Kalamazoo City Approves $3.225M Plan to Close 42 Railroad Crossings, Relocate Rail Yard

Kalamazoo approves plans to close, redesign downtown railroad crossings with $3.225M funding

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — City commissioners approved $3.225 million towards plans to reconfigure downtown railroad crossings and relocate Kalamazoo's rail yard during their Monday night meeting.

The Kalamazoo City Commission accepted a $2.575 million federal grant and $650,000 from the state to begin redesigning how trains cross through Kalamazoo. City Manager Malcolm Hankins called it a critical first-step in fixing a complicated and inefficient train network.

One of the biggest inefficiencies Hankins pointed out is how trains come to the city's rail yard at Mayors Riverfront Park from the north.

When a train comes in from the north, it crosses both the heavily trafficked Kalamazoo Avenue and Michigan Avenue at least twice just to get to the rail yard, often causing cars to wait behind the crossings for nearly an hour at a time.

This is because the trains coming in have to essentially pass the rail yard, switch tracks in the southeast part of the city then double back to the rail yard.

A poorly designed tight turn in the route has caused two derailments since 2018.

The rail yard itself needs to be relocated and rebuilt because it is not equipped to handle modern trains and the spot its in now causes contamination of the Kalamazoo River.

When the city built the rail yard in the 1800s, trains were not as long, averaging less than 2,000 feet.

Now, trains are more like 5,300 feet, and these trains coming into Kalamazoo's rail yard have to pull in, drop several cars, pull back out, drop more cars, and so on until the whole train is in the yard.

The outdated yard also causes trains to cross and block major city streets, causing long traffic backups.

Because the rail yard is in a flood plain by the Kalamazoo River, every time the area floods, potential rail yard contaminants like coal ash from engines, creosote from ties, and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons from diesel exhaust wash into the river.

State and federal funding could close up to 42 total railroad crossings

If the city accepts the federal funds, coming from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration, they will use them to tackle planning for this reconfiguration of the railroads through the greater Kalamazoo area that could include closing up to 42 total railroad crossings.

Accepting the state money will just about guarantee the city closes the Amtrak crossing at Elm Street, the Elm Street Crossover at the Amtrak crossing and the Water Street at Grand Elk Railroad, which often cause traffic backups downtown when trains come through.

The three contracts for each railroad crossing get the city $250,000 apiece, totaling $650,000.

The city will be responsible for closing the crossings and will receive most of the money after this work is completed, minus the $10,000 per contract they get up front for signing.

The city approved negotiations for these railroad crossing contracts in September 2024.

Right now, Hankins said there are two concepts proposed by the other stakeholders involved in the project, both of which would relocate the rail yard and fix the issue of trains coming into Kalamazoo from the north having to double back over multiple tracks to get to the rail yard.

Federal money supports planning for comprehensive railroad redesign

The federal money will support city officials in working toward a final, comprehensive plan to redesign the train network.

Their specific goals for this planning project are to identify and document the needs of all system users, lay out project goals and objectives including environmental considerations, ensure minimal negative environmental effects, and conceptually engineer design concepts.

The whole thing is in coordination with Kalamazoo's broader redesign of getting around downtown through initiatives like the ongoing Safe Streets for All and Streets for All projects, where the city is reconfiguring streets to support growth, safety and accessibility.

Once the city gets to a point of finalizing designs, Hankins said the community will have a chance to shape the project and give final approval.

In previous coverage, Dennis Randolph, Kalamazoo Public Works Manager and Traffic Engineer said the planning period could take up to three years and completed changes to the railroads could take as long as late into the 2030s.

"This is a complicated and inefficient train network and we want to fix it," said Malcolm Hankins, Kalamazoo City Manager.

Planning period could take up to three years with completion into the 2030s

The planning period could take up to three years according to Dennis Randolph, Kalamazoo Public Works Manager and Traffic Engineer.

Completed changes to the railroads could take as long as late into the 2030s.

The city will use the federal money to tackle planning for this reconfiguration of the railroads through the greater Kalamazoo area.

The state money will come from contracts with the Michigan Department of Transportation as part of an incentive program for closing railroad crossings.

If the city agrees to sign the contracts, they have to close the three crossings within one year of signing the contract with MDOT, per the contract requirements.