By Dick Keezer

Globe columnist

NEOSHO, Mo. — I want to touch on a subject that has been touchy since a new bridge was built over Hickory Creek in 1995 after a devastating flood.

Reconstruction of Wood and Morrow streets created a problem with a chat walkway connecting Wood with Morrow. We now have a chat roadway along the tracks. Vehicles spin their wheels, creating dust clouds. After the city conducted a buyout of homes in the Hickory Creek area, the city made an effort to work with Kansas City Southern Railroad to close four crossings and construct a road along the tracks to connect old Highway 60 to Highway 86.

Thus, what began in 2004 has not been surfaced as of today. Even vehicles traveling at 20 mph raise large dust clouds that drift across Morse Park North, leaving a deposit on trees, shrubs, flowers, our house, vehicles and people who use the paved walking trail.

August was the worst for dust. Kansas City Southern crews tore up one of the railroad tracks, closed off the Morrow Street crossing and made extensive repairs. Thankfully, it is now open again. And, by the end of the month, we got some relief from the dust in the form of rain.

But my question is the same: When will the city and KCS pave this stretch of roadway?

There seemed to be an endless array of excuses but no immediate action to complete the proposed plan until Jan Blase came on board as Neosho’s city manager.

I asked him if there was a timetable for completing the work. He said plans are to have it accomplished by the end of the year.

“We’re talking about 2007 aren’t we?” I asked.

“Right,” said Blase.

Blase said there will be a built-in safety factor called “traffic calming,” meaning trees and ditches will slow down traffic. He emphasized that the road will not be a “racetrack” for young or old.

“We want the safety factor to be in place so those who use the walking trail will not have to worry about their personal safety,” he said.

Once the crossings close, some of us can sleep a little easier for two reasons: The job will be complete, and we won’t have to listen to those #%($(# train horns at close range anymore.

What’s that old saying? “Seeing is believing.”