U.S. Rep. Lee introduces bill to improve rail-bridge safety

U.S. Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) last week introduced a bill that would address improved safety measures and "transparency" for the nation's rail bridges.

With bipartisan support, the Rail Bridge Safety and Transparency Act is designed to ensure the reliability and safety of over 100,000 railroad bridges across the United States, according to a press release issued by Lee's office.

“The Rail Bridge Safety and Transparency Act will provide long overdue oversight of rail companies’ maintenance and inspection actions, holding them accountable for higher safety standards and demanding they prioritize public safety over secrecy and profits," said Lee.

Specifically, the bill:
• establishes minimum structural and safety standards for railroad bridges and requires railroad companies to inspect their bridges in line with these standards, reporting findings to the U.S. Department of Transportation;
• requires randomized audits of rail bridge conditions and authorizes USDOT to seek corrective actions if discrepancies are found between audit findings and a rail carrier’s inspection report; and
• directs the USDOT to create a public database where residents can access rail bridge inspection reports and report concerns about unsafe bridges, streamlining the process for investigations.

In August, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.