TRANSPORTATION DEPT: Urges and requests that the Department of Transportation and Development to convene a diagnostic review team to evaluate the proposed reactivation of the Norfolk Southern Railway originating at the Alabo Street Wharf

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Roy Adams and 21 co-sponsors

DOTD must form a diagnostic team to assess safety, environmental, and community risks from increased Norfolk Southern rail activity at Alabo Street Wharf and report findings by Jan

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

Overview

House Resolution 317 (HR 317) of the 2026 Regular Session in Louisiana urges the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) to form a diagnostic review team to evaluate potential hazards associated with increasing railroad activity on the Norfolk Southern Railway originating at the Alabo Street Wharf. The measure requests a written report on findings to be submitted to the House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works before January 1, 2027.

Purpose and Intent

The primary goal is to assess safety, environmental, and public risk concerns tied to a planned expansion or intensification of Norfolk Southern Railway activity at the Alabo Street Wharf area (Lower Ninth Ward, Holy Cross, and nearby St. Bernard Parish communities).

The resolution aims to preemptively identify potential hazards and outline measures to prevent foreseeable harm to nearby residents and the surrounding community.

Key Provisions and Changes Proposed

Establishment of a diagnostic review team by DOTD to study the potential hazards of increased Norfolk Southern rail activity originating at the Alabo Street Wharf.

The team would evaluate safety risks (e.g., interactions between trains and roadways, track infrastructure conditions), environmental concerns (notably grain dust and other hazardous materials), and community impact.

DOTD is directed to prepare and submit a written report detailing findings, risk assessments, and recommended mitigation or prevention strategies to the House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.

Timeline requirement: report due to the committee no later than January 1, 2027.

Who/What Would Be Affected

The study targets the Norfolk Southern Railway operations at the Alabo Street Wharf, including associated infrastructure, corridors, and nearby neighborhoods in the Lower Ninth Ward, Holy Cross, and adjacent St. Bernard Parish areas.

Community residents potentially affected by increased rail activity, as well as local businesses and institutions relying on the Alabo Street Wharf operations.

State transportation agencies and the DOTD, which would convene the diagnostic team and produce the report.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Legislative action: The resolution was read and referred to the Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works.

Reporting deadline: A written report from DOTD to the House committee is due by January 1, 2027.

No direct funding authorization or mandates; the measure is an urging/request directing DOTD to study and report, rather than imposing binding regulatory requirements.

Contextual Notes

The bill references recent rail incidents involving Norfolk Southern trains in Louisiana (and mentions similar incidents in Alabama) to underscore concerns about safety at grade crossings, proximity to residences, and potential environmental hazards such as grain dust.

It cites existing Louisiana statutory and federal regulatory frameworks relevant to railroad grade crossings and safety improvements to provide a basis for evaluating risks and potential interventions.

Overall, HR 317 seeks a proactive, structured review by DOTD to ensure that any expansion of rail activity at the Alabo Street Wharf is conducted with careful consideration of safety and community impact, culminating in a formal DOTD findings report to the Legislature.