SALT LAKE CITY — State and local lawmakers blasted Union Pacific over costs and delays to complete community projects along rail lines that they claimed put people's safety in jeopardy.
It happened in a tense hearing before the Utah State Legislature's Interim Revenue & Taxation Committee, where one mayor accused the railroad company of holding them "hostage" and a committee co-chair fumed.
"I just want the committee to hear what an awful experience it is for many of these communities in our state to have Union Pacific Railroad specifically in their backyard," said Rep. Casey Snider, R-Paradise, the chair of the House committee.
Logan Mayor Holly Daines testified about a project in her community that has experienced constant delays and cost increases as they tried to make improvements to an area of traffic congestion along a rail line. She accused Union Pacific of pushing for ongoing maintenance costs, adding the entire issue has cost Logan about $9 million and "no improvements have been made." The project, she told the committee, has wound up in litigation.
"Union Pacific has us in a stranglehold affecting economic development, transportation and public safety," she said.
Vineyard City Manager Ezra Nair told the committee that his city has tried to work with Union Pacific on moving a rail line to accommodate high-density development in the booming area. Where the railroad initially proposed a cost of $16 million, it has since ballooned to $59 million in taxpayer dollars, he told lawmakers.
"The railroad has taken the attitude of 'We don’t need to do this project so we’re going to force the city to pay for improvements above and beyond what we already have and future-proof our projects,'" Nair testified, adding: "They’ve essentially said the quiet part out loud. They have no interest in the public good and are only willing to entertain projects that are better for their bottom line."
Rep. Snider accused Union Pacific of blocking a project that would facilitate access to a hospital and not allowing sidewalks to be built around railroad tracks in Cache County.
"Because Union Pacific will not even let us have a sidewalk, kids are forced to walk on a major highway, the second busiest thoroughfare in our community, across train tracks and a highway to go to school," he said.
Before the committee was a draft bill that would essentially allow cities to go ahead and make improvements around a rail line and bill the railroad for it. But a representative for the railroad insisted that any issues were with public safety around trains at the forefront.
"Our focus when it comes to public interaction with the railroad is 100% based in safety," said Nathan Anderson, a spokesperson for the railroad. "I understand there are times when a committee or a community or an individual may see that as some kind of barrier."
He argued there were state and federal regulations on where railroad crossings can be located. In Logan, Anderson said there were problems with the system to know when a train was coming, creating new safety concerns. In Vineyard, Union Pacific insisted the line was still being used.
Anderson pledged to keep a dialogue going between Union Pacific and the legislature and cities.
"Mr. Chairman, what you have from me is an ongoing commitment to discuss how to get from where we are to where we need to be," he told Rep. Snider.
But Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, said he didn't feel there was any movement being made.
"We’re hearing a bunch of excuses but no solutions to the problems, Mr. Chair, that you voiced, the mayors have voiced, that every city that has to deal with the railroad has voiced," he said.
The committee voted to advance the bill, meaning it will be considered by the full Utah State Legislature when they meet in January.
