Wednesday, October 13, 2004 (Washington, DC) The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has awarded a $497,050 grant to the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) to test safety equipment that block all lanes of traffic at a high-risk highway-rail grade crossing.

The device is comprised of a single, long gate arm that extends across the entire width of the roadway. Once lowered, the far end of the gate arm is secured in a locking device on the opposite side of the road making it nearly impossible for a vehicle to drive around it.

The gate arm is designed to be energy absorbent, using galvanized steel cables to “catch the vehicle” and prevent it from entering the crossing. It can effectively stop a two-ton truck traveling at 45 miles per hour.

This technology has been used as a traffic safety device at drawbridges for over 30-years, but only recently is it being tested for use at highway-rail grade crossings.

“The number of grade crossing collisions, fatalities, and injuries are all down significantly, but there are still too many vehicle-train accidents occurring,” said Acting FRA Administrator Betty Monro. “We are committed to further reducing these incidents through the testing and application of advanced life-saving technologies.”

The grant agreement provides for the installation of this equipment at a yet to be determined high-risk grade crossing along the Norfolk Southern rail line between Cleveland and Delta (west of Toledo). This line currently handles about 80 trains a day and is part of a federally designated corridor that may one day support high-speed rail operations.

ORDC will assess the mechanical functionality of the system in all weather conditions and will evaluate motorist and pedestrian reaction to its operation.

The grant is being made under the FRA Next Generation High-Speed Rail Program.

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