Every morning when Paradis resident Colin Breaux heads to work, he glances across the street at the railroad crossing at Cajun Paradise road and figures it’s only a matter of time before a dangerous accident occurs.
Breaux lives less than a mile from the spot where parish waterworks employee Jacque Griffin, 19, lost his life when a train collided with his parish vehicle as he was crossing the Union Pacific tracks. At the Cajun Paradise crossing of those same tracks, tree branches that shadow the railroad obstruct visibility, making it very difficult to see if a train is approaching.
Breaux figures he and his family cross the tracks eight times a day.
“It’s not that bad in the winter, but when spring comes, it’s terrible because the trees bloom and you can’t see anything,” Breaux said. “You literally have to put the nose of your car on the tracks to see if a train is coming.”
Two years ago, Breaux took an entire day off of work in order to get something done about the matter. After talking to several people at Union Pacific, Breaux said that he finally reached the track supervisor, who told him that he would have the trees cut down as a courtesy – even though it was the parish’s responsibility.
“I waited and waited and nothing ever happened,” Breaux said. “I know that area is the responsibility of Union Pacific and I got the feeling that he was trying to skirt the issue by putting it on the parish.”
Parish spokeswoman Renee Simpson said that maintaining that crossing is the responsibility of Union Pacific.
“That is a huge public safety concern, but it’s a private crossing connecting to a state highway, and the railroads make it clear that only they can do work within their servitude of 25 to 50 feet from the crossing,” she said. “The parish is going to put some pressure on the railroad to get the problem taken care of.”
Breaux has tried to contact the track supervisor again, but the number has been changed. He has had trouble finding out exactly who he needs to contact now about the matter.
“For two years I have tried to contact Union Pacific about cutting down the trees,” he said. “I have a wife and kids and I just worry about it all the time. After the young guy died last month, I figured someone would step up and do something.
“There are about 14 families that live back here and its only a matter of time before something tragic happens.”
Parish President V.J. St. Pierre said that he will write a letter to Union Pacific urging them to take care of the matter.
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