PUCO approves rail crossing upgrades in Allen and Fayette counties
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) recently approved safety upgrades at rail crossings in Allen and Fayette counties.
Chicago Ft. Wayne & Eastern Railroad (CFE) will install circuitry upgrades at the N. Cable Road grade crossing in the city of Lima, Allen County by Oct. 18, 2024. The total cost of the project is $216,973. Federal funds will pay 80 percent of the total cost, while CFE will pay 20 percent to complete the upgrades.
Indiana & Ohio Railway (IORY) will install flashing lights and gates in addition to a new surface at the West Court Street grade crossing in the city of Washington Court House, Fayette County, by Oct. 18, 2024. The total cost of the project is $624,599. Federal funds will pay $562,255 to complete the upgrades, while Washington Court House will pay $62,344 of the cost of the new surface.
To increase public safety during the construction of the project, local government may seek funding from the PUCO for the cost of safety improvements such as rumble strips, illumination, improved signage or other enhancements at the project location. Funding for such improvements comes from the State Grade Crossing Safety Fund and may 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. Since the PUCO began implementing these evaluations, the annual number of train-motor vehicle crashes in Ohio has decreased significantly, from 356 in 1990 to 61 in 2022.
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 gradecrossings.puco.ohio.gov.
A copy of the Commission order with a list of the crossings receiving upgrades is available on the PUCO’s website at www.PUCO.ohio.gov. Click on the link to Docketing Information System and enter the case numbers 23-912-RR-FED and 23-892-RR-FED.