FRA sets up web page for reporting blocked crossings

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) last week launched a new web page on which the public and law enforcement agencies can report incidents of blocked grade crossings.

Communities have long dealt with the issue of blocked crossings, and the FRA is now seeking broad public input to better understand the problem's scope and engage with affected parties to identify solutions, FRA officials said in a press release.

"Railroads, states and local jurisdictions are best positioned to address blocked highway-rail grade crossings and I’ve asked them to work together to minimize unwanted impacts," FRA Administrator Ronald Batory said. "FRA expects that collecting this data will help us identify where chronic problems exist and better assess the underlying causes and overall impacts of blocked crossings — locally, regionally and nationwide."
 
The FRA's Blocked Crossing web page asks specific information from users, including date, time, location and duration of crossings that are blocked by trains.

"Our ability to address this issue is only as effective as the data we collect," Batory added. "Therefore, we are hoping to engage citizens and all levels of government to help spread the word about this important tool."