Close to a million dollars in state grant funds will be used to help make railroad improvements at 14 crossings in seven Kentucky counties.
The work will include the installation of signals, lights, barriers, gates, and bells. Naitore Pjigbenou with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says mishaps at crossings play a significant role in determining grant awards.
“It is one of the factors that we look into when determining who will receive the grants. We are looking at things like railroad crashes and the number of people that travel through that area to determine who will be awarded the money,” said Pjigbenou.
Some of the crossings had average daily traffic counts as high as 13,000 vehicles.
Pjigbenou says the repairs can further traffic flow as well as addressing safety issues.
“If we resurface a railroad crossing, now when someone’s driving and approaching it they don’t have to slow down as much. They can more confidently cross right through and even that time saving of not have to slow down as much before hitting a railroad crossing can help increase and improve traffic flow,” noted Pjigbenou.
Transportation officials say the work should be completed by this time next year. Companies receiving the state grants will be reimbursed 50% of the total project.
The railroad crossing improvements include repairs in Lexington and Louisville along with projects in Logan, Caldwell, Ohio, McCracken, and Grayson Counties.
© 2017 WEKU
