CLEVELAND — Gov. Mike DeWine announced Tuesday $100 million will go toward eliminating dangerous railroad crossings throughout the state.
The state has around 5,700 grade crossings, which DeWine said are locations where railroad tracks and roads intersect.
The funding will come from the Ohio Rail Crossing Elimination Program, DeWine said.
“To compete for federal grants, communities need the resources to develop the projects, prepare federal applications, and commit matching funds to make Ohio’s grant applications competitive,” said DeWine. “Railroad grade projects can be complex and expensive, and without state assistance, most communities do not have the resources to develop them. This program will provide support to get these projects moving in the right direction.”
DeWine said the railroad grade crossings are a safety hazard and create barriers to traffic. Since 2019, data shows there were more than 10,500 reports of blocked railroad crossings because of these issues.
DeWine said municipalities can submit projects to the Ohio Rail Development Commission. It will identify the projects “with the best opportunities for federal funding and assist in developing these locations into competitive federal grant applications.
“Eliminating grade crossings has a ripple effect on safety for motorists, train operators, and first responders who are often delayed by blocked crossings. We’ll work with local communities in Ohio to ensure we maximize federal investment in Ohio,” said Scott Corbitt, chair of the Ohio Rail Development Commission.
