Indiana to get $21M for railroad safety reform
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The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has announced more than $21 million in funding for five Indiana projects as part of the Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant Program.
Created through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the program is designed to help communities eliminate points where railroad tracks intersect with roads to prevent deadly collisions and allow first responders, as well as vehicle and pedestrian traffic to be undisturbed.
Last year, there were more than 2,000 highway-rail crossing collisions in the U.S. and more than 30,000 reports of blocked crossings submitted to FRA’s public complaint portal, the FRA said.
Indiana has received a portion of the RCE Program’s over $570 million in funding across 63 projects.
“Every year, commuters, residents, and first responders lose valuable time waiting at blocked railroad crossings – and worse, those crossings are too often the site of collisions that could be prevented,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we’re improving rail crossings in communities across the country to save lives, time, and resources for American families.”
In Hammond, the Governors Parkway Railroad Overpass Project has received a $7,029,392 grant. The FRA says the project will eliminate two grade crossings with the Norfolk Southern Railway creating a grade-separated road overpass and a new road alignment. The project also includes $2,626,775 from the Federal Highway Administration.
In Gary, the Buffington Harbor Gateway Project has received a $4.5 million grant. The FRA says the project will eliminate eight at-grade rail crossings on a heavily traveled freight corridor that is also part of the military’s Strategic Rail Corridor Network. The project also includes $9,588,835 from the Federal Highway Administration.
In Peru, the Peru Grade Separation Feasibility Study has received a $76,000 grant. The FRA says the planning project will assess the feasibility of eliminating one or more of six at-grade rail crossings as well as the construction of an underpass on Norfolk Southern right-of-way.
In Schererville, the Kennedy Avenue Railroad Overpass Project has received a $8,452,558 grant. The FRA says the project will fund final design and construction of a grade separation in the Town of Schererville.
The Wells County Hoosier Highway Crossing Elimination Project has received a $1,114,261 grant. The FRA says the project will support development efforts to close three at-grade rail crossings on Norfolk Southern’s rail line by re-aligning Hoosier Highway. The project also includes $4,083,137 from the Federal Highway Administration.