Ohio county applies for underpass

A major upgrade could be on the way for the railroad crossing where one Springfield, Ohio, High School student was killed and another seriously injured while walking to school right before the holiday break in December 2009, FOX Toledo News reports. They were both struck by a train while walking to school. Fifteen-year-old Cody Brown was killed. His friend, 16-year-old Brianna Mullinger, survived but lost her leg.

Lucas County
commissioners are moving ahead with plans to apply for grant to help pay for an
underpass on McCord Road. The commissioners voted 3-0 on August 17 to apply for
grants to help pay for the project. The train tracks run right beside
Springfield High School in Holland. Students go through the railway crossing on
their ways to and from school.

More than 100 trains a
day rumble through the intersection and the county expects that number to
double over the next 20 years.

"I know a lot of
time, energy and study have gone into the safety of our railroad right
here," said Springfield Local Schools Superintendent Kathryn Hott. "It
is very, very busy. It has a lot of implications for traffic and safety
control."

Superintendent Hott said
changes to the railroad crossing can’t come soon enough.

The project is expected
to cost $35 million to get an underpass built on McCord Road. Grant funding
would take care of $13 million of it. If the grant is approved, construction on
the underpass could begin as early at 2013 and would be complete by mid-2015.

"The grant opportunity
is wonderful and I know there has been exploration of matching funds to make it
happen," Superintendent Hott said. "So, we’re excited about the
opportunity and appreciate the effort to make it happen and make that a safer
railroad for our walkers and the community."