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St. Paul Park Mayor Wants Crossing Closed After Oil Train, Semi Collide

ST. PAUL PARK, Minn. (WCCO) -- When St. Paul Park Mayor Keith Franke first heard about the accident, he wasn't aware it involved an oil train and semi-truck carrying flour.

But he was at work on Sunday, so he went down to take a look at the 2,000 bags of flour all over the road.

"Then I starting thinking about what could have happened," Franke said.

He said they have had concerns about that crossing for some time. Franke said most all of the Bakken oil trains come right through his city.

"That stretch of track also runs right through the refinery," he said.

He said with increased oil train traffic and increased truck traffic, it is just a disaster waiting to happen.

Right now, they are in the process of having a feasibility report done to find out how much it would cost the city to close the crossing.

He said Gov. Mark Dayton has made the closure part of his railway safety package and he's hoping this accident will get the process moving along.

"We can't afford to re-do the road," Franke said.

The area in question is down Highway 61 near the 70th Street exit. Franke said the crossing is near St Paul Park Road and Hastings Road

"I'm just grateful that no one was injured and that hopefully this can fast-track some things and get this done," Franke said.

He said with the increase train and truck traffic, it's important to make it a safer for everyone in the city.

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