Workers from the BNSF Railway have replaced the crossing on Highway 14 south of Superior. The crossing repair work closed the highway from last Wednesday until it was reopened to traffic Tuesday. The crossing was in an advanced state of disrepair. A large section of the crossing protruded up from the ground this past summer. The crossing sees heavy usage by both vehicle and rail traffic.
At long last, work is underway to replace the BNSF rail crossing on Bloom Street in Superior. The crossing has deteriorated. Serious damage has been inflicted on motor vehicles and trailers which utilize the crossing as they head to Webber and Lovewell Lake. BNSF track workers assembled the track section which will be placed in the crossing. It will be covered with concrete panels. Work on the replacement project began Tuesday. Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, work is expected to be completed Monday.
Motorists planning to travel Highway 14 between Superior and Kansas have been frustrated in recent days by road closed barricades.
Last Wednesday the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad closed the crossing and began a major crossing maintenance project. A news release from the railroad received prior to the start indicated it would take about a week to complete the project. However signs posted by the state highway department said the crossing would be closed only two days. The railroad information was right. The road was not reopened until Tuesday.
The Express has not spoken with anyone who remembered a longer closing though the failure of the river bridge in the 1920s and the 1935 may have caused longer distruptions. After a 1949 flood which took out the stateline bridge, traffic was rerouted over the former highway route. That route also posed some challenges for low places were filled with water and some vehicles stalled in the water. This week traffic by The Express was noticeably reduced and there were reports of many drivers missing the road closed signs and having to turn around after reaching the crossing.
The official detour route took drivers through Burr Oak and Guide Rock. The more adventurous, tried to find other routes. Those who reached the river and turned west discovered the route from Highway 14 which starts as a paved road is a road leading to nowhere. One must go one mile south of the stateline to Diamond road to find a road that connects with a road leading to the Bostwick bridge over the Republican River.
While not a superhighway by any means, a road going east from Highway 14 at the stateline does connect with Diamond Road and leads to the Superior's east river bridge. Longtime Superior residents often call that route "Old Mexico" for it passes a once popular south of the border party spot.
Before replacing the crossing, the track was removed, new ballast added and tamped into place. Motorists who crossed over the railroad Tuesday report the crossing is now much smoother.
Before buttoning up the job, the railroad allowed trains to pass over and compact the ballast into place.
After reopening the Highway 14 crossing, the section crew moved into the Superior yard and began assembling the parts needed to replace the Bloom Street crossing. That crossing will be closed Monday but it will not cause as much travel disruption as there are other alternatives.
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