PUCO Approves Safety Upgrades in Scioto and Butler Counties
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
COLUMBUS, Ohio – On Sept. 6th, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, or PUCO, approved safety upgrades totaling $1.7 million for rail crossings in Scioto and Butler counties.
On Sept. 6th, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, or PUCO, approved safety upgrades totaling $1.7 million for rail crossings in Scioto and Butler counties.
In Scioto County, Norfolk Southern will “install flashing lights and gates at the Lincoln Street grade crossing” by September 6th next year. The Class I will pay $44,308 for the upgrades, and $251,082 will come from federal funds.
In Butler County, CSX Transportation will “install flashing lights and gates at three grade crossings in Butler County.” By September 6th of next year, the “Hussey Road/T.R. 228, Decamp Road/T.R. 207 and Darrtown Road/T.R. 227 grade crossings will be upgraded.” Federal funding to complete these upgrades will cost $1,419,042.
Additional funding may come from PUCO “for the cost of safety improvements such as rumble strips, illumination, improved signage or other enhancements at the project location.” According to the release, funding for these improvements “comes from the State Grade Crossing Safety Fund and may 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.”
