Thursday morning rail news:
— The Colorado Department of Transportation and Union Pacific have reached agreement on sale of 59 acres of the former Burnham Yard, UP’s ex-Rio Grande facility in downtown Denver. Colorado Public Radio says the non-binding agreement sets a price of $50 million for the land, which could be used for a number of transportation projects, including expansion of Interstate 25 and additional tracks for the Regional Transportation District’s light rail system at a key junction. A final agreement is expected later this year.
— Members of Atlanta’s city council have drafted a resolution asking CSX Transportation to “consider the future needs of the City of Atlanta, the Atlanta Beltline, and the surrounding community” as the railroad considers the sale of land at Hulsey Yard, which the railroad closed earlier this year. Curbed Atlanta reports that a neighborhood group has been drafting a plan for the 70-acre site that would include dense development and transit. CSX has not commented on its plans for the site.
— Metra is planning changes at the south Chicago intersection where a pedestrian was killed last week, after being hit by a car that had been struck by an outbound Metra train. Crossing gates will be relocated at the intersection of 87th Street and Pulaski Road, which is a boundary of Chicago and the community of Hometown, Ill., WMAQ-TV reports. Three people in the automobile were critically injured.
