Ohio unveils tool to measure impact of blocked grade crossings

The Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) has released a free, publicly accessible tool to measure the impact of blocked grade crossings in Ohio.

The Rail Crossing Community Impact Index (RCCII) is an interactive tool designed to enable users to locate crossings within their community. It creates weighted scores for motorized, nonmotorized and truck-specific traffic, ORDC officials said in a news release.

RCCII scores can help identify areas with the most significant impact and help prioritize locations during the project selection process. In addition, the tool provides important information to support rail improvement program development, such as discretionary grant funding applications, ORDC officials said.

The index "will be a significant asset for the rail commission, its partners and the public,” said ORDC Executive Director Matthew Dietrich. "All users will benefit from the information provided for a specific crossing or group of crossings, and how they measure up in relation to the statewide average."

The tool is  available on the ORDC website at Rail Maps & Tools.