Blocked Crossing? FRA Wants to Know About It (and More)

Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
FRA in 2019 created the blocked crossing portal website, allowing the public to voluntarily submit information.

FRA in 2019 created the blocked crossing portal website, allowing the public to voluntarily submit information.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is seeking feedback on how to improve the effectiveness of its blocked highway-rail grade crossing portal.

FRA on June 14 released a Request for Information (RFI) in the Federal Register that requests comments on how the information reported to the blocked crossing portal website could be used “to improve safety at grade crossings and the well-being of affected communities”; what additional information should be captured by the portal; and how the agency could improve the portal-website user experience. Comments are due Aug. 15.

FRA in 2019 created the blocked crossing portal website, allowing the public to voluntarily submit information. The collected data, FRA said, helps it learn about where and when blocked crossing incidents are occurring as well as their duration and immediate impacts. The information is not, however, forwarded to a railroad, state or local agency for response.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—which was signed Nov. 15, 2021—not only requires FRA to maintain its portal and corresponding database, but also to submit to Congress a report that “describes (1) frequent and long-duration blocked highway-rail grade crossings, including the locations, dates, durations and impacts resulting from such occurrences; (2) FRA’s process for verifying the accuracy of the complaints submitted to the blocked crossing portal; (3) FRA’s use of the data compiled by the blocked crossing portal to assess the underlying causes and overall impacts of blocked crossings; (4) FRA’s engagement with affected parties to identify and facilitate solutions to frequent and long-duration blocked highway-rail grade crossings identified by the blocked crossing portal; and (5) whether the blocked crossing portal continues to be an effective method to collect blocked crossing information and what changes could improve its effectiveness.”

Download the RFI here:

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