U.S. Senator Introduces Legislation to Strengthen Oversight of Railroad Bridge Safety
Written by David C. Lester, Editor-in-Chief
Wikipedia Commons/Manuel Velez
WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Last week, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.) introduced legislation called the Rail Bridge Safety and Transparency Act to strengthen oversight of railroad bridge safety.
A press release from Casey’s office said “Due to limited oversight from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) or U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the safety of many rail bridges is unknown, putting communities at risk. This legislation would mitigate future railroad accidents by creating standards for DOT rail bridge oversight and empowering local communities to become aware of and report unsafe conditions. U.S. Representative Summer Lee (D-PA-12) plans to introduce companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives in the coming weeks.”
The press release goes on to say “The Rail Bridge Safety and Transparency Act would improve safety by directing DOT to create standards to establish a rating system for rail bridges and require railroads to inspect their bridges in line with these standards. DOT would also perform independent inspections of the bridges to ensure safety standards are upheld. This legislation would also empower the DOT Secretary to fine railroads for dangerous lapses in safety, should a pattern of discrepancies between railroad reporting and DOT findings be found.”
Read more about The Rail Bridge Safety and Transparency Act here.
