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Public Utilities Commission of Ohio media release.News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Shana Eiselstein
614 | 466 7750

PUCO approves upgrade of warning devices for Wayne and Medina County railroad crossings

COLUMBUS, OHIO (Sept. 15, 2009) – The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) today approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) directing Norfolk Southern Railway and Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway to install flashing lights and roadway gates at grade crossings in Wayne and Medina Counties.

Norfolk Southern will install flashing lights and roadway gates at the County Road 228/Willow Road (503-073B) grade crossing in Wayne County. Wheeling & Lake Erie will install flashing lights and roadway gates and the County Road 29/Congress Road (473-563H) and the Township Road 92/White Road (473-551N) grade crossings in Medina County.

The railroads must submit site plans and cost estimates for the project to the PUCO by Dec. 14, 2009. Funding for this upgrade will be provided through federal funds. The railroads will be responsible for completing construction of the upgrade by Sept. 15, 2010.

To increase public safety during the construction of these upgrades, the PUCO will assist the local governments with the cost of improvements such as rumble strips, illumination, improved signage or other safety enhancements at the project locations. Funding for these improvements will come from the State Grade Crossing Safety Fund, and will not exceed $5,000 per crossing.

The PUCO is responsible for evaluating Ohio’s public grade crossings to determine the need for installing active warning devices. In 2008, the PUCO played a part in the installation of lights and gates at 38 grade crossings throughout the state. Over the past two decades, the annual number of train-motor vehicle crashes in Ohio has decreased significantly, from 412 in 1988 to 82 in 2008.

The Ohio Rail Hotline, at (866) 814-RAIL (7245), provides Ohioans with a toll-free resource for all railroad crossing questions. For more information regarding these crossings, access the Ohio railroad information system Web site at http://gradecrossings.puco.ohio.gov/.

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The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) is the sole agency charged with regulating public utility service. The role of the PUCO is to assure all residential, business, and industrial consumers have access to adequate, safe, and reliable utility services at fair prices while facilitating an environment that provides competitive choices. Consumers with utility-related questions or concerns can call the PUCO hotline at (800) 686-PUCO (7826) and speak with a representative.

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The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio
180 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215
Ted Strickland, Governor • Alan R. Schriber, Chairman
An Equal Opportunity Employer and Service Provider
(800) 686-PUCO (7826) - (800) 686-1570 (TTY-TDD)
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