Update on Catoosa Railroad Project

CATOOSA COUNTY, Ga.- The Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office has provided an update on the railroad project that is a partnership with the Catoosa Board of Education for the improvement of the tracks for the safe crossing of school buses.

The Sheriff’s Office and Board of Education have been working with CSX to have used railroad ties, and overgrown brush removed from the tracks at the Lovingood Road and Saunders Road Train crossings. Bus drivers are prohibited from stopping on the Railroad tracks and must stop and check for oncoming trains before crossing the tracks.

Due to the close proximity of the crossings to Ooltewah Ringgold Road, there is not enough room for the buses to cross over the tracks, then stop and look for oncoming traffic. The buses must continue on, and turn onto Ooltewah Ringgold Road, without stopping, after they have crossed the tracks.

The community has been urged to call CSX at 1-800-232-0144 to report the problem. When calling the following information must be provided the corresponding crossing number for Lovingood Road “340579L” and Saunders Road “340581M” to help get this dangerous situation resolved.

“Some progress has been made to the railroad crossings and we continue to work with authorities to get a little more done, but the bus routes are still diverted due to the bus driver’s view of Ooltewah Ringgold Road being obstructed,” stated the Catoosa County Sheriff’s office Facebook page.

They are urging the community to continue to make calls to CSX. To continue to follow the updates put out by the Sheriff’s Office visit https://www.facebook.com/CatoosaCountySheriffsOffice.