Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Approves Rail Safety Upgrades in Two Counties
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, or PUCO, has approved rail safety upgrades at crossings in both Brown and Stark counties.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, or PUCO, has approved rail safety upgrades at crossings in both Brown and Stark counties. By October 4th, 2024, the Cincinnati Eastern Railroad will install flashing lights and gates at the grade crossing at Corboy Road and T.R. 530. According to the report, $327,540 in federal funds will go toward the upgrades.
In addition, Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway, or WLE, will also install flashing lights and gates at a crossing in Canton, Stark County by early January 2025. While the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved upgrades at this crossing back in April of 2022, it determined after design reviews that “reconfiguring the roadway to simplify the grade crossing layout was necessary.” While the cost of this upgrade comes to $656,585, PUCO will pay 35% of the total cost from the State Grade Crossing Safety Fund, and the City of Canton will pay 8% of the total cost. 47% of the total cost will come from the Ohio Rail Development Commission, or ORDC. The WLE will pay 10% of future maintenance expenses.
During construction, local government may seek funding from PUCO for public safety measures, including “rumble strips, illumination, improved signage, or other enhancements at the project location.” Funding for these specific improvements will also come from the State Grade Crossing Safety Fund, and they will not exceed more than $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 today’s 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 23-871-RR-FED and 23-861-RR-STP.”
