Willard secures funding for railroad crossing safety project
Railroad crossing safety improvements are planned in Willard, the municipal government reported on Monday.
The project involves the First Street railroad crossing approach, Willard City Manager Bryson Hamons said in a written report to City Council.
Willard recently entered into an agreement with the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) to obtain $25,000 for the work.
"These improvements are aimed at keeping vehicles from going through a closed safety gate..." Hamons wrote.
The project, he detailed, is to include:
-- Installing curb in the southwest quadrant of the railroad crossing to prohibit vehicles from entering First Street and possibly going around the crossing gates in the opposite lane.
-- Closing the west entrance/exit of the alley in the northwest quadrant of the crossing to prevent traffic from going around the crossing gate in the opposite direction.
-- Installing mountable medians on First Street, 60 feet in both the northbound and southbound lanes to create "channeling" to restrict vehicles from going around the crossing.
-- Painting pavement markings to delineate the travel lanes of First Street from the sidewalk.
"The commencement date for this project has not been established, but it is hopeful that these safety improvements will happen before the end of 2025," Hamons said.
