Wis. Commissioner of Railroads orders automatic flashing lights with gates at Wilson Street crossing
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
WILSON — Following an investigation on whether warning devices are adequate for Union Pacific Railroad, the Wisconsin Commissioner of Railroads has ordered automatic flashing lights with gates be installed at the Wilson Street crossing in the Village of Wilson.
An investigator from the Office of the Commissioner of Railroads inspected the Wilson Street crossing in October of 2020 and recommended upgrading the warning devices at the crossing, according to the final decision from the Office of the Commissioner of Railroads dated January 19.
The crossing currently is protected with reflective crossbucks and automatic flashing lights installed in 1959 and an updated bungalow installed in 2018.
The speed of the Union Pacific trains at 50 mph, the exposure factor, and the restricted corner sight distances warrant upgrading the warning devices at the Wilson Street crossing.
The exposure factor for the crossing is 3,180, which is the number of trains per day (six) multiplied by the vehicles per day, “showing the potential conflicts at the crossing,” according to the decision.
No train-vehicle accidents have happened at the Wilson Street crossing since 1973, but “accidents that do occur here will likely be quite serious, especially if a UP through train is involved due its 50 mph speed. Crossings with train speeds of 40 mph and over have a disproportionate number of fatalities,” the decision states.
The Average Daily Traffic at the Wilson Street crossing is 530 vehicles at a posted speed limit of 25 mph.
A driver traveling at 25 mph needs a distance of 194 feet to stop safely. The crossing warning devices are visible from more than 194 feet for southbound traffic, and the approach sight distance is adequate for southbound traffic.
The approach site distance for northbound traffic, however, is limited because of the short proximity of the intersection for the northbound traffic approach from U.S. Highway 12, according to the decision.
$803,000
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has conducted a benefit-cost analysis for all at-grade crossings in the state.
New automatic flashing lights with gates and constant warning time circuitry at the Wilson Street crossing would have a net benefit of about $802,982, according to the decision.
The benefit-cost ratio is about 4.81, which means the public will receive $4.81 in safety benefits for each dollar that is spent to upgrade the warning devices at the crossing.
AWS
An Advance Warning Sign (AWS) is required to be installed at all at-grade highway crossings.
At the time of the inspection, AWS were not present for southbound traffic and “northbound AWS has not been maintained,” the decision states.
The crossing should also have pavement markings, including stop lines, but the pavement markings have faded or been paved over and are no longer visible, according to the decision.
Union Pacific
According to the order, Union Pacific shall install and maintain 12-inch LED automatic flashing lights and gates at the Wilson Street crossing by December 31, 2024.
The materials and installation costs will be paid from state and federal safety funds.
The Village of Wilson is required to to replace and install advance warning signs on each approach to the Wilson Street crossing by March 31, 2022.
The Village of Wilson also is required to install and maintain pavement markings on each approach to the Wilson Street crossing by May 31, 2022.
Union Pacific shall coordinate the ordered project work with the Village of Wilson and shall submit to the Office of the Railroad Commissioner a plan and a timetable for the work to be completed at least 45 days prior to the start of the work.
Union Pacific also is required to notify the Officer of the Railroad Commission within 20 working days after the approved project is placed into service, according to the decision.
Failure to comply with signal design and/or cost estimate timelines shall result in the Office of the Railroad Commissioner reconsidering the funding of the signal project and could result in a delay of the project or the project being cancelled.
Union Pacific will not pay any of the costs of the crossing signal materials or installation, except for any cost assessed under state Statute 195.60 for the investigation, and Union Pacific cannot pass on the assessment costs either directly or indirectly, the decision states.