Ohio panel directs short line to upgrade Toledo crossing

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) has approved safety upgrades at a grade crossing in Toledo. 

Ann Arbor Railroad (AA) will install flashing lights and gates at the Erie Street crossing. The project must be completed by April 14, 2027. Federal funds will cover $415,600 of the project’s cost.

Owned by Watco, AA operates 82.4 miles of track in Ohio and interchanges with CN, CSX, Norfolk Southern Railway, the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway, Indiana & Ohio Railway and Great Lakes Central Railroad. 

PUCO is responsible for evaluating Ohio’s public crossings to determine the need for installing active warning devices. Since the commission began implementing upgrades, the annual number of train-motor vehicle crashes in the state has decreased significantly over the past 25 years.