Before Mayor Singh-Allen builds her fantasy zoo, why not first ensure safe and clear rail crossings in Elk Grove

Starting at 10:30 p.m. on Friday, April 12, the Union Pacific rail crossing on Sheldon Road in “old” Elk Grove was blocked. The train blocked Sheldon Road for at least 90 minutes as of this posting.

While the reason for the blocked crossing is unknown, it is a frequent occurrence at rail crossings that seriously affects emergency response times in “old” Elk Grove. For a city with a population quickly approaching 200,000, having so many rail crossings is not characteristic of a progressive, forward-thinking community.

Here’s an idea for Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen and the city council: Instead of building your fantasy zoo, why not spend some of the taxpayers’ money on building overpasses or underpasses at these rail crossings to ensure all people in Elk Grove, not just those in the “new” part of town, have access to emergency services when they need them the most? Your priority should be equity for all residents and the well-being of people first and animals second.

UPDATE: After an almost two hour blockage of Sheldon Road, the crossing was cleared at 12:20 a.m. Saturday, April 13. The Elk Grove-Florin crossing just south of the Sheldon Road crossing was not affected by the stopped train.