“This critical investment will help prevent future accidents and improve safety for the countless New Yorkers who travel on commuter and passenger trains and drive across unsafe rail crossing every day”, said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Along with Commerce Street, the Cleveland Street and Stevens Avenue sites in Mount Pleasant and the Roaring Brook Road intersection in Chappaqua are also scheduled to benefit in Westchester.
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That station is one of seven railroad crossings that will get a device that will allow motorists to know when trains are coming long before the warning signals. Cameras will be installed to record crossing movement to better help analyze operations for future improvements.
Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-Harrison), whose district includes all of the Westchester crossings, said the grant is crucial to make critical safety improvements.
In addition to incidents of trespassing, Hull notes accidents at rail crossings continue to be a major concern. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo earlier this year also approved legislation that increases the frequency of safety inspections and crossings, and raises fines for railroads that don’t immediately and properly report crossing incidents to the state.
As part of the second project, $1,904,132 in upgrades will be made to three grade crossings to mitigate hazardous conditions between highway and rail traffic.
“It’s an organization that promotes train safety though out the country, not just here in Wisconsin”.
Union Pacific’s Douglas points to a demonstration which she says illustrates the dangers when vehicles collide with trains.
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Wisconsin has more than 4,000 railroad crossings. And New York has experienced some of the worst grade-crossing accidents in its history. Indiana State Police, Indiana Department of Transportation, local law enforcement and railroad companies have partnered together to raise public awareness about the dangers of disregarding railroad crossings laws and trespassing on railroad property.
