Rail task force labels worst crossings
By Carole Carlson ccarlson@post-trib.com January 29, 2012 9:12PM
A bicyclist heads across the tracks at the railroad crossing on Old Hobart Road in the Miller section of Gary, Ind. Friday January 27, 2012. A task force has compiled a list of crossings in Northwest Indiana in need of rail/road grade separations. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media
NWI’s worst crossings
The Northwest Indiana Rail Vision Working Group has identified a list of problem rail crossings that it hopes leads to funding for construction of bridges over the troublesome spots.
Here’s a look at the list:
Chesterton — 15th Street between Broadway and Woodlawn and Francis southeast of Lincoln
Porter County — County Road 250W (Tower Road) south of Indiana 130
Porter County — Indiana 149 north of Indiana Toll Road
East Chicago — East Chicago Avenue between Kennedy and Euclid
East Chicago — Euclid north of East Chicago Avenue
East Chicago — 3300 Dickey Road
Gary — Broadway between 41st and 40th avenues
Gary — Clark Road, north of airport
Gary — Old Hobart Road and CSX main in Miller
Griffith — Colfax Street south of Main Street between Catlin Drive and Reder Road
Hammond — 165th Avenue between Indianapolis Blvd. and McCook Avenue
Hammond — 165th Street between McCook and Osborne Street
Hammond — Calumet Avenue between Chicago and Gostlin streets
Munster — Calumet Avenue at 45th
Schererville — Kennedy Avenue, north of Division Street
Article Extras
Updated: March 1, 2012 8:18AM
A planning group has identified the 15 worst rail crossings in Northwest Indiana and is exploring funding sources for at-grade separations at the crossings.
Those separations likely would take the form of bridges over the crossings, said Thomas Vander Woude, regional planner with the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission.
Vander Woude said a group of stakeholders, including railroad industry representatives, local government officials and planners came together to review data and identify troublesome crossings. They took into account train, car and truck volumes and a hazard index or probability of a car-train crash established by the Federal Railroad Administration.
The Northwest Indiana Rail Vision Working Group is modeling its approach on Chicago’s CREATE project, which Vander Woude said recently received federal funding. CREATE took a regional approach to its funding request, like Northwest Indiana’s group is doing.
Chicago is the busiest freight hub in the country and Northwest Indiana is its eastern gateway, Vander Woude said. Forecasts call for increased freight traffic in coming years, he said.
Over the past six months, the task force has reviewed rail crossings and received input from local government officials and railroads to condense the list.
For example, the busiest crossing was in Gary on Clark Road between Buffington Harbor and the Gary/Chicago International Airport. It has heavy truck traffic and a history of serious accidents along with 100 freight trains per day on the Norfolk Southern line. The crossing includes the CSX main line, a Canadian National track and CN main lines into Kirk Yard. The group’s report said a grade separation would aid in airport development and expand access to industrial development property near Lake Michigan.
Another problem crossing is on 15th Street in Chesterton and Francis Street in Porter. Three grade crossings are frequently blocked by about 170 passenger and freight trains per day, which cut off access between Chesterton and Porter.
Vander Woude said the rail group wants to “get the word out” about its findings and win as much support as it can to pursue regional funding. “We can show the cumulative benefits,” he said.
“We’re just keeping everybody in the loop right now,” Vander Woude said.
To make comments, contact Vander Woude at 763-6060 or tvanderwoude@nirpc.org.
Reach reporter Carole Carlson
at 648-3154.
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