F&M Wows With Freight Yard Relocation Program

The public meeting at Franklin & Marshall's Alumni Building sponsored by the college, Lancaster General Hospital and Norfolk Southern drew from 400 to 500 persons over its three hour course, with close to 300 attending a presentation from 7:00 to 7:30 PM and almost as many at the Questions and Answers portion from 8:30 to 9:30 PM.

The upshot was that even most of the members of TRRAAC, an organization consisting largely of those most impacted, seemed to acquiesce to the relocation of a portion of the freight yard. Most people went away feeling better informed and favorably impressed.

A panel of 11 consisted of John Fry and Keith Orris, President and Vice President of Franklin & Marshall College (F&M) respectively, along with representatives of Lancaster General Hospital (LGH), Norfolk Southern, and engineers from Gannett Fleming who are the engineers for the project.

There was some feeling that the public meeting was coming rather late in a process that Fry indicated started five years ago and for which plans are now being finalized.

Fry opened the formal presentation by pointing out that Norfolk Southern needed a more efficient yard, that Lancaster City would benefit from connecting its eastern portion with the western portions, and that removal of a portion of the current rail yard will reverse existing blight and generate desirable sites for commercial, industrial and residential development within the City.

He added that both F&M and LGH need areas for future growth, stating that LGH was "landlocked at this point."

Fry indicated that the improvements would cost $40 million to $42 million dollars with F&M and LGH contributing $6 million each and Norfolk Southern donating $2 million. The rest would come from various governmental sources.

He stated that additional benefits would be the clean up of the existing dump (at least on the Baker Field side of the creek), reduced future truck transit, and remediation of portions of the rail yard that are current eyesores. He promised "profound and positive consequences for all of us in the future."

Rich Pugh of Gannett Fleming reported that he had met with representatives of The Rail Road Action & Advisory Committee (TRRAAC) and that the alternate sites they were proposing had previously been rejected either due to grade problems, inability to meet length of "train tail" requirements, or unavailability. In one case the land is being use as a retention basin for regional storm water. He also pointed out the Dillersville Bridge is only able to span six tracks, which is inadequate.

Pugh said that residents closest to the yard will experience an "almost imperceptible" increase in noise and no added vibrations. He indicated that there would only be a slight increase of diesel emissions, well below a level that would impact public safety.

Ronald Bailey, former Executive Director of the Lancaster County Planning Commission, acted as moderator for the Question and Answer program at the end of the evening.

Information generated from perhaps 30 questions included:

1. College Avenue will be extended to Liberty Street;

2. LGH will acquire a ten acre site on Harrisburg Pike that will be kept as "green space" until it is needed for future development;

3. Although the plans no longer indicate sound walls, the intention is to accomplish the same purpose either by re-introducing the walls or other methods, such as specially designed berms;

4. The estimate of saving 55,000 trucks trip over the year is based upon anticipated future needs that could not otherwise be met;

5. The project only will remove trash from its side of the Conestoga Creek, although this is where most of the trash is buried;

6. Norfolk-Southern is constrained due to limited local capacity with some customers having turned to tractor trailers; and

7. The diesel emissions from one engine are comparable to emissions from one truck. One train is pulled by two engines and replaces 55 trucks.

Fry indicated that F&M is the developer and would be responsible for representations being fulfilled. He also pointed out that F&M's hundred acre Baker Field is one of the most impacted properties, a sign of their confidence in the project's feasibility.

Jan Berger, representing the hospital, stated that LGH was "100% invested that the project is done right."

According to Fry, cleaning up the dump has added $4 million in cost to the project.

Perhaps the most telling moment was when Mark Whalen, representing TRRAAC, stated that the group supports the project, and is only asking that consideration be given to evaluating other possibilities.

From sporadic applause and the agreeable tenure of the audience, it was apparent that the the evening was a reasonably comprehensive briefing and a proper airing of possible objections. Veteran spectators of erstwhile Convention Center Authority meetings under then chair Ted Darcus could not help but draw a contrast in the conduct of the proceedings. Ironically, Fry, who did such a good job this evening, served on the Authority board for much of Darcus's reign.