Aid will help make Illinois rail even safer

Posted January 27, 2025 4:00 am

It’s good news that Illinois is slated to receive more than $150 Million in federal dollars for rail improvements through the USDOT’s Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) grant program. Six Illinois-based transportation projects from Champaign and Stephenson County to Chicago’s Clearing West neighborhood and suburbs including Bedford Park, Summit, New Lenox and Elmwood Park were awarded funding. Projects range from the construction of pedestrian crossings and grade separations that will improve mobility in addition to other safety upgrades.

The primary goal of railroad grade separations or eliminations is to significantly reduce the risk of collisions between vehicles and trains at these intersections. Additionally, traffic flow should improve and reduce congestion. Illinois’ ranking has improved and is still in the top 10 states for collisions at highway-rail crossings.

Rail is the safest way to move freight over land. Railroads also continue to hit new safety milestones as they invest heavily into infrastructure, people and technology. Federal Railroad Administration data shows the last decade to be the safest ever for freight rail. Crossing and trespasser incidents are still too common. Policies and practices governing rail that focus on this problem, like the RCE grant program, will deliver the largest life-saving impact.

Emily Traiforos, Illinois Director

GORAIL

Article Comments

Article Categories
Letters to the Editor Opinion

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.