The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), in partnership with railroads operating in Georgia, will begin installing new signage at hundreds of passive public highway-rail grade crossings.
The signs will read “Yield” or “Stop” and will be installed at approximately 600 crossings that do not have automatic warning devices, such as lights or gates. The majority of the crossings are at Norfolk Southern rail lines.
“Our collaboration with GDOT allows us to move forward to enhance safety at highway-rail grade crossings that are not equipped with active warning devices,” John Scheib, Norfolk Southern executive vice president, law and administration, and chief legal officer, said. “Collectively it represents both the state’s and the railroad’s deep commitment to public safety.”
Other railroads the state partnered with include Ogeechee Railroad Co., Georgia Southern Railway, Georgia Northeastern Railroad, and St. Mary’s Railway West.
GDOT’s partnerships will improve safety at passive railroad crossings, Russell McMurry, GDOT commissioner, said.
The signage satisfies all the requirements of the 2009 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Funding was partially provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Railway-Highway Crossings Program.
Signage was installed in 63 counties including Baldwin, Banks, Bibb, Bleckley, Burke, Carroll, Charlton, Chatham, Clayton, Clinch, Cobb, Cook, and Coweta.