PUCO approves upgrade of rail crossings in Delaware, Jefferson, Lorain, counties

COLUMBUS, OHIO (Jan. 18, 2012) – The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) today approved authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) directing CSX, Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) and Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway (W&LE) to install flashing lights and gates at grade crossings in Delaware, Jefferson and Lorain counties, respectively.  Upgrades will be installed as follows:

• CSX will install lights and gates at the Harris Road/Township Road 87 (518-290V) grade crossing in Brown Township, Delaware County;
• NS will install lights and gates at the Spring Avenue/County Road 47 (503-166V) grade crossing in the city of Toronto, Jefferson County;
• W&LE will install lights and gates at the Fairgrounds Street/Township Road 1149 (473-590E) grade crossing in Wellington Township, Lorain County.

Funding for the upgrades will be provided through federal funds. The railroads will be responsible for completing construction of the upgrades by Oct. 18, 2012.

To increase public safety during the construction of the projects, 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 location. Funding for the improvement will come from the State Grade Crossing Safety Fund, and will not exceed $5,000 per project.

The PUCO is responsible for evaluating Ohio’s public grade crossings to determine the need for installing active warning devices. Over the past decade, the annual number of train-motor vehicle crashes in Ohio has decreased significantly, from 123 in 2001 to 64 in 2010.

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 website at http://gradecrossings.puco.ohio.gov/.

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12-133-RR-FED
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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 Call Center at (800) 686-PUCO (7826) and speak with a representative.

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