HOLLAND -- Much anticipated changes to a railroad crossing on McCord road in Holland are closer to becoming to a reality. Springfield School Board members met Wednesday night to discuss the future construction which will be bring major changes to the area.
"It is a good thing that everything's moving forward," explains Holland parents Paul Quinto.
Moving forward with planned construction that would turn this rail road crossing and turn it into an underpass.
Parents like Quinto are happy to see progress. In 2009, Cody Brown along with Brianna Mullinger, both students at Springfield High School tried to beat a train at this crossing. Mullinger survived but Brown didn't. It's a reality Paul Quinto is reminded of everyday, "my daughter actually dated the young man that lost his life in the train accident and the young lady that was a survivor of the accident goes to school at BGSU with my daughter," explains Quinto.
The Springfield School Board met to discuss changes that will need to be made for the upcoming construction, including changing bus routes, relocating the bus compound, and creating new student parking.
The price tag for all of this is $773, 820 dollars. Money which won't come from tax payers.
"We met back in the early 90's, I think it was 1992 and started pursuing this trying to get a grade separation, unfortunately it took this long."
According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, an average of 75 trains cross this road. News of an underpass is good news for people who cross it everyday.
"You got the cars flying through here, you have trains going by, it definitely would be an important of safety if they have an underpass," explains a Holland resident.
Actual construction on the $27 million project won't start until next year and should last until 2017.
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