Railroad crossing work will close several downtown streets

Norfolk Southern Maintenance will work on railroad crossings at more than a dozen locations in the downtown Columbia area over the next six weeks, according to the City of Columbia.

The first two projects started Friday at Heyward Street and Whaley/Sumter Street. Roads that require railroad maintenance will be closed to traffic about 9 a.m. to 5 pm. and should last a day, though they could take longer depending on weather and other factors.

Detour signs will be posted to help reroute traffic, and officials are asking driver to seek alternate routes and plan for longer commute times. Technicians will also contact schools and first responders daily to let them know which roads are closed.

Maintenance on railroads takes place every seven years to ensure railroad safety.

Closures will also affect the following streets at railroad crossings: Laurel, Blanding, Taylor, Hampton, Greene, Wheat, Pickens, Main, Assembly, Lincoln, Gadsden, Huger and Tryon.

This story was originally published January 20, 2017 at 3:25 PM with the headline "Railroad crossing work will close several downtown streets."