BLACKFOOT — It’s a little easier for students to get to school in the morning thanks to a verbal agreement recently struck between Blackfoot School District and Union Pacific.

Blackfoot’s interim superintendent Chad Struhs said railroad officials have agreed to do their best not to block Judicial and Bridge streets from 8- to 8:30 a.m. so that students can get to school.

“The trains have been blocking the paths to schools in the morning,” Struhs said, adding that Union Pacific officials were changing cars around the time buses were trying to get through.

A lot of students eat breakfast at the schools in the morning, but they weren’t getting there in time to get breakfast, he said, adding that school officials decided to talk to Union Pacific officials about the problem. And they were willing to help them out.

Aaron Hunt, a spokesperson for Union Pacific, said they try to work with other organizations whenever it’s possible.

“We work to prevent blocked crossings whenever we can and agreed to do so for the school in Blackfoot,” he said.

Struhs said the agreement, which was struck a few weeks ago, has already made a big difference for students and others in the community who have to cross the railroad tracks in the morning. And the district has even rerouted a few of its buses to keep them on the open streets.

He said the district is grateful to Union Pacific for its willingness to help the students get to school.

“It’s just a wonderful thing they’ve done for us,” he said.