Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Crossing Study
This project is to improve safety at public crossings along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad in Grand Island, Nebraska.
Grand Island sees high train traffic, with an average of 42 trains passing through each crossing daily. The rail line cuts through the community, causing safety concerns as 11 of the crossings are at-grade, often resulting in occupied highway-rail intersections due to stalled trains. This consequently leads to safety hazards, causes travel delays, slows emergency response times, and restricts the trade of goods. These issues severely affect the quality of life for residents, commuters, and visitors, which impact regional mobility and freight infrastructure. To address these challenges, the City of Grand Island in partnership with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) and Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) applied for and has been awarded $600,000 from the FY2023-2024 Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) program to fund the Grand Island Rail Crossing Study.