City of Rincon planning emergency exit for subdivision hemmed in by stalled trains
The city of Rincon is taking steps to add an emergency exit to the Picket Fences subdivision, a neighborhood that currently has just one in and one way out.
Rincon City Manager Jonathan Lynn said they are in the process of working towards an access road. According to Lynn, the project will cost roughly $1 million. Only law enforcement and public safety agencies will have access to the gated road which will serve as an emergency exit and not an alternative route for traffic congestion.
The Rincon Fire Department will host a meeting at 9 a.m. Feb. 3 at Pierpoint and Sterling Drive to discuss in further detail. The proposed path will be announced at a later date.
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“I don’t care what we have to do, we will get you out of that neighborhood," said Lynn.
Multiple train delays have been a growing concern for residents living in the subdivision on 15th Street off Highway 21 near city hall. Residents worry that the trains will prevent first responders from being able to reach someone suffering a medical emergency or a house fire, or that an oil spill from a train derailment could leave them stuck inside the neighborhood.
According to residents, the CSX train has come to a standstill numerous times and sometimes local officials are unable to notify residents as to when it will be parked there for a lengthy period of time. It is unclear as to how many times these incidents have occurred within the past year. CSX representatives did not respond to the interview request.
Meanwhile, residents of Picket Fences fear the worst. In February 2023, a train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, spilling hazardous materials into the neighboring community, including vinyl chloride, which can cause a rare form of liver cancer according to the National Cancer Institute.
The city hopes to remedy the issue to avoid a situation like what took place in East Palestine.
"We are aware of the what ifs that could happen," said Lynn. "We do not want them to feel like they are ignored or unimportant."
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Residents in Effingham County subdivision hemmed in by stalled trains
