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CROSSING SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
This report presents the railroad crossing safety capital improvements that ICC staff proposes to implement during FY 2013 and also looks ahead to the projects contemplated for FY 2014-FY 2017. In all cases it is assumed that any required local funding match will be available. In some cases local funding may not be available during the same fiscal year in which a crossing improvement has been programmed. In those circumstances the Rail Safety Section staff will recommend to the ICC that assistance from the GCPF for the project be reallocated to another fiscal year to accommodate the local agency.
The ICC receives numerous requests from local communities and railroads for assistance from the GCPF for safety improvements at public highway-rail crossings. During development of each multi-year crossing safety improvement program plan, the large number of potential projects requires the ICC to prioritize projects based upon several criteria, including the relative safety of the existing crossing and the volume and types of existing train and highway traffic. After each potential project is prioritized based on engineering requirements, geographic location is also taken into account so that safety improvements throughout the state can be addressed as equitably as possible. Projects not selected for the Plan are considered again as part of future 5-Year Plans.
The project list for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 (July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013) includes capital improvement projects that local governments or railroads have previously submitted to the ICC for evaluation and approval, as well as projects based on established priorities. The project list for FY 2014-2017 (out-year list) includes projects based on a continued effort to meet those established priorities:
• High Collision History - Each year the ICC places a high priority on upgrading public highway-rail grade crossings which have a pronounced history of train/vehicle collisions, or which have a high predictive value for future collisions. The FY 2013-2017 Plan will address safety improvements at as many of these crossing locations as possible.
• Rail Corridors - The ICC has identified as a priority the need to improve public highway-rail grade crossings in rail corridors where conventional speed passenger trains operate.
• Highway and Pedestrian Grade Separations (Bridges) - The ICC is continually seeking locations where grade crossing blockages cause substantial motorist or emergency vehicle delay, or where heavy vehicular traffic represents a heightened threat of train/vehicle collisions. This Program includes funding assistance for numerous highway/rail bridge projects on local roads and streets throughout the state.
Recently, the ICC was given the authority to utilize the GCPF to assist local communities with the cost of constructing pedestrian grade separations in areas
