SMART railroad work is getting under way, it’ll require the closure of  Santa Rosa streets where they cross the tracks.

The first closure will be Barham Avenue at the tracks from Wednesday to Thursday.

Next will be Bellevue Avenue next Monday to Aug. 1.

No traffic will be allowed over the tracks during the work, but detours will be set up, according to Santa Rosa police.

Santa Rosa Traffic Engineer Robert Sprinkle said he didn’t expect traffic to be affected much by these two closures. But he noted SMART’s work will force the closure of much busier roads as it progresses and he expects that work will be done on weekends when traffic is lighter.

Bill Gamlen, chief engineer for SMART, said crews will be tearing out the old crossings and putting in new track and removable concrete panels that will keep the crossings smooth for traffic. He said the entire road needs to be closed for the work so that the rails will be one piece each. If half the road was closed, he said, the welds for the rails would be in the middle of the road and wouldn’t hold up as well.

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