The Norcross City Council voted Dec. 5 to have staff explore temporarily closing the railroad crossing at Holcomb Bridge Road and Thrasher Street to initiate a traffic study. The study follows a pre-preliminary design vetted earlier this year by Gwinnett DOT and Norfolk Southern Railroad. The council’s action also follows concerns over a recent train collision with a tractor-trailer that became stuck on the tracks.
Close to 20 residents and business owners attended the council meeting Dec. 5 to express their concerns about any permanent closing of the thoroughfare. Several business owners along South Peachtree Street noted their businesses would be negatively impacted by any closing.
The pre-preliminary design would reconstruct the intersection to improve the vertical curve over the Norfolk Southern Railroad Crossing on Holcomb Bridge Road by lowering the tracks one to two feet. The railroad has agreed to work with the city once a final design has been completed. The project would be funded by 2014 SPLOST.
If the county agrees, the intersection will be closed Jan. 1 for no more than thirty days, or the minimum time acceptable to have a traffic study completed.
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