Moving the CSX Railroad first became an issue in 2000 when the 106th Congress of the United States, appropriated Federal funds to study the creation of a new highway right of way south of I-10 along the Mississippi Gulf Coast by relocating the existing railroad right of way out of downtown areas. http://makingtracks.org/

After wasting our tax money studying the issue, the engineers concluded that the railroad could not be relocated along the interstate due to the curving of the interstate, but would have to be relocated north of the interstate in heavily populated areas. Requiring the government to take peoples homes away from them by eminent domain in order to relocate the CSX rail line. On September 19th, 2003 after numerous Latimer and Vancleave residents called Senator Trent Lott (who got funding for the study) objecting to losing their homes to the railroad relocation project the study was halted.

No sooner had Katrina hit then an editorial in The Sun Herald (September 11th, 2005) was advocating the railroad tracks be relocated North of the interstate. According to the Sun Herald (April 11th 2006, editorial) http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/editorial/14314341.htm
moving U.S. 90 off the beach by acquiring the CSX railroad right of way is one of the best moves the federal government could make in South Mississippi. But is it? It is no secret the Sun Herald has been pushing to get the CSX railroad relocated for some time now.

CSX has repaired the tracks and the tracks are fully functional. If the government was planning to acquire the tracks why was CSX allowed to repair them?

Highway 90 does not run along the beach in Jackson County thus there is no need or desire to relocate it. This project will only help a "few" people in Harrison County. It will also create problems will Harrison County's New Scenic Beach Boulevard run into Jackson County's Highway 90, or will people be displaced so that Highway 90 in Harrison County can meet up with Highway 90 in Jackson County?

The Sun Herald states the moving the CSX railroad would improve the ability of first responders to any future disasters. But according to Bay St. Louis Mayor Eddie Favre, the restoration of train service was a needed boost to his city and others along the Gulf Coast (MSNBC Thursday, February 2nd, 2006) http://risingfromruin.msnbc.com/2006/02/da_train_boss_d.html

Considering the fact that many Coast residents are homeless, thanks to Katrina, shouldn't our number one priority be helping people rebuild their homes? Not creating a scenic beach boulavard for Harrison County.

The Biloxi-Ocean Springs Bridge has yet to be rebuilt, although CSX has managed to repair all their bridges.

There are still debris that need to be removed.

Some areas are without sewer & water, preventing residents from returning to their homes/slabs.

Many schools were destroyed by Katrina and have yet to be rebuilt.

And I have to wonder are disaster relief funds really intended to create "a scenic boulevard beside the sea" to the tune of $700 million as The Sun Herald promotes?