10/6/2006
New state-of-the-art signal lights installed at busy West Boise railroad crossing
BOISE - State-of-the-art lights at a railroad crossing on Milwaukee Street will improve the safety of motorists and increase railroad efficiency, the Idaho Transportation Department and Ada County Highway District announced.
The red lights, built into new individual railroad crossing panels, are circular in design and are placed slightly above ground on the north and south side of Idaho Northern Pacific Railroad's track that is close to and parallels Franklin Road. Activated Friday (Oct. 6), the lights are designed to keep cars from stopping on the track.
"We're hoping to change driver behavior at that crossing," said Joe Peagler, Idaho Transportation Department rail-highway safety coordinator. "It's a very busy intersection and the trains slow down to 5 miles per hour because people stop on the tracks."
Peagler said an average of two trains use the track each day, and that while trains are allowed to travel at 25 miles per hour, they reduce their speed because of the number of cars that block the tracks. Since 1991, there have been four collisions at the crossing after motorists failed to stop. Two of those collisions involved injuries. And Peagler said there are hundreds of near misses annually at the crossing, used by an average of 30,000 cars each day.
The project is a joint effort among Idaho Northern Pacific Railroad, Ada County Highway District and the Idaho Transportation Department. Idaho Northern is installing the crossing panels with technical help from Transpo, the company that makes the panels. Idaho Sand & Gravel is also working on the project.
The crossing panels, made of polymer concrete, are designed to be skid-resistant while offering high load-carrying capacity. The Milwaukee crossing is the fourth one in the United States to have the new panels. Nebraska has the other three. Overhead signal lights at the crossing will remain as well. Peagler said that because of the width of Milwaukee at the railroad track, crossing arms would be too long for practical use.
The project, which will cost about $300,000, is being paid for by Idaho's rail-grade crossing protection fund.
Video footage and photos of the project's night-time construction are available by contacting Adam Rush at 334-8881 or Adam.Rush@itd.idaho.gov.