North Carolina, Illinois, Ohio grade crossings set for improvements

The N.C. Department of Transportation's Rail Division has made crossing safety improvements at two intersections in Pitt County, at two intersections near Marion and at an intersection in Onslow County.

NCDOT installed crossing signals and gates where Boyd Street and Liberty Street intersect the CSX railroad tracks in Winterville in Pitt County and where Moody Town Road and Goode Road intersect the CSX tracks near Marion. These projects were paid for with a combination of state and federal funds. Maintenance funding for the projects will be divided equally between the state and CSX.

Two freight trains a day travel through the Boyd Street and Liberty Street crossings at a maximum of 25 miles per hour. Seven freight trains a day travel through the Moody Town Road railroad crossing at a maximum of 45 miles per hour, while 12 freight trains a day travel through the Goode Road intersection as a maximum of 40 miles per hour.

NCDOT also installed crossing signals and gates at the intersection of Piney Green Road and the Camp LeJeune Railroad tracks in Jacksonville in Onslow County. A combination of state and federal funds paid for the $325,000 project and maintenance funding for the project will be divided equally between the state and Camp LeJeune Railroad.

Two freight trains a day travel through the railroad crossing at a maximum of 25 miles per hour.

All three projects in North Carolina are a part of a statewide NCDOT program to enhance highway safety by adding or improving signals and gates at public railroad crossings. Automatic warning devices are now in place at more than 2,600 of the 3,800 public at-grade crossings across the state.

The Illinois Commerce Commission authorized expenditures of up to $50,000 from the Grade Crossing Protection Fund toward the construction of an expanded multi-use path and pedestrian gates at the highway-railroad grade crossing on 135th street in Plainfield.

The project will improve safety in the area, along the a path east and west of the 135th Street crossing of the Wisconsin Central railroad tracks, especially for school children traveling to the elementary school near the crossing.

The cost for all improvements is estimated to be $300,000, which includes installation of a pedestrian multi-use path and raised median at the 135th Street railroad crossing and protective pedestrian gates. The Grade Crossing Protection Fund will pay 50 percent of the cost to install railroad pedestrian gates at the 135th Street crossing. The remainder of the project cost will be paid by the village of Plainfield.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission directing the installation of gates and mast-mounted flashing lights at the Columbus & Ohio River Railroad crossing at Sinfield Road/Township Road 171, near Cadiz, in German Township, Harrison County.

The upgrade is to be completed no later than Sept. 10, 2015, and will be paid for with federal funds.