• David Tewes •
• Originally published January 13, 2009 at 11:24 p.m., updated January 13, 2009 at 11:24 p.m.

Brentwood residents remain concerned about the completion of railroad tracks next to their neighborhood, but city and county officials in Victoria said there's not much they can do.

"We're just stuck with no way out," said Ray Long, who lives in the subdivision east of Victoria. "When the railroad was talking about reopening the line, they should have talked about finding these people a way out."

Kansas City Southern is rebuilding the rail line next to Brentwood. It could be running eight or more trains a day over the line until a bypass is built around Victoria.

That could take years. Meanwhile, Long and others are worried about trains blocking emergency traffic or just inconveniencing people trying to get to work or the doctor's office.

Zachary Pacheco, in a letter to the editor published in the Advocate, suggested that Cambridge Street in Brentwood be extended south to U.S. 59. That would provide a second way out for residents.

An unpaved road already runs parallel to the railroad that residents could also use, although it is on private property, Long said.

County Commissioner Wayne Dierlam, whose precinct includes Brentwood, said he has already checked into those possibilities. Extending Cambridge to U.S. 59 would take the street across private property.

"I visited with the individual that owns that land and he was not interested," Dierlam said. "He's got cattle on it."

While Brentwood is not in the city limits, it is bordered by part of the city of Victoria included in Mayor Pro Tem Lewis Neitsch's district. Extending Cambridge doesn't seem like something the city would be willing to do, he said.

"We'd have to get our engineers to go out there and look and see what it would entail," he said. "But I don't think the city wants to get involved in the condemnation of property."

Dierlam said he made arrangements with neighboring landowners for an emergency route.

"I felt we've already got that covered and taken care of," he said. "We're just waiting on the paperwork that needs to run through the city and then back to us."

• Emergency route

  County Commissioner Wayne Dierlam worked with adjacent private property owners last year to provide land for an emergency route for Brentwood.

  The route will lead from Brentwood to undeveloped city right of way and eventually to Lone Tree ...

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Emergency route

County Commissioner Wayne Dierlam worked with adjacent private property owners last year to provide land for an emergency route for Brentwood.

The route will lead from Brentwood to undeveloped city right of way and eventually to Lone Tree Road. There will be a cattle guard and gate at each end of the road.

Kansas City Southern will provide material to top the road.

Brentwood resident Ray Long said that plan has flaws.

"A gate with locks on it is not going to do us any good," he said. Emergency vehicles would be delayed because they would have to stop and unlock the gates, he said.

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