The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved over $1 million in safety upgrades at the Winchester Street grade crossing in the village of Sardinia, Brown County.
The Cincinnati Eastern Railroad will install flashing lights and gates, along with surface reconstruction, by June 3, 2026. Federal funds will pay more than $1 million to complete the project.
To increase public safety during the construction of the project, local government may seek funding from the PUCO for the cost of safety improvements such as rumble strips, illumination, improved signage or other enhancements at the project location. Funding for such improvements comes from the State Grade Crossing Safety Fund and may not exceed $5,000 per project.
The PUCO is responsible for evaluating Ohio’s public grade crossings to determine the need for installing active warning devices. Since the PUCO began implementing these evaluations, the annual number of train-motor vehicle crashes in Ohio has decreased from 356 in 1990 to 67 in 2024.
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