Barrington still awaiting approval for pedestrian crossing gates at Union Pacific crossings
Barrington officials say they are making progress toward the goal of installing pedestrian crossing gates at the village’s Union Pacific Railroad crossings.
But before construction can start, regulatory and procedural hurdles need to be cleared, including Illinois Commerce Commission approval and land acquisition.
Village officials hope to finalize the ICC process by summer and move on to the construction phase.
Pedestrian gates have been a village issue since Barrington High School student Marin Lacson was struck and killed by a train at the Hough Street crossing in 2024.
Similar gates were installed at the Canadian National Railway’s Main Street crossing near Barrington High School in October.
But the Hough Street, Hough/Main and Hillside Avenue crossings on the Union Pacific line are still without them.
Barrington Deputy Village Manager Marie Hansen said Union Pacific has essentially approved the scope of work outlined in the village’s engineering plans and is currently developing cost estimates.
Plans submitted to the state at approximately 60% completion are currently under review by the Illinois Department of Transportation, with officials awaiting initial comments before resubmitting plans for approval.
There is one significant hurdle. The Hough/Main crossing requires widening to accommodate the new pedestrian gates, which means encroaching on additional space within Union Pacific's right-of-way. This requires an agreement between the Union Pacific and IDOT.
“We are getting close, hopefully to some agreement between those two parties,” Hansen said, adding the village is assisting with exhibits and survey work to help move that agreement forward.
ICC is expected to update next month.
Once permits and approvals are secured, the village board will need to approve a construction contract. The village is expected to serve as the lead entity for bidding out the roadway work. The selected contractor will coordinate with Union Pacific, which handles the actual installation of the railroad crossing gates.