MT. VERNON — Mt. Vernon city officials announced a steering committee is forming to look into the options for how to handle the rail crossing situation on Route 15 on the city’s east side. That announcement came at Monday night’s meeting.

Mt. Vernon city councilman Jim Rippy made the announcement at the meeting. He says this committee will be independent and have the full support of the city as this project gets another look.

Bluford village board president Michael Bullard admits he wants overpasses or underpasses to be built. He says trains blocking the tracks could be a life or death situation in an emergency, which almost hit too close to home for him.

Bullard also says for eastern Jefferson County residents, one factor in deciding whether to shop in Mt. Vernon or to the east in Fairfield is whether or not the person would get stopped by a train in Mt. Vernon.

Rippy says funds would have to come from multiple levels of government to make any solution to the crossing possible.