RAILROADS: Urges and requests the Department of Transportation and Development to communicate with certain railroad companies to address abandoned and blighted railroads

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Tammy Phelps

DOTD should engage railroads and local authorities to address abandoned and blighted tracks in NW Louisiana, share contact lists, and report progress by Jan 1, 2027.

Taken by the Clerk of the House and presented to the Secretary of State in accordance with the Rules of the House.

Purpose and intent

This House Resolution urges and requests the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) to engage in targeted communication with certain railroad companies to address abandoned and blighted railroad lines and related structures in northwestern Louisiana.

The resolution specifically references companies such as Kansas City Southern Railway Company and Union Pacific Railroad, among others, and calls for coordination with local parish and city governments.

Key provisions and changes

DOTD action: Through the department’s District 4 commissioner, initiate communication and strategize on the removal or remediation of abandoned and blighted railroads and associated structures in the identified parishes.

Local government engagement: DOTD District 4 commissioner must consult and communicate with parish or city governing authorities to resolve these railroad-related problems.

Information sharing: DOTD is required to maintain and provide a contact list of the referenced railroad companies to the listed parishes.

Reporting requirement: DOTD must submit a written report to the Louisiana House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works before January 1, 2027. The report should detail discussions held and the railroads’ intent to resolve the concerns about abandoned and blighted railroads and associated structures in the specified parishes.

who/what is affected

State agency: Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), District 4.

Railroad companies: Notably Kansas City Southern Railway Company, Union Pacific Railroad, and other listed railroads (e.g., Texas and Pacific Railway Company, Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Company, Louisiana and Arkansas Railway) as potential targets for engagement.

Local governments: Parishes in northwestern Louisiana (Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, Desoto, Red River, Webster) and their governing authorities.

Public safety and environment: The resolution addresses safety hazards (e.g., rotting timber, protruding spikes, uneven tracks) and environmental/health concerns related to creosote-treated ties.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Procedural nature: Nonbinding and advisory; it directs, not mandates, DOTD action.

Timeframe: Written report due to the House committee before January 1, 2027.

Process: DOTD District 4 commissioner to initiate and maintain contact with railroad companies and local authorities, and to provide a contact list to parishes.

Potential impact and considerations

Safety and environmental improvements could result from enhanced communication and coordinated remediation or removal of abandoned/blighted rail infrastructure.

Improved local-government coordination may streamline efforts to address nuisance and hazard conditions along rail corridors.

The bill does not allocate funding or mandate specific remediation actions; it focuses on urging collaboration and reporting to inform future policy or action.

If you’d like, I can expand this with a brief background on the parishes mentioned or outline possible implementation steps for DOTD based on typical railroad-abandonment remediation processes.

Bill