Crawfordsville officials provided an update Wednesday on the Crawfordsville Crossing Project, outlining the next steps in the years-long effort to eliminate train traffic conflicts at one of the city’s busiest railroad crossings.
The city hosted its second public open house at the Crawfordsville Career Academy, where residents reviewed updated project plans and learned more about how a proposed grade separation could affect nearby homes and businesses.
The project focuses on the intersection of Market Street, State Road 32, State Road 47 and U.S. 136 at the CSX Transportation railroad crossing, an area that has experienced traffic congestion and delays for decades.
In late 2024, the city was awarded $1.12 million through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program to support planning and development of the project. Since then, engineers have continued refining designs and identifying areas that could be affected by construction.
Mayor Todd Barton said the project remains in the design phase, but city officials are preparing to take the next major step.
“You’re starting to see the area of impact more clearly defined,” Barton said.
The city plans to apply next week for a Railroad Crossing Elimination construction grant through the Federal Railroad Administration. Barton said officials expect to learn by fall whether the application is successful.
The total estimated project cost is about $45 million and would include construction, property acquisition and any other costs associated with completing the project.
While maps displayed at the open house showed properties that could be affected, Barton emphasized that no final decisions have been made regarding homes or businesses.
“Nothing’s certain yet,” he said.
Some properties may require acquisition, while others could remain in place but face changes to access or views because of the proposed overpass. Barton said those decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis with property owners.
Residents have raised concerns about how the project could affect their homes, businesses and property values. Barton said federal regulations governing property acquisition are designed to protect owners and ensure fair compensation.
“Nobody’s going to get ripped off,” Barton said. “At the end of the day, this is a locally driven project. I don’t want somebody screwed over. That doesn’t do any of us any good. I’m going to make sure it’s fair for those people. If it was my house, I’d want it to be fair.”
Barton said questions about property taxes also surfaced from residents during project planning and said local taxpayers would not see an increase as a result of the project.
The majority of funding would come from federal, state and railroad contributions, with the city’s share spread over several years.
“It doesn’t affect property taxes,” Barton said. “Our section, we’d pay that over three years. That’s manageable within the current budget.”
Even if the city receives the construction grant, the project remains several years away from becoming reality. Barton said construction could begin sometime in 2027 or 2028, though timelines remain dependent on funding, design approvals and negotiations with affected property owners.
City officials encouraged residents to continue reviewing project materials and sharing feedback as planning progresses. Additional updates are expected as the city awaits a decision on its construction grant application later this year.
