Alternative Solutions to Railroad Impacts on Communities: Final Technical Report

The report is divided into two parts. Part A presents the overall results of each study phase. It begins with a description of rail/community conflicts encountered throughout the study corridor. (See Chapter I.) Problems associated with the conflicts and the contributing factors are identified. The findings from the corridor perspective are based on an extensive survey of corridor communities, involving a mail survey of residents, interviews with community and railroad officials, public hearings, and field observations.

Chapter II presents the overall results of the case studies. A set of six community case studies was conducted to develop a better understanding of rail/community conflicts and to identify and test potential low—cost solutions. The communities are representative of corridor communities in general with respect to characteristics, rail/community problems, problem causes, and potentially effective low-cost solutions. The nature, magnitude, and causes of problems experienced in each community are described in Chapter II. This discussion is followed by the definition and evaluation of the demonstration projects implemented in each community to reduce priority problems. The applicability of the demonstration projects in other communities also is presented.

Part B of the report consists of the detailed case studies One chapter is devoted to each case study community. Community characteristics and problems are detailed. Problem definitions include causes and estimated magnitudes. The demonstration projects are identified. Evaluation of the projects includes observed changes in problem magnitudes attributable to the projects and residents opinions of the projects effects.