The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1922-06-09
ABOUT GRADE CROSSINGS.

commenting on our Ielild1hS apouI
grade crossings, the State has the
following to say:
Discussing a fatal grade-crossing
accident that occurred in Union few
days ago, the Abbeville Press and
Banner agrees with the Greenville
Daily News that all grade-crossings
should be eliminated, saying that the
exercise of care by motorists is not
enough to prevent accidents. That i
true, but it is equally true that the
number of accidents would be
markedly reduced were motorists gen.
orally to observe greater caution. On
few of our railroads are trains num-
erous. Were railroad traffic heavier,
the collisions with motorcars would
be more frequent and one suspects
that in localities where trains pass
hourly or oftener the people are more
vigilant and that, relatively, acci-
dents are fewer than they are in
South Carolina.
every one is of opinion that grade
crossings should be eliminated, but
The State doubts if that would be so
easy an undertaking as The Press and
Banner fancies. "The railroads and
the public might each assume a part
of the cost and profit by the expendi-
ture," but the cost would be tremen-
dous. For example, the grade-cross-
ings within the six miles of incorpo-
rated area of Columbia probably
could not be eliminated for less than
millions of dollars. We have no means
of estimating the cost Of removing
grade crossings from all the principal
thoroughfares in South Carolina but
the sum, at a conservative guess.
might be s25, 100000 and it might be
greater.
"Tne policy OF sic >tltc highway
commission in relocating roads is to
eliminate grade crossings wherever it
is possible. 1t would surprise The
Press and Banner to learn how much
already has been accomplished in this
direction. On the stretch of road, for
instance, between Columbia and New
berry, in the last three or four years
the crossings have been reduced from
a dozen and a half to perhaps three
or four.
"The commission is working with
intelligence to accomplish the object
which our friends have in view and
is making progress. If the people
will support the commission and not
allow it to be harassed and hindered
by politicians, the perils of grade
crossings will be reduced as rapidly
as financial resources available will
permit"
The Press and Banner has no way
to estimate the cost of eliminating
grade crossings. The figures given by
The State may be the result of more
careful estimate than we can secure.
However, we know of no reason why
public roads about Columbia should
cross railroads in so many places as
The State suggests is the fact. Per-
haps the situation there is as it was
once in the upcountry. For instance,
gos.g from Donalds to Greenville the
public road formerly crossed the
Southern Railway perhaps twenty
times. If there was ever reason why
this should be so, we do not know
what the reason was. The building of
the highways, as stated by The State,
has eliminated most of these cross
ings, showing that formerly there
were many crossings which need not
have existed. That is likely more true
about Columbia than about this sec
ton, because the country there is
more level than here. Yet we dare say
that if the crossings there have not
been eliminated by the building of
new roads, the public roads cross and
recross the railroads many times
where there is no apparent necessity
for such crossings. Certainly the pub
lie roads may be so built and re-lo-
Gated as to get rid of many of these
crossings.
Tho procs and Ranner. in it's re-