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Regular Session, 2010
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 135
BY SENATOR HEITMEIER
RAILROADS. Expresses support for the relocation of the existing railroad lines in
Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes of the New Orleans and Gulf Coast Railway Company
and the Union Pacific Railroad in order to improve the public safety of citizens, reduce
vehicular and rail interfaces, improve air quality and mitigate congestion, and enhance
economic development in those parishes.
A RESOLUTION1
To express support for the relocation of the existing railroad lines in Plaquemines and2
Jefferson Parishes of the New Orleans and Gulf Coast Railway Company, a3
subsidiary of the Rio Grande Pacific Corporation, and the Union Pacific Railroad in4
order to improve the public safety of citizens, to reduce vehicular and rail interfaces,5
to improve air quality and mitigate congestion, and to enhance economic6
development in Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes.7
WHEREAS, the New Orleans and Gulf Coast Railway Company, a subsidiary of the8
Rio Grande Pacific Corporation, and the Union Pacific Railroad are pursuing efforts to9
relocate and remove the present active, railroad main line tracks from just north of the Belle10
Chasse Rail Classification Yard along Louisiana State Highway 23 and the Mississippi River11
in a northerly direction to its Gouldsboro Rail Classification Yard in Gretna, Louisiana; and12
WHEREAS, the proposed project wil1 include the removal of the Union Pacific13
Railroad trackage operated by the New Orleans and Gulf Coast Railway Company between14
its Gouldsboro Rail Classification Yard in Gretna, Louisiana, in a westerly direction to the15
Harvey Canal; and16
WHEREAS, the tracks being proposed are to be rerouted to coincide with the Walker17
Road/Peters Road highway expansion; and18 SR NO. 135
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WHEREAS, due to the number of rail crossings along these existing rail routes and1
the increased traffic expected due to population changes and development, along with the2
anticipated increase of activity due to Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve Base, New Orleans,3
Louisiana, expansion, the safety issues become more of a concern and liability; and 4
WHEREAS, this newly proposed route will result in increased safety to the public5
by eliminating the crossings through these populated areas, and would yield significant6
enhancements to the public safety of citizens in Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes; and 7
WHEREAS, the relocation of these railroad lines would result in the elimination of8
about one hundred thirteen vehicular railroad crossings, including sixty three public and fifty9
private railroad crossings in Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes; and10
WHEREAS, the relocation of these railroad lines would result in the elimination of11
approximately one-half of the miles of active track through Fourth Street in the central12
business district and approximately one mile of active track through the middle of Madison13
Street in a residential neighborhood of Gretna, Louisiana, in Jefferson Parish; and14
WHEREAS, the relocation of these railroad lines would result in the removal of lines15
which could be made available for enhanced hurricane evacuation and expansion of highway16
infrastructures along Louisiana State Highway 23 in Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes;17
and18
WHEREAS, the relocation of these railroad lines would result in the removal of19
lines, which could be made available to improve ingress and egress to existing businesses20
and residences along Louisiana State Highway 23 in Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes;21
and 22
WHEREAS, the relocation of these railroad lines would result in the elimination of23
the present Gouldsboro Rail Classification Yard, thus releasing some 80 acres for urban24
redevelopment in an economically depressed area of Jefferson Parish; and 25
WHEREAS, the relocation of these railroad lines would facilitate improved26
economic development and movement of goods from and along the new route on the west27
side of the Harvey Canal in a southerly direction; and 28
WHEREAS, this route could be used to stimulate and increase potential rail traffic29
from existing Plaquemines Parish shippers, including Chevron, Oronite, Conoco Phillips,30 SR NO. 135
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Harvest States Grain Terminal, and International Marine Terminal, as well as potential new1
rail shippers which might be developed along the Mississippi River in lower Plaquemines2
Parish; and3
WHEREAS, the relocation of these railroad lines would provide immeasurable4
public benefit in the form of reduced driving congestion, delay and frustration, reduced air5
pollution and improved air quality, increased mental health, improved police, fire, and6
ambulance response times, improved rail traffic potential with accompanying economic7
development stimulators, and a general improvement to the peace and tranquility of8
Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes; and9
WHEREAS, the relocation construction project is currently estimated to cost10
approximately three hundred fifty million dollars in 2010 and would have direct and indirect11
economic benefit approaching two billion five hundred million dollars for businesses,12
residents, and increased employment in Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes. 13
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana14
hereby wholeheartedly expresses its support for the proposed relocation and removal of15
existing railroad lines in Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes of the New Orleans and Gulf16
Coast Railway Company, a subsidiary of the Rio Grande Pacific Corporation, and the Union17
Pacific Railroad in order to improve the public safety of the citizens of each Parish, to reduce18
vehicular and rail interfaces, and to improve air quality and congestion mitigation and to19
enhance economic development in Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes, Louisiana. 20
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana that a21
copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the president of Plaquemines Parish, the President22
of Jefferson Parish, the secretary of the Department of Economic Development, the secretary23
of the Department of Transportation and Development, the chief executive officer of the24
New Orleans and Gulf Coast Railway Company, the chief executive officer of the Rio25
Grande Pacific Corporation, and the chief executive officer of the Union Pacific Railroad.26 SR NO. 135
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The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Sharon F. Lyles.
DIGEST
Heitmeier SR No. 135
Expresses support for the relocation of the existing railroad lines in Plaquemines and
Jefferson Parishes of the New Orleans and Gulf Coast Railway Company, a subsidiary of
the Rio Grande Pacific Corporation, and the Union Pacific Railroad in order to improve the
public safety of citizens, to reduce vehicular and rail interfaces, to improve air quality and
mitigate congestion, and to enhance economic development in Plaquemines and Jefferson
Parishes.