Norfolk Southern's R3 dual rail gang will be replacing all the rail on 15 miles of their Lehigh Line later this year as part of regular infrastructure maintenance needed to keep the tracks safe, said Heather Garcia, a spokesperson with Norfolk Southern.

"Prior to that work happening, our teams unload the new rail adjacent to the track, cutting a narrow trench through the crossing for the rail to sit prior to being installed. Our paving contractor has since come out and rolled asphalt in the trenches to ensure a smoother crossing," said Garcia.

The team comprises of 70-plus employees plus support from local track teams. They travel the Norfolk Southern's network every year, laying an average of more than 300 track miles (600-plus linear miles) of rail per year.

Previous Reporting:

• 'It's A Mess,' Hillsborough Mayor Says Of Railroad Crossing Project
• Temporary Fix At Hillsborough Railroad Crossings Following Complaints

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