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The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) has approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission that will enable three railroads to install flashing lights and gates at five grade crossings.

Norfolk Southern Railway will upgrade crossings at Carey Road/Township Road 27 and Willey Road/Township Road 211 in Crawford and Delaware counties; Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway Co. will upgrade crossings at Young Road/Township Road 23 and Base Line Road/County Road 11 in Huron County; and Indiana & Ohio Railway will upgrade a crossing at Jackson Street in Shelby County.

The railroads must complete all construction by Feb. 23, 2013. Funding for all upgrades will be covered by federal dollars.

PUCO is responsible for evaluating Ohio’s public crossings to determine the need for installing active warning devices. Over the past decade, the annual number of train-motor vehicle crashes in Ohio has decreased from 123 in 2001 to 64 in 2011.