Dangerous rail crossing south of Chicago ordered shut

ELWOOD, Ill. (AP) - A dangerous rail crossing south of Chicago will be closed to road traffic at the end of this month.

The closure of Walter Strawn Drive in the village of Elwood will block an access point for trucks moving to and from a major intermodal shipping and warehousing facility.

An attorney for facility owner CenterPoint Properties says the closure will jeopardize safety along other highways and local roads by diverting thousands of trucks.

The (Joliet) Herald-News reports (http://bit.ly/1G1un0C ) the decision to close the road was made Wednesday by the Illinois Commerce Commission.

The newspaper reports that trucks broke through the railroad gates at Illinois Route 53 and Walter Strawn Drive about 50 times in 2013.

Village President William Offerman has warned of "highly dangerous, life-threatening close calls."