Operation Lifesaver Inc. and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) last month announced $200,000 in grants to Operation Lifesaver programs in 11 states.
The grants will fund various highway-rail grade crossing safety public education projects, many of which will be conducted in conjunction with the nonprofit safety group’s observance of Rail Safety Week, Sept. 20-26, 2021.
Funded by FHWA, the grants will be awarded to Operation Lifesaver organizations in Arizona, California, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington.
“OLI is grateful for our ongoing safety partnership with FHWA, which facilitates these grant-funded railroad crossing safety efforts by state Operation Lifesaver programs,” OLI Executive Director Rachel Maleh said in a news release. “We are excited to see the results of the projects as we work to stop track tragedies.”
The state programs will use the funding to launch public awareness campaigns and host community events that deliver critical rail safety tips to target audiences, including motorists of all ages and professional drivers.
“The US Department of Transportation is committed to putting safety first, including the safety of those traveling across railroad crossings,” Acting Federal Highway Administrator Stephanie Pollack said in a news release. “The FHWA is pleased to provide the funding that will help prevent crashes at rail-grade crossings nationwide.”
The approved grants were awarded through a competitive process, with selection based on criteria such as the defined safety need, the number of highway-rail collisions in the state, and how the proposal leverages federal funds with private partnerships.
