$570 Million Allocated to Enhance Safety and Efficiency by Eliminating Railroad Crossings
The Biden administration has announced a significant investment of $570 million in grants to address the issue of railroad crossings in 32 states.
As the rail industry continues to rely on longer trains to reduce expenses, these grants aim to eliminate numerous crossings that cause traffic delays and hinder emergency responders from reaching critical locations.
The funding will be utilized to construct bridges or underpasses at over three dozen crossing sites. These locations often experience prolonged blockages due to trains stretching over 2 miles long, resulting in hours of restricted access to parts of towns. As a consequence, pedestrians are forced to take risks by navigating through trains that may unexpectedly start moving.
Railroad Crossings Causing Serious Issues
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the urgent need for action, citing numerous incidents where people faced challenges in reaching their workplaces on time, essential goods were unable to reach their destinations, and first responders were delayed. He mentioned distressing instances where individuals had to crawl between or under freight trains to attend school and where an idle train prevented an ambulance from reaching a distressed baby in Texas, ultimately resulting in the baby’s tragic death at the hospital.
Beyond the issue of blocked crossings, railroad crossings also pose significant safety hazards. Around 2,000 collisions occur at these crossings annually, leading to nearly 250 deaths in car-train crashes last year alone. Buttigieg recounted a tragic incident in California where a woman lost her life after being trapped on the tracks due to traffic congestion, resulting in a train collision with her vehicle.
To reduce costs, major freight railroads have restructured their operations by relying on fewer but longer trains. While they claim that these changes haven’t increased the risk associated with their trains, regulatory bodies and Congress are closely examining their operations following several recent high-profile derailments. The problems related to rail crossings have been extensively documented, further highlighting the need for intervention.
Multiple Projects Aim to Improve Railroad Crossings
The $570 million in grants is part of the $3 billion funding allocated under the $1 trillion infrastructure law for rail crossing projects. Over the next five years, these funds will be distributed among various initiatives. While some of the 63 projects will focus on planning and design for future elimination of crossings, the majority of the funding will be directed towards physical improvements at existing crossings, addressing long-standing issues.
Transportation Secretary Buttigieg visited Grand Forks, North Dakota, to emphasize the impact of these grants. A $30 million grant will contribute to a project near the University of North Dakota campus, enhancing access to the local hospital and eliminating a hazardous crossing that has been a concern since 1991. Grand Forks Fire Chief Gary Lorenz stressed that closing the crossing will eliminate the risk of train-car collisions and provide unimpeded access for first responders to the northwest section of the city.
Texas, Ohio to Get Significant Grants
Another significant grant of nearly $37 million will aid in eliminating four rail crossings in Houston, which currently has the second-highest number of rail crossing fatalities in the nation. The construction of four underpasses will mitigate traffic delays and enhance pedestrian safety in the area.
Additionally, a $7.2 million grant will improve access to Fostoria, Ohio, an area known as the Iron Triangle due to its three-sided border with train tracks. With a CSX train passing through the community every 26 minutes and warning sirens at the crossings sounding for at least two hours daily, a new bridge will be built to provide a safe route into the neighborhood.
In all these cases, states and cities, sometimes with the collaboration of railroads, are required to contribute at least 20% of the project cost to ensure their commitment to the improvements.
Related Articles: