U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has reintroduced a bill that would provide funds to local governments to make grade-level rail crossings safer.
The bill is co-sponsored by Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, and was first introduced in 2015, following the deadly Metro-North crash in Westchester.
“And he and I have been the two leaders in pushing for rail safety of various kinds throughout the Senate, and he agrees with me: this will be a bipartisan effort. We’re going to go national, reintroduce the bill, and get it done,” Blumenthal said.
Schumer said the bill will focus on engineering solutions besides building over or under the tracks.
“Ninety-eight percent of these crossings don’t need that. They need better lighting. They may need widening of the roads. They may need changing the grading so it’s easier to get over. Engineering can save lives.”
Or it could be something as simple as red traffic lights installed a block before the crossing.
The funding, which could amount to several hundred million dollars, would also pay for education and enforcement.
The House of Representatives did not take up the legislation in 2015.
