Vandals cut through unpopular levee fencing barricade in Edwardsville | Dallas Post

Vandals cut through an unpopular fencing barricade atop the Wyoming Valley Levee in Edwardsville, allowing the public to pass through the openings and continue traveling on the recreational path.

The fencing was installed last April to stop the public from crossing an intersecting, active Norfolk Southern Railway train line.

Intended to address the rail operator’s public safety concerns, the fence was viewed as an unwelcome obstruction by many accustomed to freely walking, biking and jogging on the path between Edwardsville and Kirby Park. The rail crossing is near the Wilkes University women’s softball field and Kirby Park tennis courts.

In response to the vandalism and public complaints about the fencing, levee overseer Christopher Belleman said he recently reached out to Norfolk Southern to see if it will consider another option.

Specifically, Belleman supports replacing the fencing with a traffic signal and arm gates that block the path when trains are coming through.

Belleman, executive director of the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority, said Norfolk Southern “seemed to be more flexible” in considering alternatives to fencing.

The authority is awaiting a proposal from the rail company, he said.

Belleman cautioned it could take years for both sides to negotiate and execute a new plan.

Modification of the rail crossing came up in the first place as part of an authority project to speed up Susquehanna River flooding response by addressing levee dips and gaps at this location and seven others.

Norfolk Southern owns the land containing the Edwardsville crossing. While the authority has an easement for the levee, it still needs the rail company’s permission to make alterations, he said.

The authority sought Norfolk Southern’s approval to modify the crossing so a gate system could be quickly set up when the Susquehanna River rises, eliminating the need for more than 1,500 sandbags.

After lengthy discussions, Norfolk Southern would not grant permission unless the authority installed fencing in the interest of public safety, Belleman had said.

The authority had to proceed with the project because its primary mission is flood control, not recreation, he said.

The new stop-log system of aluminum beams at the crossing takes a team of two or three about an hour to assemble, with the components stored nearby. In comparison, the past sandbag operation required six workers and about 27 hours to prepare and set in place, according to a report compiled by the authority.

Local resident and avid bicyclist Michael Giamber said Wednesday he has often observed people navigating steep embankments adjacent to the fenced-in zone so they could reach the other side of the path, including the elderly and those with bikes and children. These people still crossed the train tracks in a different spot beyond the fencing, defeating the purpose of the barricade, he said.

“This new path was becoming worn. If you put something in people’s way, they’ll find a way around it,” Giamber said. “I was worried somebody was going to get hurt.”

Giamber believes the traffic signal/gate option would be better than fencing. In his opinion, warning signs would be sufficient.

Belleman said another option — an overpass bridge above the rail crossing — would be too expensive and outside the authority’s flood-control mission.

“We’re not even entertaining that,” Belleman said.

Security cameras are not feasible at the crossing due to the high cost, largely because there is no convenient power source, Belleman said. He also questioned the likelihood cameras would capture identifiable images of vandals cutting the fence, particularly if they cover their faces.

In other authority business, Belleman said Wednesday a recent partial test installation of the Market Street Bridge flood closure structure on the Kingston side was successful. Belleman said no problems were found with the closure equipment or post holes.