Five railroad crossings in downtown New Iberia are on their way to getting gates and lights, according to a recent letter from the state Department of Transportation and Development. 

New Iberia City Councilman David Broussard revealed at a Tuesday city railroad committee meeting that crossings for Weeks Street, Julia Street, Iberia Street, Providence Street and French Street are on the DOTD list for arms and lights. 

“That’s exciting,” Broussard, who has been communicating with DOTD for years on the project, said. “It’s exciting to hear that.”

However, a letter from DOTD Rail Safety Engineer Bill Shrewsberry said that the project would first have to focus on securing the rights of way, which DOTD and BNSF have been working to secure and hope to complete by the winter of 2019. 

DOTD also will be working to raise the tracks from the Weeks Street crossing to the French Street crossing. That project will affect the vertical geometry of all crossings between, which has caused DOTD to make plans to adjust the Julia Street, Iberia Street and Providence Street crossings to provide a smoother transition.

The Washington Street crossing also will require modifications, according to the letter. 

The plans will be reviewed by DOTD and New Iberia government, and upon acceptance there will be an agreement prepared which will allow BNSF to bid road work and begin the construction. 

DOTD also plans to bring up again a touchy subject for some local residents, the closure of the Caroline Street railroad crossing. DOTD had planned to shut down the crossing in 2016 because of the close proximity of so many crossings, but cancelled due to local feedback. 

Shrewsberry said the issue would need to be brought up again due to a Nov. 23, 2016 collision at the crossing. A state project is currently listed as closing either the Caroline crossing, or Evangeline crossing and moving those gates to Caroline. 

Some of the projects are already on DOTD’s projects to be let by the end of the year, and include the Julia and Iberia arms and lights projects.