Illinois Commerce Commission approves grade crossing improvements

Written by David C. Lester, Editor-in-Chief
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Officials in Circleville, Ohio, seem closer to building a grade separation.
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Grade crossing improvements are coming to two areas in Illinois.

The Illinois Commerce Commission has approved grade crossing improvements along Norfolk Southern’s lines in Kankakee County and Bement, Ill. The news about these crossing improvements was announced in two separate press releases issued on May 28, 2021.

Kankakee County

The Illinois Commerce Commission has granted approval for six highway-rail grade crossings in Kankakee County.

The public safety improvements include the installation of new automatic flashing lights, signals and gates at the following Norfolk Southern Railway Company track locations:

  • The CR1000W/TR54 grade crossing near Union Hill;
  • Center Street/CH 11 grade crossing in Union Hill;
  • The CR16000W/TR 20 and CR 18000W/FAP 796 grade crossing near Union Hill.
  • And the CR4000W/TR 96 and CR 6000W/TR 80A grade crossings near Kankakee.

The combined total estimated cost for the new automatic warning devices at all six crossings is $2,211,904. ICC Staff recommends that the Grade Crossing Protection Fund be used to pay 95% of the signal design and installation costs, not to exceed $2,101,310. Norfolk Southern will pay all remaining signal design and installation costs, and all future operating and maintenance costs related to the new automatic warning devices at all three crossings.

All six of the projects came to the attention of the Rail Safety Section following Staff evaluation.

All work is to be completed by within eighteen (18) months of the Order date.

Bement

The Illinois Commerce Commission has granted approval of a Stipulated Agreement to install new automatic flashing lights with vehicular and pedestrian gates at the Piatt Street and the Sangamon Street Grade Crossings in Bement, Piatt County.

The combined total estimated cost for the new automatic warning devices at both crossings is $963,662. ICC Staff recommends that the Grade Crossing Protection Fund be used to pay 95% of the signal design and installation costs, not to exceed $915,479. Norfolk Southern will pay all remaining signal design and installation costs, and all future operating and maintenance costs related to the new automatic warning devices at all three crossings.

All work is to be completed by within eighteen (18) months of the Order date.

ICC Commissioner Michael Carrigan said of both projects, that “The allocation of Grade Crossing Protection funds enables [these] rail safety project[s] to move forward, and that is good news for the community and all those traversing the crossing.”

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