PUCO Approves Safety Upgrades in Columbiana County
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
Courtesy of PUCO
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Norfolk Southern will install lights and gates at Putnam Street grade crossing in East Liverpool by March 2025.
PUCO Approves Safety Upgrades in Columbiana County The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) approved safety upgrades at a crossing in Columbiana County. Norfolk Southern will install flashing lights at gates at the Putnam Street grade crossing. Located in East Liverpool in Columbiana County, the work is expected to be completed by March 20, 2025. $442,641 in federal funding will go toward these improvements.
During construction, the local government may seek funding from PUCO for rumble strips, illumination, signage, etc. for the duration of the project. This funding would come from the State Grade Crossing Safety Fund and will not exceed $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.”
