Railroad crossing impact tool available HERE, Eleven rural and urban crossings are listed for Ada, Ohio. Visis Rail.Ohio.gov/

The Ohio Rail Development Commission (Rail Commission) has released a free, publicly accessible tool to measure the impact of blocked rail/roadway at-grade crossings in Ohio. The Rail Crossing Community Impact Index (RCCII) is an interactive tool that allows users to find crossings within their own community and creates weighted scores for motorized, non-motorized, and truck-specific traffic.

RCCII scores can provide a way to identify areas with the most significant impact and help prioritize locations during the project selection process. In addition, the tool provides important information to support rail improvement program development such as discretionary grant funding applications.

“The Rail Crossing Community Impact Index will be a significant asset for the Rail Commission, its partners, and the public,” said Matthew Dietrich, Executive Director, Ohio Rail Development Commission. “By providing a publicly available tool to measure the relative impact of blocked at-grade crossings, all users will benefit from the information provided for a specific crossing or group of crossings, and how they measure up in relation to the statewide average.”

While moving trains typically occupy a crossing for short periods, slowing or stopped trains can create impassable conditions for motor vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles for unknown lengths of time. This tool, developed over 18 months, scores the crossings based on their impact to communities and emergency services, proximity to the nearest alternative route, expected delay, and safety.