LaredoBuzz.Com

Courtesy Raul Leal,
LAREDO, TX – Earlier today, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), in collaboration with the City of Laredo, inaugurated the IH 35 Railroad Advance Warning System made possible by STRATIS, TxDOT Laredo Districts South Texas Regional Advanced Transportation Information System.

Laredo Mayor Raul G. Salinas, who pushed for the advance warning system for almost two years, newly appointed TxDOT Laredo District Administrator Melisa Montemayor, and District Director of Transportation Operations Danny Magee, P.E. who spearheaded this project, led the announcement which featured a presentation on the mechanics of the signs and video footage of the electronic message boards (DMS-Dynamic Message Signs).

The warning system advises IH-35 traveling public of train blockage along IH-35 frontage roads (Santa Ursula Avenue at Washington Street and San Dario Avenue at Scott Street) through electronic message board notifications on IH-35 to help the public make better travel decisions in the downtown area. 

“In response to the thousands of complaints from residents, businesses and our own police and fire departments in the downtown area over the years, the City of Laredo made this issue a priority and worked with TxDOT, meeting with them several times until this project became a reality,” said City of Laredo Mayor Raul G. Salinas.  “The safety of our citizens and the smooth flow of traffic and commerce in our downtown area should improve thanks to these signs.”

This system works in tandem with the railroad crossing over IH-35 at Moctezuma Street and the use of two large electronic message boards: one DMS board on northbound IH-35 at Victoria (IH-35 entrance ramp), and the other DMS board on located over the southbound IH-35 mainlanes at Jackson Street (Lafayette on-ramp). In the advent of a train crossing, the system activates both DMS boards. The cost of this project to TxDOT is approximately $260,000.

The project concept was originally defined by TxDOT-Laredo District Traffic Operations back in 2005, but due to lack of funding and infrastructure availability, was shelved.  However, thanks to the Mayor Salinas, the Laredo City Council and City of Laredo City Manager Carlos Villarreal for pushing for this project for the past year and a half, the project has finally been completed. 

After countless City Council actions brought forth by Mayor Salinas, dating since 2010 with Mayor Salinas and even as far back as 2001 with the previous administration, the City of Laredo officials held numerous meetings with TxDOT who was able to secure funding and infrastructure availability. 

Once the project received final approval, the project was designed and the construction was completed within a six month time frame, after the City of Laredo Traffic Safety Department provided traffic control for the final portion of the Dynamic Message Sign (DMS) installation for the sign at San Dario and Victoria.

Laredo District Administrator Melisa Montemayor said, “TxDOT is committed to meeting the state’s transportation needs as well as working with our local city and county governments to insure mobility and safety on city streets that traverse the state highway system through the City of Laredo.”

Additionally, Kansas City Southern (KCS) provided preemption signals for activating both DMS signs (IH-35 @ Jackson and San Dario @ Victoria), key components for activating DMS message (Train on Tracks).

Arturo Dominguez, Trainmaster for Kansas City Southern, said “Kansas City Southern understands the needs of the community and is working with our partners in Mexico on the scheduling of trains through downtown Laredo.”

The notification process is automated to activate once a train reaches the strategically placed preemption signal cables along railroad tracks both east and west bound.  The DMS system is automated to activate when the train reaches the preemption signal cable.