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Regular Session, 2010 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 135
BY SENATOR HEITMEIER
A RESOLUTION
To express 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.
WHEREAS, the New Orleans and Gulf Coast Railway Company, a subsidiary of the
Rio Grande Pacific Corporation, and the Union Pacific Railroad are pursuing efforts to
relocate and remove the present active, railroad main line tracks from just north of the Belle
Chasse Rail Classification Yard along Louisiana State Highway 23 and the Mississippi River
in a northerly direction to its Gouldsboro Rail Classification Yard in Gretna, Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, the proposed project will include the removal of the Union Pacific
Railroad trackage operated by the New Orleans and Gulf Coast Railway Company between
its Gouldsboro Rail Classification Yard in Gretna, Louisiana, in a westerly direction to the
Harvey Canal; and
WHEREAS, the tracks being proposed are to be rerouted to coincide with the Walker
Road/Peters Road highway expansion; and
WHEREAS, due to the number of rail crossings along these existing rail routes and
the increased traffic expected due to population changes and development, along with the
anticipated increase of activity due to Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve Base, New Orleans,
Louisiana, expansion, the safety issues become more of a concern and liability; and
WHEREAS, this newly proposed route will result in increased safety to the public
by eliminating the crossings through these populated areas, and would yield significant
enhancements to the public safety of citizens in Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes; and
WHEREAS, the relocation of these railroad lines would result in the elimination of
about one hundred thirteen vehicular railroad crossings, including sixty three public and fifty
private railroad crossings in Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes; and SR NO. 135 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, the relocation of these railroad lines would result in the elimination of
approximately one-half of the miles of active track through Fourth Street in the central
business district and approximately one mile of active track through the middle of Madison
Street in a residential neighborhood of Gretna, Louisiana, in Jefferson Parish; and
WHEREAS, the relocation of these railroad lines would result in the removal of lines
which could be made available for enhanced hurricane evacuation and expansion of highway
infrastructures along Louisiana State Highway 23 in Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes;
and
WHEREAS, the relocation of these railroad lines would result in the removal of
lines, which could be made available to improve ingress and egress to existing businesses
and residences along Louisiana State Highway 23 in Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes;
and
WHEREAS, the relocation of these railroad lines would result in the elimination of
the present Gouldsboro Rail Classification Yard, thus releasing some 80 acres for urban
redevelopment in an economically depressed area of Jefferson Parish; and
WHEREAS, the relocation of these railroad lines would facilitate improved
economic development and movement of goods from and along the new route on the west
side of the Harvey Canal in a southerly direction; and
WHEREAS, this route could be used to stimulate and increase potential rail traffic
from existing Plaquemines Parish shippers, including Chevron, Oronite, Conoco Phillips,
Harvest States Grain Terminal, and International Marine Terminal, as well as potential new
rail shippers which might be developed along the Mississippi River in lower Plaquemines
Parish; and
WHEREAS, the relocation of these railroad lines would provide immeasurable
public benefit in the form of reduced driving congestion, delay and frustration, reduced air
pollution and improved air quality, increased mental health, improved police, fire, and
ambulance response times, improved rail traffic potential with accompanying economic
development stimulators, and a general improvement to the peace and tranquility of
Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes; and
WHEREAS, the relocation construction project is currently estimated to cost SR NO. 135 ENROLLED
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approximately three hundred fifty million dollars in 2010 and would have direct and indirect
economic benefit approaching two billion five hundred million dollars for businesses,
residents, and increased employment in Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
hereby wholeheartedly expresses its support for the proposed relocation and removal of
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 the citizens of each parish, to reduce
vehicular and rail interfaces, and to improve air quality and congestion mitigation and to
enhance economic development in Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes, Louisiana.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana that a
copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the president of Plaquemines Parish, the President
of Jefferson Parish, the secretary of the Department of Economic Development, the secretary
of the Department of Transportation and Development, the chief executive officer of the
New Orleans and Gulf Coast Railway Company, the chief executive officer of the Rio
Grande Pacific Corporation, and the chief executive officer of the Union Pacific Railroad.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE