OLI awards grants for crossing safety campaigns

Operation Lifesaver Inc., in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration, yesterday announced the award of $200,000 in grants for grade crossing safety campaigns in 11 states.

The grants will fund crossing safety public education projects to be conducted during OLI’s observance of Rail Safety Week Sept. 19-25, OLI officials said in a press release. The programs will launch public awareness campaigns and host community events.

Grant recipients include OLI organizations in California, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

"OLI is grateful for our continuing rail safety partnership with FHWA, and for the grant funding that makes these safety projects possible. Together, we can stop track tragedies," said OLI Executive Director Rachel Maleh.

The grants were awarded through a competitive process based on criteria such as the defined safety need, the number of crossing collisions in the state and how the proposal leverages federal funds with private partnerships.