Ohio rail panel OKs 12 grade crossing projects

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) earlier this week approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission that directs six railroads to install and upgrade 12 rail crossings in the state by next year.

Norfolk Southern Railway will install lights and gates at the Township Road 212 grade crossing in Arcadia by July 30, 2020. CSX will install lights and gates, as well as remove spur track, at the Main Street crossing in the New Bloomington by April 30, 2020, PUCO officials said in a press release.

By April 30, 2020, PUCO also directed: 

• Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway Co. to install light, gates and a new crossing surface at the County Road 504 crossing in Creston, as well as install lights and gates, and complete surface reconstruction at the Center Street crossing in New Washington; 
• Kanawha River Railroad to install lights and gates at the Carpenter Road/County Road 13 crossing in Albany; and 
• Columbus & Ohio River Railroad to upgrade lights and gates at the Thornwood Drive crossing in Heath and at the Parrot Street crossing in Mt. Vernon. The crossing surface at Parrot Street also will require traffic signal preemption installed and the crossing surface to be reconstructed. 

Finally, Akron Barberton Cluster Railway is directed to install LED lights at the Oak Street crossing in Ravenna, as well as at the Tuscarawas Avenue, Fourth Street, Hopocan Avenue, Cleveland-Massillon Road crossings in the city of Barberton. The work must be completed by July 31, 2020.