You may have seen crews or equipment out taking traffic counts on Columbus streets yesterday and may see them out again today.

Heather Pope, redevelopment director for the city, said that the crews are gathering information as part of a study into what can be done about increasing train traffic in the city.

“The point of having those traffic counts done now, rather than later is to capture the true traffic before school lets out, because once school lets out, then people are on a different pattern,” Pope said.

City officials are concerned that there will soon be up to 18 trains a day running through Columbus on the Louisville and Indiana railroad tracks.

The consultant’s crews will be at intersections with the Louisville and Indiana railroad line, taking counts for the next few days.. Those will include State Road 11 and Jonathan Moore Pike, Fifth Street, Eighth Street, 11th Street and County Road 200S.

“We are looking at those intersections too, because the train does slow down when it comes through there , because of all the curves,” Pope said. “We want to capture what kinds of delays are currently taking place and what kind of delays can be expected when the train traffic increases.”

Later activity will include community meetings, Pope said.

“The community will come and have an opportunity to have a look at possible changes in traffic, be it a rerouting of the rail line, or an overpass…” Pope said. “We really don’t know, that’s why we have hired the consultant is to give us these options and then assign a dollar amount to them.”

Pope said the entire contract with the consultants, American Structure Point, is not to exceed $125,000.