Mitigation Strategies Discussed for Washington Street Bridge

Washington Street resident, Russell Shorto, expressed concern regarding the reconstruction of the Washington Street Bridge and how it would affect the neighborhood at Tuesday’s Cumberland Mayor and City Council meeting.  City Engineer Bobby Smith told Brian Hammock of CSX that mitigation strategies would need to be taken where Federal Railroad Administration regulations cannot be met, according to Shorto…

“If they involve requesting exemptions from certain federal requirements, that’s fine and that’s something that over the years we’ve been pushing for, but if they involve destroying two blocks of the city’s most historic street, that’s something that I think ought to be generally known.”

Mayor Ray Morriss said the city wants the neighborhood to remain…

“We’re not interested in taking out houses, and we’re not interested in changing the topography to the point that it destroys the neighborhood.”