Crossing upgrades advance in Ohio, Washington

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) on Monday approved a $60,000 allocation from the Grade Crossing Protective Fund to help the Columbia Basin Railroad cover the cost of three grade crossing upgrades.

The railroad will replace batteries and upgrade train detection devices at two crossings near Moses Lake—State Route 17 and M Road SE in Grant County, and a crossing at Booker Road near Royal City.

To be completed by June 15, 2015, the upgrades will improve safety by warning pedestrians and motorists about approaching trains, UTC officials said in a press release. The batteries will improve the reliability of warning devices if a power failure occurs at the crossings, they said.

Meanwhile, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio last week approved funding authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission directing CSX Transportation to upgrade two crossings.

The railroad will install mast-mounted flashing lights and roadway gates at the Industrial Parkway crossing in Marysville and the Main Street/State Route 281 crossing in Custar.

Funded by federal dollars, the work must be completed no later than Sept. 17, 2015.