Council to discuss caboose, budget, truck traffic

Published 10:09 am Friday, May 16, 2025

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The Windsor Town Council’s Tuesday, May 13, meeting is set to include an update on the historic caboose donated to the town, a review of the town’s draft fiscal year 2026 budget, and a discussion on limiting the lane movement of through trucks on U.S. 460 in Windsor.

Town Manager William Saunders will be providing the council with a capital projects update during the meeting that will include the latest on the Duke Street & Virginia Avenue Water Main Replacement Project. He will also address the latest on the 1927 Norfolk & Western caboose that has been donated to the town by Bishard Homes, the developer of the Suffolk property from which the caboose was moved by Windsor on March 29.

The town paid to move the caboose to Repair Tech Industrial Contractors’ facility near Franklin for exterior renovations. The train car caught fire the morning of April 14 in Repair Tech’s yard and sustained damage to its interior.

As Saunders noted in a memo found within the May 13 council meeting packet, town representatives have met with representatives of Repair Tech regarding the potential and feasibility of moving forward with the renovation of the caboose in the wake of the fire.

Later in the council meeting, Saunders will be presenting further amendments that have been made to the draft FY26 town budget and Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) following the council’s April 22 work session that focused on the proposed budget and CIP.

Under the category of New Business on the May 13 meeting agenda is the item “Through Truck Traffic in Right Lane Only.”

Saunders noted in a memo contained within the meeting packet that Councilman Marlin W. Sharp proposes a discussion regarding the limiting of through trucks on U.S. Route 460 through Windsor to the use of the right lane only.

“Councilman Sharp’s concerns are based upon an expectation of increased truck traffic on Route 460 due to the development of the Port 460 warehouse complex and the Tidewater Logistics Center project,” Saunders wrote. “Councilman Sharp contends that tractor-trailers in both lanes of Windsor Boulevard tend to cause traffic back-ups at traffic lights and that tractor-trailer drivers in the lefthand lane have a difficulty seeing smaller vehicles in the righthand lane, thus causing traffic hazards.”

The May 13 Town Council meeting will be held at Windsor Town Hall, which is located at 8 E. Windsor Blvd.

The open session portion of the meeting will begin at 7 p.m. It will be preceded by a closed session involving legal advice by counsel and discussion of contracts.