Letters: Are train companies above the law?

I got stopped by a train at the intersection at Rosewood Drive and Assembly Street at 4 p.m. on a recent Wednesday. After waiting for more than 50 minutes, I opted to find an alternative route.

State law (Section 58-15-915) says that a train can’t block a four-lane intersection inside a city for more than five minutes per hour between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. and 4 and 6 p.m. The law is broken daily. Little wonder: The fine is $20 — hardly a disincentive for a multi-billion-dollar company.

While I was stopped, a first responder vehicle had to go through the intersection. When minutes count in an emergency, would the train company be responsible if a death occurred?

This story was originally published October 22, 2015 at 6:29 PM.