Mayor Hoppock Highlights Fourth Street Rail Crossing Improvements as Positive City Partnership

During closing remarks at the Salina City Commission meeting, Mike Hoppock highlighted recent improvements to the Fourth Street railroad crossings, calling the project an example of effective partnership and positive momentum for the city.

“For sharing. It’s always a partnership. So we appreciate that,” Hoppock said.

Hoppock told commissioners he plans to begin regularly highlighting something positive at each meeting, whether related to a city department, a local business, or a nonprofit organization.

“I’ve always said I’m a cheerleader for the city of Salina,” Hoppock said. “I’ve decided that every meeting, we’re going to talk about something positive at this point in the meeting.”

As the first example, Hoppock pointed to work completed in October 2024, when the City of Salina entered into an agreement with Union Pacific Railroad to remove and replace rail and street crossings along Fourth Street, from Iron Street to Walnut Street.

The area, located near The Garage and adjacent commercial properties, has seen increased vehicle and pedestrian traffic as nearby buildings have become occupied. Hoppock said the condition of the crossings had become a safety concern.

“It was a danger to people trying to walk across there,” Hoppock said. “And it was not good on vehicles.”

Under the agreement, the City of Salina paid 65 percent of the project cost, with Union Pacific covering the remaining 35 percent.

Hoppock said the completed work has made the area “much easier to navigate” and safer for people visiting nearby businesses and facilities.

“We’re very, very happy about it,” he said.

He also noted that working with a railroad company on infrastructure improvements can be challenging.

“It’s not always easy to do,” Hoppock said, adding that the project “took a little bit of work to get the railroad on board.”

Hoppock said the city plans to continue highlighting similar positive updates at future commission meetings.

“So anyway, that’s our positive item for this meeting,” he said.