(The Associated Press circulated the following article on July 11.)
KENNER, La. — Mindful that his home state is among the nation’s leaders in railroad crossing fatalities, Sen. David Vitter unveiled proposed legislation aimed at shutting down or improving dangerous railroad crossings.
Vitter discussed the legislation during a news conference Monday in Kenner. A description of the bill released by his office said it would require the U.S. Department of Transportation to work with states and municipalities to close 1 percent of all public and private grade crossings each year for a 10-year period.
Priority would be given to closing crossings with insufficient protective equipment and crossings with the most railway-road accidents per mile of railroad track.
The department would be required to physically inspect at least 2 percent of all railway crossings in the 10 states with the highest rates of crossing collisions and the department would have to conduct an investigation of each major freight railroad company involved in a fatal accident.
Also, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation would award $178 million in federal grants to states for necessary safety improvements to railway-highway crossings through the bill. Money would be distributed to states that lead the nation in high rates of collision, injuries and fatalities.
The bill also includes more than $6.7 million for Operation Lifesaver — a national program to educate people about railroad crossing dangers — over five years, beginning in fiscal year 2007.
Vehicle collisions with trains have caused 13 deaths in Louisiana so far this year. During the recent legislative session, state lawmakers approved a bill giving the state the power to close railroad crossings deemed too dangerous, overriding the local governments that control the roadway.
“My Railroad Safety Improvement Act will help end the tragic loss of life at Louisiana railroad crossings by equipping states and local governments with the tools needed to make these crossing safer for their citizens,” Vitter said.