There WAS a law limiting the amount of time a train could delay vehicle traffic. Is it true that this law is no longer in effect?? The Allen Rd. crossing is absolutely ridiculous!
Where's Maddy Maroun when you need him? He wants to build a bridge, go on ahead and run an overhead span from Van Horn to the south, and McInerney's to the North: I'll gladly pay a toll to avoid the unpredictable traffic delays that occur more-frequently than not.

Judge Nancy Edmunds ruled that the rail roads have the right of way despite Michigan Uniform Vehicle code that only allowed them to block for 5 min. The property owners need to sue.

this is a danger to the public

You can vote on it in the August election to allow the City to sell 10 million in Bonds to install a grade seperation. It will increase your taxes for the bond payment.

I have lived in this area for over 20 years and have to cross this train crossing every day. If I don't get caught by a train AT LEAST 2-3 times a week...I'm lucky (I've been caught by a train 3 times in one day!!!!). I have never been anywhere else that I have had to wait up to 30-40 minutes for a train. And yes, I understand that I live near a train depot...but it seems the wait for trains is getting longer. Is is it me or shouldn't the road commission (or whomever it is that makes these types of decisions) have planned better? Within the last 10-15 years, there have been a lot of businesses and subdivisions built in this area. With this, comes more traffic and longer lines waiting for a train...

The city of Woodhaven is adding an issue to the ballot to vote on adding a under pass for Van Horn and Allen tracks. HOWEVER it is going to cost $8 mil and the State of MI used up all of its money so it can only afford about 1/2 of the bill. the other 1/2 will be residents of Woodhaven to pay through their taxes. It will be about $100 - $200 extra on property taxes and will take 4 years to fix. there are utilities and wires under the tracks that will have to be moved.

Sibley past i275 Railroad tracks always blocked! seen many ambulances turn around from there. If somebody hasn't already died from trains blocking emergency routes,It will happen.

I just timed one last week at 27 minutes. That is crazy.

Tired of the e-mails

Still an issue.

I have lived in Trenton for over 40 years and these tracks have always been a problem. Not only Allen but Fort Street, Van Horn, Vreeland Gibraltar Road and just about everywhere they cross a street. They used to have signs posted that if the train tied up the crossing for more than 10 minuets they could be fined. I think the police got tiered of hearing about it and took them down. They would rather make their money with radar speed traps. I thought they would do something after Riverside Hospital closed so the EMS could get the emergency room at South Shore. But I am still getting stuck at the crossings for 20 to 30 minuets.

.....and no one cares. How frustrating. We have heard about the under/over pass plans for at least 20 years but nothing happens. Maybe instead of wasteing money on things like Uncle Sam Jam, we could invest in this problem.

That's because the crossing's near a major yard.

I have seriously considered going all terrorist on this stupid train. I spent a total of 1 hour 45 minutes here total in a day on many occasions. Can we at least get a port a potty? I've got 5 kids and you can't expect them to wait half an hour to potty. Please!!! I spend at least half an hour of my life here every day listening to toddler twins scream at me the entire time!!!!

they have no regard of decency for human beings. they just pull out, dont care who is coming or how much traffic is effected. Many times they drag thier tails because the longer they take, the shift may go in to overtime, or they may be on overtime and are trying to stretch out thier hours. The cops dont even ticket them anymore. Many times at some tracks, one will finish and another comes without letting traffic through. I am sick of it.

I was stopped for almost an hour on Van Horn (finally went around to Vreeland, which, lucky me, was not blocked). I was so angry by the time I got home I contacted my state and national representative, as well as MDOT. MDOT's response was

"As you may be aware, the crossing you are referring to is located within close proximity to the Canadian National (aka Grand Trunk Western) Railroad yard. As a result of the yard location much rail traffic crosses Van Horn Road while rail cars are being switched, which is causing the delays you refer to.

Prior to 2002 there was a state law in place that limited the amount of time a railroad could block a crossing. However, in 2002, a federal court ruled that the state law restricting crossing blockages was unenforceable. Only the federal government can regulate interstate commerce, and no restrictions currently exist.

I understand your frustration with the situation, unfortunately there is currently no remedy in place to relieve the situation."

Really? Nothing can be done? When someone loses a life because they can't get to the hospital due to blocked tracks, can something be done then? How about doing something now to prevent such a tragedy?

The deal for an underpass fell through due to funding. It was way expensive and Woodhaven wants help from Trenton, Grosse Ile, and Brownstown. I can't blame them, but it ainta-gonna-happen.

A life was almost lost there in the 1980's. I lived here all my 50 years of life and in the '80's, Woodhaven officer Young was in pursuit of a criminal. He was on the side of the tracks toward Skateland, just over the tracks. His back-up was on the other side of the track waiting for the train to move. It wouldn't and would't. Finally the back-up officer sat in his car and watched as the criminal open fired on officer Young. The car sped away and Officer Young sat there bleeding out as the other officer could only watch. You would think that would have caused something to be done then. Officer Young lived, but was maimed for life.

Is it just a rumor then? I was told that the city had the funds and everything was ready to go but the residents of the neighborhood just south of Van Horn off Allen voted it down because they did not want to be disturbed by the construction.

The News Herald had this issue in it a week or so ago. It said that the engineers met with contractors to discuss this. We had the money in the account for the prior estimate. But now it is more than 3 times the amount orginally discussed. This is due to underground utilities that would be effected. These utilities run the route of the tracks. This is not uncommon 70 years ago when the area was building up. However, the orginal designers didn't have the forsight for the expansion the area has had. At any rate, these utilities are causing the problem. Woodhaven said they would not pay the increased amount alone. Therefore, they want Grosse Ile to pitch in, since they use this route to reach the island. They want Brownstown and Trenton to also pitch in for the same reasons. These communities are not interested at this point. At least their leaders are not.

I think a vote or petition process is in order to see what the people want. But then the terms "raise taxes" will rear its head and all will end. I feel a little comfort in flipping off the engineer when possible. Especially when he sees cars comming and is oblivious to traffic when he drops those gates.

I don't know why we cant force the train people to stick to particular schedules, like the Grosse Ile bridge does. At certain times of the day, the crossings are guaranteed to be open. This way no one would be late for work, or could plan around the crossing. I also would like a warning sign at the corner of Allen and West, so you know ahead of time that the train is due to come. That way you can go toward Fort St rather than turn into the traffic, then be stuck with no way out.

Contact your representitive John Dingelberry before he croaks, he got funds to build a really difficult grade separated crossing in Monroe on Dixie Highway (which seems to have much less traffic than Allen Rd by the way). They had to dynamite through limestone to build it, and they named the dumb thing after him. Why can't he get funds for a bridge here?

Is that viaduct called "DINGEL-DUCT"? No one is going to spend money now. No Money.

Omg let's have a party on Allen!! It's been over 40 minutes!!! Lol

How is it that Woodhaven had the money to add an extensive playscape to the park?
Why can't they build a bridge elsewhere to create a short cut? Over the tracks on Van Horn so you can use Hall Rd to go around. Or perhaps on that vacant strip of land just east of the court buildings?

Got stuck again yesterday. Trying to get home to change and go to my dads retirement party. 45 minutes, and i finally turned around (turning around is a gamble because you never know if fort or van horn will be blocked). Missed most of the party. The number for CN is 888-888-5909. I have called them multiple times and they simply do NOT care about it. They do not care about the people in the community that they do business in.

Also, email your mayor if you live in one of the communities:

Woodhaven: Dr. Patricia A. Odette Mayor@WoodhavenMI.org
Trenton: Kyle Stack kstack@trenton-mi.com
Flat Rock: Jonathan Dropiewski Mayor@FlatrockMI.org
Brownstown: Supervisor Andy Linkl (Assistants email) angie@brownstown-mi.org
Gibraltar: Jim Gorris gorrisj@cityofgibraltar.net

Sorry to hear you missed your Dads Retirement Party! Lived in Trenton 16 yrs now. That train has screwed me up so many times! Late for work,picking my children up for school when the were little,Kids late for school when they took the bus, late coming home because the bus is stuck by the train, doctors appointments. It is a gamble to turn around too. Been there done that several times.Then your just stuck again! And yes you are right they don't care.From my understanding they just get their tickets for holding up traffic (if the police are called). They take it to court and they pay half. And everyone is happy. And apparently if you don't call the train police or the police at the start of the train to report how long you have been sitting there they won't give a ticket. I have seen ambulances at least 3 times waiting with their lights pulled up on the wrong side of the road waiting to cross!

They wouldn't be able to put a bridge over Van Horn, because I-75 goes over it pretty close to the tracks. I hope the vote passes because I'm sick of my employees being late! And I really don't see the point in "flipping off" the engineer. I have a family member who works for CN railroad, and I'll have you know he hates it just as much as you all do, but its his job.

I have personally been on Van Horn when the engine is sitting there, and suddenly the lights go on, the gates come down and the engine starts to move. No regard to the traffic that is coming. Those gates will spilt a line of cars traveling along, rather than wait for traffic to clear. I have waited for a long period for train to clear, then another comes along without letting the conjestion clear. I have waited long periods to finally see the end of the train, only to see it back up two cars from the end, without letting traffic clear. I have seen the switch men dragging thier lazy a#%es around, to switch the tracks so the train can finish. I know some engineers are on overtime and purposely drag their a#%es slowly across the tracks so to stretch out their OT pay. Your family member JOHNBOY is just as guilty. No regard to the citizens of the area. If he is driving that train, he is the enemy. And the enemy will be flipped off. With all the money CN has, they could have done something after all these years.

smart phones are pretty commonplace nowadays. If funding is an issue to have an under or over pass built at Van Horn and allenthen maybe the company can find some sort of application to help people better plan their commute. an app that offer train routes times and current waiting conditions and it's easy as pie. I think this initiative should definitely be funded by the real company that wants to take up all of our time though!

how many times have you turned down Allen from west rd. to find immediately after your turn, that the train lights are going? now you have to U-turn somewhere. Or how many times have you had the option at telegraph and van horn, to go to Vreeland or west, rather than take van horn, only to find a train at hall and van horn? why can't they put up a light box with a picture of a train, or simply a light that comes on if a train is present at the intersection? If you see the light on, don't take that way. many times in the morning, I can stay on west and pass Allen, rather than turn on Allen.

Currently sitting at the train on Vreeland rd train going on about an hour because I refuse to cave and im stubborn.

I refuse to believe any argument that bonds cant be issued to build an over pass or some sort of fix to this problem. if you want to make an argument that our representatives do not understand the ins and outs of bonds then I believe we have a valid conversation. Of course all of you know that Van Horn, Vreeland run from Telegraph to Fort straighaway and that a main hospital is on Fort.

These officials that we have elected are underqualified to do their job simply because they spend more time trying to "run" a city rather than trying to improve the marketability by fixing its problems. The public is willing to pay a little extra to make the municipal that they live in efficient. Stuff like this has to go straight to the top

Keep voting for the Dingell family, that will get it fixed.

Check out http://www.fedupwiththetrain.com

You think that's bad how about a freeway that turns into a street and then runs down a couple of miles and then ends at another heavy Main Street But when it ends there is no traffic light the lines don't break and traffic is backed up for nearly a mile on this road that was once a freeway really stupid Detroit Van Dyke and Davison

Davison ends at Van Dyke Avenue it's already stupid that Davidson comes off of being a freeway they end Davison with a stupid stop sign all that endless traffic going up and down Van Dyke while traffic on Davison freeway road is backed up but if you go a couple of blocks down there's a stupid traffic light at Van Dyke and Nevada Street how the @#$% would you put a traffic light at that stupid street that also ends at Van Dyke. This street hardly has any traffic it's not even big enough to have lanes But this is where they choose to put the traffic light instead of moving that like to Davison and putting the stop sign Nevada

We wait on Allen Rd and Van Horn for 30 or more minutes today Nov 27 , 2017 about 3:43 pm until 4:25 pm for the train to pass please fix this issue.