CSX needs to repair two trestles to protect New York town's safety, Sen. Schumer says

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) late last week called on CSX Corp. to make necessary repairs to two trestles running through the center of Rome, N.Y.

Two CSX-owned trestles along Martin Street have become eyesores in the community and debris is falling from the structures — including concrete, rebar and stone — that's posing a threat to motorists and pedestrians, Schumer said in a press release. The trestles are located alongside Rome’s waterfront redevelopment, just 150 yards from a new boat launch, pavilion and streetscape, he said.

CSX last year agreed to clean up the trestles and make repairs, but no work has yet been done, the senator claims.

"It is time for CSX to step up and fix these trestles, which have become a serious risk to both the city of Rome’s economic development and its residents' safety," he said. "As these trestles continue to age, instances of falling debris will become more common, and it is only a matter of time before someone gets hurt."

CSX considers safety its highest priority, and protecting the railroad's workers and the communities in which the Class I operates "is our first concern," said CSX spokesman Rob Doolittle in an email.

"CSX implements a robust bridge management system to monitor and maintain the more than 15,000 bridges in our network, and we appreciate that sometimes the visual appearance of a bridge not does accurately reflect its structural integrity," he said.