Ohio rail panel approves two NS crossing projects

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) last week approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission directing Norfolk Southern Railway to improve two grade crossings in Columbiana County.

The projects involve the installation of lights and gates at the Creek Road/Township Road 923 and the Clarks Mill Road/Township Road 773 crossings by Aug. 26, 2021, PUCO officials said in a press release.

Federal funding will be provided for both projects.

The PUCO evaluates the state's public crossings to determine the need for installing active warning devices. Since the commission began implementing its evaluations, the annual number of train-motor vehicle collisions in Ohio has decreased from 356 in 1990 to 69 in 2019.