AGAWAM – The Agawam City Council met on Sept. 20, where they approved a resolution regarding railroad crossing lights.

Council President Christopher Johnson presented TR-2021-55: “A resolution to enter a five-year agreement for the continued operation of railroad crossing lights with the town of West Springfield.” This resolution was sponsored by Mayor William Sapelli and was referred to the Administrative Committee.

Councilor Robert Rossi said the Administrative Committee met prior to the City Council meeting, where they discussed this item. He explained that this was the second contract agreement of the beginning of a second, five-year term. The cost of this project is $6,750 for an overall five-year period, including maintenance and everything else involved. “The same amount of money is shared by West Springfield,” said Rossi.

Sapelli claimed West Springfield is already on board and “waiting anxiously” for Agawam to join them. Rossi described this project as “worthwhile.”

“It clears up a lot of issues and frustration from people who get caught and are unaware that there’s train crossings, especially when they’re stopped. The lights flash at key locations allowing them to take off on their routes,” he said. Rossi continued, “It’s a worthwhile project - it’s really cost effective and the Administrative Committee voted unanimously, four [to] zero, one absent, to approve to send a positive recommendation to the full body.”

Councilor Dino Mercadante asked, “Will there be any problem when they redo O’Briens Corner with restructuring that light...?”

Johnson replied, “I wouldn’t anticipate – they probably have any plans to either relocate it slightly or keep it roughly in the same location.”

According to Johnson, many people have had similar concerns. For instance, if the train stops on the tracks and is there for a few minutes, the lights turn back off. He wants people to understand that the system in place is a motion sensored system. “It picks up as the train goes by but if they stop, then the motion sensor - especially if they’re unloading at the Memorial Drive yard – the sensor will click the lights back off. I can tell you that it does work well – especially this time of year during the Big E, to have some idea that if a train’s coming, to avoid going in that direction.”

Councilor Gerald Smith expressed that he was in favor of the lights, however, he questioned the legality of a train being able to stop for over 20 minutes. Johnson explained that a few years ago, he attended a meeting with representatives of CSX, which operated on the railroad, along with representatives from both Agawam and West Springfield. “CSX and Amtrak that both operate on the railroad, they are governed by federal law and federal law allows them to park the trains anywhere they want, for any period of time, even despite the public safety concerns that Agawam and West Springfield raised and the traffic concerns…,” he said.

When it came time to vote on this resolution, the council voted 11 in favor.

Next, Johnson shared TR-2021-56: A resolution confirming the appointment of Marc A. Leddy, to the Agawam Veterans’ Council to an unexpired term expiring April 1, 2023.

The motion was seconded and the Council voted unanimously in favor.

“Thanks go out to Mr. Leddy for his willingness to serve on the Veterans’ Council,” said Johnson.