Eaton mayor closes deadly crossing

EATON» After a second Eaton High School student died at an Eaton railroad crossing in the past two years, community members have turned up the heat on officials to increase safety.

More than 150 people filled a room Saturday morning to hear from state and local officials at the Eaton Recreation Center.

“I’m going to close that intersection,” Eaton Mayor Kevin Ross said to a standing, thunderous applause. “Until we can get a permanent solution in there, that intersection is going to be closed.”

The railroad crossing at 5th Street in Eaton was scheduled for renovations in the summer of 2019, but after Eaton High School senior Kennedi Ingram died Tuesday, officials are fasttracking the process. Ross acknowledged some residents might be inconvenienced by the temporary fix, but a second mention of the closure sparked a second round of applause from the crowd.

Officials don’t yet have the concrete barriers required to close the crossing, but Ross promised the audience the crossing would be closed Monday. He recommended drivers instead cross at 2nd Street, 10th Street or Collins Street — all crossings which include crossing arms.

Colorado Department of Transportation regional director Johnny Olson explained the department’s work to increase transportation safety at the meeting Saturday morning. He said he was working through texts that morning to supply Eaton officials with the necessary concrete barriers for a closure.