Ohio panel OKs grade crossing upgrades in Auglaize County

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) has approved safety upgrades at a grade crossing in Auglaize County.

R. J. Corman Railroad Group will install flashing lights and gates and extend the surface at the State Route 364/Koeni Road crossing by Aug. 23, 2024. Federal funds will cover $310,804 of the project costs, according to a PUCO news release.

The PUCO is responsible for evaluating Ohio’s public crossings to determine the need for installing active warning devices.

Since the PUCO began implementing the evaluations, the number of train-motor vehicle crashes each year in Ohio have decreased from 356 in 1990 to 61 in 2022, the release stated.