Senators Braun Introduce Bill To Make Railroad Crossings Safer

WASHINGTON – Last week, Senator Mike Braun and Senator Raphael Warnock introduced S. 1919, the Railway Upgrades for Rural American Lines (RURAL) Act in order to build on the successes already found through the Section 130 grant program and help states modernize unsafe or functionally outdated railroad warning devices.

“Since the Section 130 grant program’s creation in 1987, fatalities at railway-highway crossings have decreased by 57 percent. While the Section 130 grant program has been successful in reducing deaths at railway-highway crossings, there is still work to be done to eliminate the threat posed by unsafe railroad crossings. Indiana is crossroads of America and this bill provides a way for states to modernize out of date and functionally obsolete railroad warning devices based on a community’s discretion. The RURAL Act is a realistic answer to creating safer roads for all Americans,” said Senator Mike Braun

“For the last four years, Georgia has been one of the top five states for highway-rail incidents. Much of rural Georgia has inadequate crossing equipment, which not only leads to inconvenient and costly delays for local businesses and commuters, but also endangers our communities and railroad workers. It doesn’t have to stay that way, especially with the RURAL Act as a practical solution,” said Senator Warnock. “This smart legislation further incentivizes improvements in risk management and equipment measures onsite at highway-rail grade crossings across the state of Georgia, and I look forward to working with my partner Sen. Braun to get this legislation passed.”