Search for railroad workaround rides on

While permit approval in order to run storm sewer under the railroad crossing on Main Street in Belgium remains in flux, crews continue to look for alternative solutions.

The latest idea includes inspecting the portion of the storm sewer under the tracks with a camera, Director of Public Works Dan Birenbaum said.

If that pipe is still in good shape, the crews would just connect the new pipe on the east and west side of the tracks, avoiding the need to do work under the crossing.

Great Lakes TV Seal is doing the camera work and will provide a report on the condition of the pipe. Birenbaum said the village has a camera but it couldn’t reach far enough to see the pipe.

Ozaukee County has been waiting for months for a permit from the Union Pacific Railroad to do work under the crossing.

Officials had already said the road wouldn’t be closed for a second time when crews would return to work under the tracks, claiming it wouldn’t be fair to motorists and residents.

This week, crews were scheduled to lay sod on the east side of the tracks and start installing curb and gutter on the west side.

The light poles east of the railroad tracks are up and functioning.

“The east side of the project is basically all done,” Birenbaum said.

Travelers are still asked to use the detour route. The detour route runs from Highway LL south to A, then to Highway 57 and back to Highway D.

The project is slated to be completed Sept. 28.

The project cost is $6.9 million. State and federal grants will pay 80% of the cost with the county and village splitting the remaining 20%. The Village Board in April unanimously approved borrowing $4.3 million for its portion of the Main Street reconstruction project. It is paying more than 10% because of upgraded street lights and burying power lines.