Florida DOT considers proposed rail overpass for CSX line

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will host a public meeting today on alternatives for a proposed railroad overpass in the city of Starke.

The meeting is being held as part of FDOT's project development and environment study for the possible overpass and potential locations, FDOT officials said in a press release.

Starke is divided by a CSX Transportation line that runs parallel to U.S. 301. There are numerous crossings, but there are no raised crossings over the line in Starke. As a result, emergency vehicles and other motorists experience longer than average wait times at the crossings throughout the day, FDOT officials said.

Currently, about 29 trains use the track per day. With expectations of that number to increase in the future, an overpass would allow vehicular traffic to flow more freely, they said.

The meeting will be held at the Bradford County Fairgrounds in Starke.