COLUMBUS – The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) has approved over $1 million for safety upgrades at rail crossings in Richland, Scioto, Williams and Lucas counties.
Ashland Railway, Inc. (ASRY) will install circuitry upgrades at the S.R. 39 grade crossing in Mansfield by Oct. 15, 2025.
ASRY must submit site plans and cost estimates to the PUCO by Jan. 14, 2025. The PUCO will provide $105,000 from the State Grade Crossing Protection Fund to complete the project. ASRY will pay for any costs exceeding $105,000.
Norfolk Southern Railway (NSR) will install flashing lights and gates, cantilevers and curbing at the Hutchins Street grade crossing in the city of Portsmouth, Scioto County, by July 15, 2025. Federal funds will pay $514,054 to complete the project.
NSR will install flashing lights and gates with a cantilever at the S.R. 2/E. High Street grade crossing in the city of Bryan, Williams County, by Oct. 15, 2025. Federals funds will pay $620,712 to complete the project.
NSR will install flashing lights and gates, and cantilevers at the Lagrange Street grade crossings in the city of Toledo, Lucas County, by Oct. 15, 2025.
Federal funds will be used to complete the project. NSR must submit site plans and cost estimates to the PUCO by Feb. 13, 2025.
To increase public safety during the construction of the project, local government may seek funding from the PUCO for the cost of safety improvements such as rumble strips, illumination, improved signage or other enhancements at the project location.
Funding for such improvements comes from the State Grade Crossing Safety Fund and may not exceed $5,000 per project.
The PUCO is responsible for evaluating Ohio’s public grade crossings to determine the need for installing active warning devices.
Since the PUCO began implementing these evaluations, the annual number of train-motor vehicle crashes in Ohio has decreased significantly, from 356 in 1990 to 77 in 2023.
The Ohio Rail Hotline, at (866) 814-RAIL (7245), provides Ohioans with a toll-free resource for all railroad crossing questions.
For more information regarding these crossings, access the Ohio railroad information system website at gradecrossings.puco.ohio.gov.
A copy of today’s Commission order with a list of crossings receiving upgrades is available on the PUCO’s website at www.PUCO.ohio.gov.
Click on the link to Docketing Information System and enter the case numbers 24-871-RR-STP, 24-934-RR-FED, 24-927-RR-FED and 24-870-RR-FED.