Ohio panel OKs Norfolk Southern grade-crossing projects

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) last week approved Norfolk Southern Railway's request to relocate or modify warning devices at 16 grade crossings on its Fort Wayne Line in Canton.

The requested modifications will include the addition, removal and relocation of mast-mounted lights and gates, according to a PUCO press release.

The projects are to be competed by April 4, 2019. NS will cover project costs. Commission staff will conduct inspections to verify the modifications have been made as approved.

The PUCO is responsible for evaluating Ohio's public grade crossings to determine the need for installing active warning devices. Since the commission began implementing these evaluations, the annual number of train-motor vehicle crashes in Ohio has decreased from 123 in 2001 to 64 in 2016, PUCO officials said.