Plan Commission Projects Could Mean Quiet Zone for Trains, Additional Access to Rollin Hills Subdivision

Projects considered Tuesday by the Effingham City Plan Commission could lead to a "quiet zone" for trains through Effingham and a second route in and out of Rollin Hills Subdivision.

The Commission voted to recommend the City Council seek the vacation of the CSX Railroad crossing on Haney Street. Haney is a small street behind Lustig Custom Cabinets off East Fayette. It serves an Ameren substation and two homes. There is another small street immediately east known as Oakridge Street. It serves one house south across the tracks.

City Engineer Jeremy Heuerman said the plan is to close the Haney Street crossing and install lights and gates on the Oakridge crossing to serve all three of the homes and the substation. Heuerman said the project would reduce the number of ungated railroad crossings in the city to three. He said if all of the crossings are lighted and gated, the City could petition the Illinois Commerce Commission to designate Effingham a "quiet zone"; in other words, trains could travel through the city without sounding their horns.

Heuerman said the three remaining crossings to be lighted and gated would be the spur line crossing on South 4th Street by Hendelmeyer Park, the private crossing used by The Equity on Temple Avenue, and the Wabash Avenue crossing by the Sherwin-Williams Distribution Center.

The project that could provide another way in and out of Rollin Hills Subdivision involves a plan for a new Speedway on West Fayette.

Heuerman said the Speedway would be located on the north side of Fayette between Walgreens and Comfort Suites. As part of the project, Speedway has agreed to provide for a northerly extension of Raney Street off Fayette. Heuerman said an eventual goal could be to extend Raney north into Rollin Hills to provide access to and egress from the subdivision to Fayette. Currently, the only way in and out of the subdivision is via Keller Drive.

As to the Speedway project, Heuerman said a full convenience store is planned as well as fuel islands, both for smaller vehicles and for semis, including parking. Richard Beatty, who owns Comfort Suites, did voice concerns over the possible noise level from the semis that would use the Speedway. Heuerman said Beatty plans to talk with Speedway officials about the matter.

The project will still leave another two or three acres of developable property at the location that the extension of Raney could serve.

The Plan Commission recommended Council approval of two subdivision plats. One is for the Speedway project; the other is for five acres of property along the south side of Illinois Routes 32/33 at Nazarene Church Road. The property is being divided into two lots. Heuerman said the intended use of the land was not discussed at the Commission meeting.

The Commission also approved a site plan for the Speedway project.

Commission members also recommended the Council rezone property at 802 Old South Maple, the former Joe's Bait Shop property. The property would be rezoned from light industrial to family duplex dwelling. Two one-bedroom units are to be developed on the site.