Ohio commission awards final grade crossing elimination grants

The Ohio Rail Development Commission has approved $39 million for six grade crossing elimination projects in Delaware, Franklin, Lucas, Scioto, Seneca and Union Counties. The awards exhaust all remaining funds allocated to the Ohio Grade Crossing Elimination Program (OGCEP) and bring the program to a close. 

The OGCEP was created in 2023 to support rail safety projects and help individual communities compete for federal grants from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). In total, OGCEP awarded funds to 15 communities in Ohio, commission officials said in a press release. 

“By helping communities replace these railroad crossings, we are improving safety by eliminating the risk of train-vehicle collisions and ensuring that our first responders are no longer left waiting at a blocked railroad track,” said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. “As this program winds down, I appreciate all the work of the Ohio Rail Development Commission to make it a success.”