TO: The Waterloo City Council, Mayor of Waterloo, and the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors
FROM: Residents, Property Owners, and Commuters of Waterloo, Iowa (Zip Code 50703)
THE PROBLEM
We, the undersigned residents of Waterloo, are writing to formally protest the frequent, prolonged
blocking of the public railroad crossing at the intersection of Longfellow Street and Donald Street,
located just off Broadway Road.
Trains routinely park across or slowly obstruct this vital neighborhood intersection far exceeding
reasonable operational timelines. This ongoing issue causes significant economic and personal
disruption, compromises neighborhood accessibility, and creates a critical safety hazard by blocking the
path of authorized emergency vehicles (including fire, police, and medical personnel) to local residences.
THE LAW
The state of Iowa has clear statutory guidelines regarding the obstruction of public highways by railroad
companies. Iowa Code § 327G.32 ("Obstruction of highway crossings") explicitly states:
"A railroad corporation or its officers, agents, or employees shall not operate a train in such a manner as
to prevent vehicular traffic on a highway, street, or alley from crossing the railroad tracks at the
intersection for a period of time in excess of ten minutes except [in cases of accident, injury, or
unpreventable mechanical failure]."
The frequent blockages at the Longfellow and Donald Street intersection are a clear violation of the intent
of this public safety statute.
ACTION REQUIRED
We respectfully demand that our local elected officials and law enforcement agencies take immediate,
aggressive action to protect the citizens of Waterloo by:
•
Engaging Directly with the Railroad Operator: Hold the responsible railroad corporation
accountable to ensure their staging and train lengths do not routinely cut off the Longfellow/Donald
Street intersection.
•
Strict Enforcement and Reporting: Actively log and cite violations under state and local statutes
when a train exceeds the legal ten-minute blocking window without an exempt emergency.
•
Infrastructure Evaluation: Explore long-term traffic and signaling coordination, or alternative safety
routing to ensure our neighborhood is never completely isolated during extended rail delays.
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PETITION: CLEAR THE LONGFELLOW ST. & DONALD ST.
INTERSECTION
Ref: Iowa Code § 327G.32 — Ten-Minute Maximum Limit
By signing below, I certify that I am a resident, property owner, or frequent commuter in Waterloo, IA, and I
support this petition to resolve chronic railroad blockages.
DATE PRINTED NAME SIGNATURE ADDRESS (WATERLOO,
IA) PHONE / EMAIL
Page 2 of 3
PETITION: CLEAR THE LONGFELLOW ST. & DONALD ST.
INTERSECTION
Ref: Iowa Code § 327G.32 — Ten-Minute Maximum Limit
By signing below, I certify that I am a resident, property owner, or frequent commuter in Waterloo, IA, and I
support this petition to resolve chronic railroad blockages.
DATE PRINTED NAME SIGNATURE ADDRESS (WATERLOO,
IA) PHONE / EMAIL
Page 3 of 3