ICC greenlights St. Clair County highway-rail safety project in Belleville
The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has approved a Stipulated Agreement requiring new automatic warning devices at a highway-rail crossing near Belleville in St. Clair County. Stipulated Agreement 2235 requires Illinois Central Railroad Company to install the warning devices at the Freedom Drive highway-rail crossing (designated as AAR/DOT #313644T, railroad milepost 11.35- G).
The estimated cost of the signal design and installation is $373,406. ICC Staff recommends that the Grade Crossing Protection Funds (GCPF) be used to pay up to 95 percent of the signal design and installation costs, not to exceed $354,736. Illinois Central Railroad Company will pay all remaining costs as well as all future operating and maintenance costs for the new warning devices and their circuitry.
“Keeping pedestrians, drivers, and rail employees safe around railroad tracks is a top priority for the ICC. Automatic warning signs like the ones coming to Belleville are good news for the community and anyone else who uses the crossing,” said ICC Commissioner Michael T. Carrigan.
All work is expected to be completed within 18 months of the Order date. To read Stipulated Agreement 2235 in Docket No. T23-0021 click here.
In 1955, the State of Illinois passed legislation creating the Grade Crossing Protection Fund (GCPF). Since then, Illinois has strengthened its commitment to public highway-rail safety by increasing funding toward projects such as the closure and consolidation of existing public crossings, installation of new warning systems, highway approach improvements, upgrades to existing warning devices and interconnection to nearby traffic signals, construction/reconstruction of grade separation structures and the construction of pedestrian grade separations. The Commission administers the GCPF, which is funded by motor fuel tax money designated for rail safety improvements. The General Assembly appropriates $42 million annually for the GCPPF. For more information and to see the ICC’s annual Crossing Safety Improvement Program, click here.
