The Illinois Commerce Commission announced nearly $500 million to help communities and railroads make much-needed safety improvements to rail crossings across the state over the next five years.
That includes $3.2 million for Galesburg to close one BNSF Railway crossing, upgrade several others on the city’s south side.
The East First Street closing will be eliminated, according to the plans.
Crossings at South Seminary, South Chambers, Pearl, Day, Pine, Lombard, Locust, and Farnham streets will have gates installed.
New or modified lights are also planned for those crossings.
In addition, the Locust Street crossing will have improvements to approaches that will prevent vehicles from getting stuck on the tracks.
The projects are funded by Rebuild Illinois and the Grade Crossing Project Fund.
ICC Chairman Michael Carrigan said that fund is essential to keeping railways safe in Illinois, which has over 7,000 miles of track.
That makes the state’s rail system the second largest in the country.
Elsewhere in Knox County, crossing improvements are planned in Henderson, Rio, and East Galesburg.
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