Lack of upkeep at tracks
blamed for floods, debris
BY JOHNDUNPHY
Staff Writer
SOUTH RIVER — Severe storms that caused power outages and flooding last week have brought a recurring issue back into the limelight.
According to Borough Councilwoman Joanne Dembinski, Conrail is still failing to maintain its railroad tracks in South River.
At Monday’s regular council meeting, Dembinski discussed a ditch beside the tracks that overflows every time the borough gets heavy rain, as was the case last week. A pipe within the ditch collects sediment, she said, causing the problem.
During the Aug. 11 storm, Dembinski said the ditch overflowed and caused Whitehead and Willett avenues to flood. She said that as a result of the flooding, debris was scattered all over the road, which residents had to clean up.
"There were logs floating over the tracks onto the road," she said.
Dembinski, who has lived at the corner of Wilson and Paul avenues for 22 years, has complained about Conrail’s lack of upkeep on its tracks before. She said the council has asked Conrail to maintain its property, to little avail.
Dembinski added that she had recently been in contact with Conrail, who reportedly told her the tracks were being maintained.
"They need to replace their pipes," she said. "Spikes are loose; they’re deteriorated or they’re rotted."
She added, "Railroad tracks don’t seem to fix themselves."
Council President David Sliker walked down the tracks recently and said much of them were undermaintained.
Zoning summonses were issued to Conrail in October 2003, regarding the general condition of the tracks in two locations. One, on Whitehead Avenue, cited, "failure to maintain overgrowth of vegetation, stormwater runoff and standing water" as violations.
The other, at Wilson and Paul avenues, cited, "failure to maintain overgrowth of vegetation, fire hazard, nuisance and health hazard."
Dembinski said she had been informed previously by Borough Code Enforcement Officer Steven Behar and Zoning Officer Ray Naperkowski that, because of the extensive amounts of dry weeds, dry rails and marsh reeds, one spark from a train engine could cause a fire.
In the last two months, there have been two fires behind Franklin Avenue and further down the tracks, according to Dembinski.
"It’s a concern to me and it’s a concern to our residents," she said.
Sliker said the council would meet with its attorney to discuss the possibility of bringing legal action against Conrail.
The council may hire special counsel for the matter, and may know who that will be and what approach will be taken by its next regular meeting, scheduled for Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m.