PUCO issues 2010 crossing report
Written by jrood
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has released the Ohio Grade Crossing Statistics Report 2010. The annual report details the PUCO's role in highway-rail grade crossing safety and provides current and historical crossing data. "Rail crossing safety is a top priority for the PUCO," Chairman Todd Snitchler stated. "In 2010, the PUCO ordered 133 crossing safety upgrades, including the installation of lights and gates, supplemental assistance funding and circuitry upgrades." As a crossroads state, Ohio is home to a significant amount of rail traffic. Thousands of trains operate on nearly 5,300 miles of track and over 6,000 public crossings, making Ohio the fifth leading state in terms of goods transported by rail. Since the 1980's the PUCO has worked to improve safety at Ohio's public highway-rail grade crossings through education and outreach, crossing inspections, local funding opportunities and the installation of safety improvements at crossings across the state. Over this period of time, the annual number of train-vehicle crashes has decreased from more than 300 two decades ago to 64 in 2010. The Ohio Grade Crossing Statistics Report 2010 is available online in the railroad section of www.PUCO.ohio.gov.
