Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Allocates $1.9 Million for Rail Crossing Upgrades
Written by David C. Lester, Editor-in-Chief
PUCO
COLUMBUS, Ohio –– The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio last week approved $1.9 million in safety upgrades at rail crossings in four Ohio counties.
The first is in Pauldling County, in the village of Antwerp, where the Napoleon, Defiance & Western Railway (NDW) will install lights and gates at the Cleveland Street grade crossing. The work is expected to be completed by October 7, 2026, and $466,880 in federal funds will be contributed to it.
In Fairfield County, the Kanawha River Railroad will install lights and gates at the S.R. 256/Main Street grade crossing, and this work will also be completed by October 7. Federal funds of $399,761 will be contributed to this project.
In Wayne County, the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad (WLE) will install flashing lights and gates at the S.R. 3/Main Street grade crossing, again by October 7. The total cost of the project will be $374,310, and WLE will pay $74,862 and the federal contribution will be $299,448.
In the City of Toledo, which is in Lucas County, the Ann Arbor Railroad (AAR) will upgrade the lights, gates, and install cantilevers at the Summit Street grade crossing. This project is set for completion by Jan. 7, 2027. The total cost of the project is $659,366 and the Commission will provide funds from the State Grade Crossing Protection Fund to cover PUCO’s cost of the project. The Commission will pay 75%, up to $500,000, and AAR will provide 25% as well as maintenance expenses and any costs over the PUCO’s maximum of $500,000.
Local governments 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 locations, all to increase public safety. State Grade Crossing Safety funding may not exceed $5,000 per project.
Evaluation of Ohio’s public grade crossings to determine the need for installing active warning devices is the responsibility of PUCO. 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 67 in 2024.
You can download and read more about this in the PUCO report:
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 today’s Commission orders with a list of 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 25-1172-RR-FED, 25-1178-RR-FED, 25-1147-RR-FED and 25-1170-RR-STP.
