advertisement

Authorities plan $3.8M in rail crossing upgrades

SPRINGFIELD — Authorities will spend more than $3.8 million to upgrade a series of central Illinois railroad crossings near Springfield to make them safer for drivers.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports the project, which uses both state and federal money, will add eight sets of “quad gates” at crossings along the Union Pacific rail line.

“Quad gates” are double gates installed on each side of a crossing that are designed to keep cars from going onto the track when a train is approaching. They provide about 85 seconds of warning, instead of the typical 30 seconds that are provided by standard gates.

The gates are being added as part of the upgrade of high-speed rail line between St. Louis and Chicago.

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.