Osceola’s railroad crossings are leading to concerns about traffic congestion and roadway safety. Those were some of the top comments heard from the public, during an ongoing rail corridor study.
Planners gave a public update this week on what they’ve been hearing so far. Caitlin Stevens, the director of transportation at the Michiana Area Council of Governments, says there’s been a lot of good input on reliability and safety.
“People trying to speed through the neighborhoods to cross at certain locations. Additionally, emergency management concerns because of the unreliableness of the crossings,” Stevens said.
Based on overall delays, only the intersections of Ash Road and Lincoln Way and Ash Road and Washington Street/County Road 20 have a level of service technically considered unacceptable. The problem is that delays can vary widely, depending on whether there’s a train.
Backups can block intersections, and traffic can spill into neighborhoods. Delays are projected to more than double by 2050, if no improvements are made.
Another concern is safety. The area saw more than 400 crashes during the five-year study period. Most were rear-end crashes, but there were three fatal crashes in that period.
While the idea of replacing the Ash Road crossing with an overpass has gained attention, Stevens says this study will also look at smaller changes that can be made in the short-term. “For our next round of public input that will happen at the early part of next year, we’ll be looking at some of those options, which will be informed by some of the existing conditions and traffic analysis that they’re doing, as well as the public input we’re receiving right now,” Stevens explained.
Comments continue to be accepted online. Final recommendations are expected next June.
