State of Illinois 

Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety 

Action Plan

 

November 25, 2011 

Approved by FRA 
2 

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE

List of Tables, Graphs and Charts 3 

Introduction 4 

Railroad Crossing Safety – The Three Es 7 

Crossing Safety Improvements 8 

Project Identification 9 

Project Selection 9 

Collision Investigations 10

Action Plan Strategies 11 

Grade Crossing Closure / Consolidations 11 

Grade Separations 11

Corridors 12 

Public Education and Awareness Programs – Operation Lifesaver 12 

Enforcement 12 

Research and Analysis 12

Emergency Response 13 

Highway-Rail Crossings in Illinois 14

Exposure to Risk of a Collision Occurring 20

Analysis of Highway-Rail Collision Data: 2006-2010 23 

The “Average” Collision at a Public Highway-Rail Crossing: 2006-2010 46

Conclusion 46
3 

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

LIST OF TABLES, GRAPHS AND CHARTS PAGE 

Collisions at Public Highway-Rail Crossings: 1980 – 2010 5 

Collisions and Fatalities at Public Highway-Rail Crossings: Warning Device: 2006-2010 5 

Illinois Highway-Rail Crossings by Type and Position as of June 1, 2011 6 

Change in Quantity of Public Highway-Rail Crossings: 2000 and 2011 11 

Number of Highway-Rail Crossings by County and by Type 14

Type of Warning Devices at Public Highway-Rail Crossings by County 16

Number of Highway-Rail Crossings by Railroad and by Type 18

Type of Warning Devices at Public Highway-Rail Crossings by Railroad 19

Exposure to Risk of a Collision Occurring 

 Type of Railroad 20

 Type of Roadway 20

 State Highway 20

 Type of Warning Device 21

 Region of Illinois 21

 Interconnected Highway and Rail Warning Devices 21

 Nearby Highway Intersections Adjacent to the Rail Crossings 21

USA Comparison by Rate of Collisions for 2010 at Public Crossings 22

USA Trend in Collisions, Injuries and Fatalities at Public Crossings: 2001-2010 24

Illinois Trend in Collisions, Injuries and Fatalities at Public Crossings: 2001-2010 24

USA Trend in Collisions, Injuries and Fatalities at Private Crossings: 2001-2010 25

Illinois Trend in Collisions, Injuries and Fatalities at Private Crossings: 2001-2010 25

Counties with One or More Collisions at a Public Crossing: 2006-2010 26

Cities with Two or More Collisions at a Public Crossing: 2006-2010 28

Number of Collisions Compared to Number of Crossings: 2006-2010 30

Public Crossings with Two or More Collisions: 2006-2010 31

Private and Pedestrian Crossings with Two or More Collisions: 2006-2010 32

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006-2010 

Type of Collision 33 

Type of Warning Device 33 

Age and Gender 34 

Type of Highway User 35 

Action of Highway User in Causing the Collision 36 

Position of Highway User on Crossing When Struck 37 

Month 37 

Time of Day 38 

Weather 38

Functional Class of Roadway 39

Whether or Not Collision Occurred on a State Highway 39

Annual Average Daily Highway Traffic (AADT) 40 

Vehicle Speed 40 

Reporting Railroad 41 

Comparison of Crossings and Collisions by Reporting Railroad 42 

Type of Train 43 

Type of Railroad Operation 44 

Type of Track 44 

Number of Daily Trains Over the Crossing 45

Train and Highway Vehicle Speed 45
4 

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

INTRODUCTION 

It is the goal of the State of Illinois to carryout a highway-rail safety program that 

promotes a safe, economical and efficient railroad transportation system in the public 

interest. This goal is accomplished through efforts of both the Illinois Department of 

Transportation (IDOT) and the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). These efforts 

include assuring compliance with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations 

that the ICC is empowered to enforce. The size of the rail safety challenge in Illinois is 

underscored by noting: 

 

 Illinois has approximately 7,300 miles of railroad track, the 2nd largest railroad 

system of any state in the nation; (AAR)

 About 500 million tons (1 trillion pounds) of freight move on Illinois’ railroad 

system each year which is the most of any state in the nation. Approximately 30 

million tons of hazardous materials are transported on Illinois’ railroad system 

each year; (AAR)

 Chicago’s railroad hub is the largest in the U.S. and third largest intermodal 

container/trailer port in the world, following only Singapore and Hong Kong; (CMAP)

 There are over 60 railroad companies, including all seven Class 1 railroads, that 

operate trains in and through Illinois, the 2nd highest in the nation; (AAR & ICC)

 As of June 1, 2011, there were 10,690 public highway-rail grade crossings and 

structures located within Illinois, second only to Texas; (FRA)

 Illinois has significantly more public highway-rail grade crossings (65.3%) 

equipped with train activated warning devices than the nation as a whole 

(50.9%); (FRA)

 Illinois has more interconnected1 highway-rail grade crossing warning systems 

(302) than any other state in the nation (1railroad and highway traffic signal 

systems engineered to work together); (FRA)

 Between 1980 and 2010, collisions at public highway-rail grade crossings in 

Illinois have declined by 81.2%, injuries by 85.9%, and fatalities by 54.2%, while 

vehicle miles of highway travel have increased by over 60% (IDOT) and rail traffic 

by over 30%. 

(FRA)
5 

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

The majority of collisions (73.8%) and fatalities (77.9%) in Illinois occur at highway-rail 

grade crossings equipped with train activated warning devices, such as automatic 

flashing light signals, or automatic flashing light signals and gates. 

606

366

320

263

195

144

114

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

8 0 8 1 8 2 8 3 8 4 8 5 8 6 8 7 8 8 8 9 9 0 9 1 9 2 9 3 9 4 9 5 9 6 9 7 9 8 9 9 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 6 0 7 0 8 0 9 1 0

Collisions, Injuries and Fatalities at Public Highway-Rail 

Crossings in Illinois: 1980 - 2010

Collisions

Injuries

Fatalities

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

Gates Flashing Lights Passive Signs

53.5%

20.3% 26.2%

59.0%

18.9% 22.1%

Collisions and Fatalities at Public Crossings by 

Type of Warning Device: 2006 - 2010

Collisions

Fatalities
6 

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Within the State of Illinois, the ICC has the statutory responsibility to improve safety at 

public highway-rail crossings. As of June 1, 2011, there are 7,945 public highway-rail 

grade crossings in Illinois, of which 789 are on state roads, and 7,156 are on local 

roads. The Table below summarizes the quantity of highway-rail crossings by type and 

position. 

Illinois Highway-Rail Crossings and Structures by Type and Position as of June 1, 2011.

ICC-Type of Crossing Crossings Percent

Pedestrian Grade 364 2.3%

Pedestrian RR-Over 59 0.4%

Pedestrian RR-Under 33 0.2%

Private Grade 4,596 28.9%

Private RR-Over 132 0.8%

Private RR-Under 25 0.2%

Public Grade 7,945 50.0%

Public RR-Over 1,794 11.3%

Public RR-Under 951 6.0%

Total 15,899 100.0%

The ICC orders safety improvements at public highway-rail crossings with the cost of 

such improvements paid by the state, the railroads, and local governments. For safety 

improvements at crossings located on state roads, IDOT pays the majority of the costs 

utilizing federal funds. For safety improvements at crossings located on local roads, the 

ICC utilizes the Grade Crossing Protection Fund (GCPF). 

This Action Plan is required by 49 CFR 234.11 and is intended to analyze and 

systematically identify issues affecting safety at highway-rail crossings in Illinois. 

Particular attention is paid to: 

a. Identifying specific solutions for improving safety at crossings, including 

highway-rail grade crossing closures or grade separations; 

b. Focus on crossings that have experienced multiple collisions or are at high 

risk for such collisions; and focus on a five year horizon. 

The Action Plan will be continuously monitored and implemented by IDOT and the ICC, 

which are part of the Rail Safety Implementation Team (Team). Other Team 

representatives who will assist in implementing the engineering, education and 

enforcement elements of the Action Plan include: Illinois Operation Lifesaver, the 

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 

and local and state law enforcement agencies. The Team will meet on a regular basis to 

review current practices and explore new ideas in order to continue making progress 

with ways to improve safety, and reduce collisions and fatalities at highway-rail 

crossings throughout Illinois. 
7 

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

RAILROAD CROSSING SAFETY - THE THREE E’s 

Illinois is one of the key transportation hubs in the nation, with the country’s second 

largest rail system, including the largest rail freight hub in Chicago, and the nation’s third 

largest highway system, with 140,834 miles of highways, streets and roads and over 

26,327 bridges over 20 feet in length. 

Both the rail and highway systems are among the most heavily used in the nation in 

terms of volume of traffic, with much of the traffic concentrated in the Chicago 

metropolitan region. There, the urban mass transit system serves an average of nearly 

600 million passengers a year over an extensive network of bus and rail routes. 

Keeping the grade crossing portion of this transportation network operating safely and 

efficiently involves local, state and federal governments as well as the private sector. 

These safety efforts can be summarized as the Three E’s - Education, Engineering 

and Enforcement. 

Education: Illinois is actively involved in developing programs to educate the 

public about the danger at grade crossings. One example of this public education 

program is the ICC’s participation in Operation Lifesaver. The Operation Lifesaver 

program is a public-private partnership designed to increase public awareness of 

highway-rail grade crossing hazards. It also strives to improve driver and 

pedestrian behavior at railroad crossings by encouraging compliance with traffic 

laws relating to crossing signs and signals. 

Enforcement: Enforcement of existing traffic and trespass laws is key, especially 

the issuance of fines (up to $500) or community service to persons crossing railroad 

tracks after the warning signals have activated. 

Engineering: Highway-rail grade crossing safety improvements are also critical to 

reducing collisions. Illinois identifies and implements physical and system 

improvements, including the installation and upgrading of grade crossing warning 

signs and automatic warning devices and, where warranted, grade separations. 

While education and enforcement are absolutely essential, the focus of this report is 

the engineering of capital improvements to further railroad crossing safety on local 

roads.
8 

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

CROSSING SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

Illinois utilizes state and federal funds to assist highway agencies and railroads with the 

cost of making safety improvements at public highway-rail crossings on state highways 

and local roads and streets. IDOT, working with highway agencies and railroads, 

utilizes the Federal Highway-Rail Safety Program to pay for safety improvements at 

grade crossings of state highways and local roads and streets that it has programmed. 

The ICC works with local highway agencies and railroads to identify and prioritize safety 

improvement projects at grade crossings and bridges of local roads and streets. The 

ICC utilizes the Grade Crossing Protection Fund (GCPF) to pay for those 

improvements. 

The GCPF, appropriated to IDOT but administered by the ICC, was created by the 

General Assembly in 1955 to assist local jurisdictions (counties, townships and 

municipalities) in paying for safety improvements at highway-railroad crossings on local 

roads and streets. Assistance from the GCPF cannot be used for safety improvements 

at highway-rail crossings located on the state road or highway system. Those 

improvements are paid for by IDOT. 

The ICC is directly responsible for the administration and authorization of projects that 

receive assistance from the GCPF. Each year the ICC authorizes approximately $42

million from the GCPF for crossing safety improvement projects statewide, including the 

construction of new pedestrian structures (overpasses or underpasses), where the 

proposed pedestrian bridge will not be adjacent to an existing public highway-rail grade 

crossing. 

Crossing safety improvements typically paid for, in part or in total, by the state (ICC 

and/or IDOT) include: 

Warning Device Upgrades: Installation of automatic flashing light signals 

and gates at public grade crossings currently not equipped with automatic 

warning devices; installation of automatic flashing light signals and gates at 

public grade crossings currently equipped only with automatic flashing light 

signals; signal circuitry improvements at public grade crossings currently 

equipped with automatic warning devices; 

Grade Separations - New and Reconstructed: Construction, 

reconstruction, or repair of bridges carrying a roadway over railroad tracks 

(overpass); construction, reconstruction, or repair of bridges carrying railroad 

tracks over a roadway (subway); 

Grade Separations - Vertical Clearance Improvements: Lowering the 

existing highway pavement surface under a railroad bridge to improve vertical 

clearance for motor vehicles; 

Pedestrian Grade Separations: Construction of a bridge to carry 

pedestrian/bicycle traffic over or under railroad tracks;
9 

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Interconnects: Upgrading the circuitry at grade crossings where warning 

signals are connected to the adjacent traffic signals so that the two systems 

operate in a synchronized manner; 

Highway Approaches: Improvements to those portions of a public roadway 

directly adjacent to a crossing surface; 

Connecting Roads: Construction of a roadway between a closed crossing 

and an adjacent open, improved crossing; 

Remote Monitoring Devices: Sensor devices in the circuitry of grade 

crossing warning devices which immediately alert the railroad to any failures 

in warning device operations; 

Low Cost Improvements at Unsignalized Crossings: Installation of new, 

more reflective crossbuck warning signs and YIELD signs at crossings that do 

not require automatic warning devices; and 

Crossing Closure and Consolidation: Incentive payments to local agencies 

for the voluntarily closure of public highway-rail grade crossings. Since 

January 1, 2005, over 40 crossings have been closed by way of local road 

agencies voluntarily agreeing to vacate the roadway adjacent to the 

crossings. In return, the road agencies have received incentive payments 

from railroads, the ICC, and IDOT. 

PROJECT IDENTIFICATION 

The state places a strong emphasis on the importance of considering local agency input 

through various methods, including: solicitation for applications for potential projects for 

the Federal Highway Rail Safety Program; review of application submittals for the GCPF 

projects; involvement with the ICC Stipulated Agreement process; and, local agency 

involvement with diagnostic reviews when appropriate. 

PROJECT SELECTION 

Project selection for Federal Highway-Rail Safety and GCPF projects is based upon 

improving safety, with the goal of reducing collisions and injuries, as well as the number 

of highway-rail crossings via closure and consolidation. Selection to be made based on 

an emphasis on considerations, such as: the number, speed and type of trains; amount 

and type of vehicular traffic; restrictions to stopping and clearing visibility for the 

motorist; roadway geometrics; roadway approach grades; use of crossing by school 

buses or vehicles carrying hazardous materials; and collision history. Project selection 

is based on targeting problem crossings with marked collision histories, as well as a 

proactive approach with project selection based on efforts to improve crossings in order 

to prevent potential collisions. 

High Collision History/Multiple Collisions - Each year the ICC places a high 

priority on upgrading public highway-rail grade crossings which have a 

pronounced history of train/vehicle collisions, or which have a high predictive 

value for future collisions. The ICC’s FY 2012-2016 Crossing Safety 
10

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Improvement Plan addresses safety improvements at many of these crossing 

locations. 

Interconnected Crossings - The ICC and IDOT are continuing a program to 

identify and improve highway-rail grade crossings that require the interconnection 

of crossing warning signals with traffic control signals at adjacent highway 

intersections. 

COLLISION INVESTIGATIONS 

In order to reduce the number and severity of train-vehicle and train-pedestrian 

collisions, it is first necessary to understand the causes of those incidents. Collision 

investigations are used as fact-finding evaluations of train-vehicle and train-pedestrian 

incidents to identify causal trends. It is also necessary to determine if the cause of a 

train-vehicle or train-pedestrian incident is the direct result of the highway vehicle users’ 

or the railroad’s apparent failure to comply with any state or federal law or regulation. It 

is necessary to conduct an investigation immediately following certain incidents. 

Results of collision investigations are used by the state when making determinations 

where crossing safety improvements are necessary. 
11

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

ACTION PLAN STRATEGIES 

GRADE CROSSING CLOSURES / CONSOLIDATIONS 

Illinois works with railroad companies and local agencies to offer state and federal 

incentive funds for the voluntary closure of hazardous highway-rail grade crossings. 

Staff from the ICC and IDOT meet with public project engineers from the railroad 

companies on a regular basis and will place added emphasis on crossing closures and 

consolidations in the future. The Table below shows that since 2000, the ICC has 

authorized closure of over 1,000 public highway-rail grade crossings and significantly 

increased the percentage of those crossings remaining that are equipped with 

automatic flashing light signals and gates. 

Type of Warning Device 1/1/2000 6/1/2011 Change

Percent 

Change

4 Quadrant Gates 0 79 79 - 

Gates 2,382 3,261 879 36.9%

Flashing Lights 2,515 1,818 -697 -27.7%

Other Active Devices 57 28 -29 -50.9%

Crossbucks/Yield 0 1,422 1,422 - 

Crossbucks 3,563 1,042 -2,521 -70.8%

Other Passive Signs 454 295 -159 -35.0%

Total 8,971 7,945 -1,026 -11.4%

Goal: Close fifty (50) highway-rail grade crossings within five years.

HIGHWAY AND PEDESTRIAN GRADE SEPARATIONS 

The ICC is continually seeking locations where grade crossing blockages cause 

substantial motorist or emergency vehicle delay, or where heavy vehicular traffic 

represents a heightened threat of train/vehicle collisions. This Program includes 

funding assistance for numerous highway-rail bridge projects on local roads and 

streets throughout the state. Recently, the General Assembly gave the ICC 

authority to utilize the GCPF to assist local communities with the cost of constructing 

pedestrian grade separations in areas where it is necessary to improve safety. This 

Program includes funding assistance for several pedway/rail bridge projects 

throughout the state. Typically, the ICC authorizes contributions from GCPF that 

pay up to 60% of the cost for grade separation projects, although ICC policy is to 

allocate no more than $12 million from the GCPF to any individual project unless 

unusual circumstances warrant otherwise. 

Goal – Continue to identify and program GCPF funds at the locations that 

benefit the most from grade separation.
12

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

CORRIDORS 

Illinois will work with the railroads to identify corridors in Illinois where train volumes 

and/or train speeds have significantly increased, and consider those locations for safety 

improvements. When looking at a corridor approach, efforts will be made to achieve 

consolidation or closure of existing grade crossings. 

Goal – Analyze and program improvements at grade crossings in three rail 

corridors per year.

PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AWARENESS PROGRAMS: OPERATION LIFESAVER 

Illinois will increase involvement with educational efforts through the Local Technology 

Assistance Program (Illinois Technology Transfer Center). The team will assist in 

preparation of articles concerning highway-rail safety programs for publication in the 

“Illinois Interchange” newsletter. In cooperation with Operation Lifesaver and the Illinois 

Broadcasters Association, the state will conduct regional public service campaigns, 

along with identification of specific “hot spots” to target 20 to 39 year old motorists and 

pedestrians. 

Goal – Operation Lifesaver presenters will make at least 2,000 presentations 

reaching an audience of at least 200,000 each year.

ENFORCEMENT 

Illinois will maintain and promote a policy for the use of automated enforcement at 

highway-rail grade crossings in Illinois. The state will seek involvement from the Illinois 

State Police and local law enforcement agencies to explore ways to increase motorist 

and pedestrian compliance with applicable traffic safety laws. 

Goal – Maintain and promote policy.

RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS 

Compile and analyze collision data to identify trends and to evaluate the effectiveness 

of proposed countermeasures. Reconcile differences in grade crossing inventory data 

between FRA, Illinois and the railroads. Incorporate new inventory data being collected 

that includes aerial photographs, ground photographs, sketches and many attributes 

that are not part of the “standard” FRA grade crossing inventory database. Provide 

industry and public access to the enriched grade crossing inventory as appropriate. 

Identify promising technologies and develop field tests to evaluate potential for 

application in Illinois. 
13

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Goal – Publish an annual analysis of train-vehicle collisions that occurred at 

highway-rail grade crossings in Illinois for the previous five-year period. 

Incrementally over next three years, reconcile discrepancies between the federal, 

state and railroad inventory databases. As appropriate over the next two years, 

make selected elements of the reconciled inventory data available to industry 

partners and the public. Annually implement and evaluate one new proposed 

grade crossing safety device or program of education and/or enforcement. 

EMERGENCY RESPONSE 

The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-432 – October 16, 2008) 

required railroads to post Emergency Notification Signs at all public crossings by April 

16, 2010. 

Goal – verify that 100 percent (100%) of crossings are posted with the correct 

AAR/DOT crossing number and emergency notification phone number.

As was indicated in the introduction, Illinois has the second largest number of highwayrail crossings and structures in the nation. The next section of the Action Plan provides 

a set of tables detailing the number of highway-rail crossings and structures by county 

and by railroad in order to give the reader a sense of the distribution and density within 

Illinois. In addition two tables are provided that detail the type of warning device at 

public highway-rail crossings by county and railroad. The ten counties with the most 

highway-rail crossings and structures account for over 37.2% of all the highway-rail 

crossings and structures in Illinois. 

At-Grade RR-Over RR-Under At-Grade RR-Over RR-Under At-Grade RR-Over RR-Under

Cook 128 37 14 449 15 2 865 1,114 211 2,835 17.8%

St Clair 13 1 0 106 1 0 197 56 80 454 2.9%

Madison 0 1 0 125 0 1 157 24 45 353 2.2%

Iroquois 5 0 0 104 0 1 232 3 3 348 2.2%

Sangamon 7 0 3 81 2 1 194 31 21 340 2.1%

Will 10 4 1 83 4 1 166 42 28 339 2.1%

La Salle 6 0 1 105 6 0 193 10 16 337 2.1%

Peoria 7 0 0 128 1 0 149 17 23 325 2.0%

Jefferson 1 0 0 89 1 0 161 12 26 290 1.8%

Champaign 4 2 0 79 0 0 177 15 10 287 1.8%

Top 10 Sub-Total 181 45 19 1,349 30 6 2,491 1,324 463 5,908 37.2%

Illinois Total 364 59 33 4,596 132 25 7,945 1,794 951 15,899

% Of Illinois 49.7% 76.3% 57.6% 29.4% 22.7% 24.0% 31.4% 73.8% 48.7% 37.2%

Top 10 Counties Account for 37.2% Of All Crossings & Structures

County

Pedestrian Private Public

Total Percent
14

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

HIGHWAY-RAIL GRADE CROSSINGS IN ILLINOIS – JUNE 1, 2011

Number of Highway-Rail Crossings (by County and by Type) 

At-Grade RR-Over RR-Under At-Grade RR-Over RR-Under At-Grade RR-Over RR-Under

Adams 3 0 0 49 0 0 52 6 4 114 0.7%

Alexander 0 0 0 8 0 0 10 6 2 26 0.2%

Bond 0 0 0 23 0 0 44 4 9 80 0.5%

Boone 1 0 0 30 0 1 23 4 3 62 0.4%

Brown 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0%

Bureau 2 0 0 88 6 1 96 9 13 215 1.4%

Carroll 2 0 2 29 2 0 52 10 10 107 0.7%

Cass 0 0 0 11 0 0 10 1 1 23 0.1%

Champaign 4 2 0 79 0 0 177 15 10 287 1.8%

Christian 4 0 0 31 1 0 83 4 0 123 0.8%

Clark 0 0 0 8 0 0 33 3 1 45 0.3%

Clay 0 0 0 23 0 0 23 7 9 62 0.4%

Clinton 1 0 0 60 0 0 69 1 1 132 0.8%

Coles 0 0 0 33 0 0 81 4 11 129 0.8%

Cook 128 37 14 449 15 2 865 1,114 211 2,835 17.8%

Crawford 0 0 0 23 1 0 37 0 0 61 0.4%

Cumberland 0 0 0 26 0 0 41 2 2 71 0.4%

De Kalb 2 1 0 60 4 1 104 5 6 183 1.2%

De Witt 0 0 0 29 1 1 59 6 4 100 0.6%

Douglas 0 0 0 42 0 0 77 2 4 125 0.8%

Du Page 27 7 3 29 2 0 143 21 21 253 1.6%

Edgar 1 0 0 27 0 0 82 2 2 114 0.7%

Edwards 0 0 0 22 1 0 8 0 1 32 0.2%

Effingham 4 0 0 47 0 0 87 5 6 149 0.9%

Fayette 2 0 0 17 0 0 47 3 9 78 0.5%

Ford 0 0 2 35 0 0 82 1 4 124 0.8%

Franklin 0 0 0 50 2 1 92 13 16 174 1.1%

Fulton 2 0 0 92 2 1 107 3 7 214 1.3%

Greene 1 0 0 18 2 0 34 5 2 62 0.4%

Grundy 4 1 0 34 0 0 69 5 5 118 0.7%

Hamilton 0 0 0 13 0 0 43 0 0 56 0.4%

Hancock 1 0 0 42 0 0 60 1 0 104 0.7%

Henderson 0 0 0 22 1 0 21 7 4 55 0.3%

Henry 3 0 0 27 2 1 77 3 9 122 0.8%

Iroquois 5 0 0 104 0 1 232 3 3 348 2.2%

Jackson 0 0 2 35 0 0 49 7 5 98 0.6%

Jasper 0 0 0 28 0 0 53 0 0 81 0.5%

Jefferson 1 0 0 89 1 0 161 12 26 290 1.8%

Jersey 0 0 0 13 0 0 21 0 0 34 0.2%

Jo Daviess 4 0 1 30 3 0 29 8 5 80 0.5%

Johnson 0 0 0 31 2 0 12 3 2 50 0.3%

Kane 13 1 2 80 8 2 129 25 25 285 1.8%

Kankakee 1 0 0 64 1 0 138 10 6 220 1.4%

Kendall 5 1 0 37 1 0 38 4 3 89 0.6%

Pedestrian Private Public

County Total Percent
15

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

At-Grade RR-Over RR-Under At-Grade RR-Over RR-Under At-Grade RR-Over RR-Under

Knox 5 0 0 44 2 0 118 20 11 200 1.3%

La Salle 6 0 1 105 6 0 193 10 16 337 2.1%

Lake 27 1 1 32 2 1 141 38 17 260 1.6%

Lawrence 0 0 0 1 2 0 18 1 3 25 0.2%

Lee 3 0 0 19 1 0 46 2 4 75 0.5%

Livingston 4 0 0 47 0 0 149 3 7 210 1.3%

Logan 2 0 0 34 2 2 93 6 8 147 0.9%

Macon 5 0 0 66 0 0 141 28 9 249 1.6%

Macoupin 2 0 0 55 1 0 103 11 1 173 1.1%

Madison 0 1 0 125 0 1 157 24 45 353 2.2%

Marion 1 0 0 40 0 0 102 7 15 165 1.0%

Marshall 0 0 0 38 3 0 32 0 5 78 0.5%

Mason 0 0 0 37 1 0 43 1 2 84 0.5%

Massac 0 0 0 29 0 0 18 13 7 67 0.4%

McDonough 3 0 0 52 0 0 97 2 8 162 1.0%

McHenry 5 0 0 31 1 0 89 8 2 136 0.9%

McLean 3 0 1 82 1 0 154 9 20 270 1.7%

Menard 0 0 0 26 5 0 29 1 1 62 0.4%

Monroe 0 0 0 34 0 0 23 0 3 60 0.4%

Montgomery 1 0 0 50 0 0 109 4 5 169 1.1%

Morgan 2 0 0 78 1 0 94 18 13 206 1.3%

Moultrie 0 0 0 26 0 0 58 0 0 84 0.5%

Ogle 5 0 0 59 2 2 108 2 16 194 1.2%

Peoria 7 0 0 128 1 0 149 17 23 325 2.0%

Perry 3 0 0 68 2 0 77 6 1 157 1.0%

Piatt 1 0 0 43 1 0 86 2 4 137 0.9%

Pike 1 1 0 42 5 0 41 10 5 105 0.7%

Pope 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 2 5 0.0%

Pulaski 2 0 0 38 0 0 17 0 1 58 0.4%

Putnam 0 0 0 18 0 0 24 0 1 43 0.3%

Randolph 4 1 0 124 0 0 94 10 4 237 1.5%

Richland 0 0 0 7 0 0 30 1 4 42 0.3%

Rock Island 4 0 0 101 4 0 97 1 12 219 1.4%

Saline 0 0 0 26 0 1 25 2 0 54 0.3%

Sangamon 7 0 3 81 2 1 194 31 21 340 2.1%

Schuyler 0 0 0 4 2 0 2 5 3 16 0.1%

Scott 0 0 0 13 0 0 13 1 1 28 0.2%

Shelby 0 0 0 42 0 0 67 2 1 112 0.7%

St Clair 13 1 0 106 1 0 197 56 80 454 2.9%

Stark 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 6 0.0%

Stephenson 3 0 0 22 7 1 23 8 5 69 0.4%

Tazewell 1 0 0 106 1 0 114 4 10 236 1.5%

Union 1 0 0 17 0 0 29 0 2 49 0.3%

Vermilion 3 0 0 70 1 1 145 18 13 251 1.6%

Wabash 1 0 0 12 0 0 24 0 2 39 0.2%

Warren 2 0 0 18 0 0 38 7 1 66 0.4%

Washington 1 0 0 37 0 0 40 0 3 81 0.5%

Wayne 1 0 0 9 0 0 33 0 0 43 0.3%

White 1 0 0 31 1 1 30 0 1 65 0.4%

Whiteside 0 0 0 48 0 0 50 4 9 111 0.7%

Will 10 4 1 83 4 1 166 42 28 339 2.1%

Williamson 0 0 0 19 1 0 107 7 6 140 0.9%

Winnebago 2 0 0 66 9 1 132 7 27 244 1.5%

Woodford 1 0 0 18 1 0 29 1 1 51 0.3%

Total 364 59 33 4,596 132 25 7,945 1,794 951 15,899 100.0%

County Percent

Pedestrian Private Public

Total
16

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Type of Warning Devices at Public Highway-Rail Grade Crossings (by County) 

County 4-Quad 

Gates Gates Flashing Lights

Other 

Active Stop Sign Crossbuck/Yi

eld Crossbuck Other 

Passive Total Percent Active

Percent 

Passive

Adams 0 19 11 0 0 15 6 1 52 57.7% 42.3%

Alexander 0 3 1 0 0 5 1 0 10 40.0% 60.0%

Bond 0 22 10 0 0 11 1 0 44 72.7% 27.3%

Boone 0 4 13 0 1 4 1 0 23 73.9% 26.1%

Brown 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.0% 100.0%

Bureau 0 46 10 0 21 7 11 1 96 58.3% 41.7%

Carroll 0 28 8 0 0 11 5 0 52 69.2% 30.8%

Cass 0 5 3 0 0 0 2 0 10 80.0% 20.0%

Champaign 0 72 49 0 1 34 15 6 177 68.4% 31.6%

Christian 0 30 8 0 0 19 26 0 83 45.8% 54.2%

Clark 0 17 9 1 1 0 4 1 33 81.8% 18.2%

Clay 0 14 3 0 0 2 4 0 23 73.9% 26.1%

Clinton 0 32 21 0 1 13 2 0 69 76.8% 23.2%

Coles 0 16 20 3 0 6 34 2 81 48.1% 51.9%

Cook 10 553 100 1 6 11 106 78 865 76.8% 23.2%

Crawford 0 5 21 0 0 11 0 0 37 70.3% 29.7%

Cumberland 0 20 9 0 0 0 12 0 41 70.7% 29.3%

De Kalb 0 53 21 1 2 27 0 0 104 72.1% 27.9%

De Witt 0 4 24 0 1 29 1 0 59 47.5% 52.5%

Douglas 0 30 14 0 0 5 26 2 77 57.1% 42.9%

Du Page 0 99 12 0 0 9 19 4 143 77.6% 22.4%

Edgar 0 8 27 0 0 0 46 1 82 42.7% 57.3%

Edwards 0 6 1 0 0 1 0 0 8 87.5% 12.5%

Effingham 0 52 7 0 0 18 6 4 87 67.8% 32.2%

Fayette 0 26 12 0 0 7 2 0 47 80.9% 19.1%

Ford 0 8 29 0 0 33 10 2 82 45.1% 54.9%

Franklin 0 49 27 0 0 16 0 0 92 82.6% 17.4%

Fulton 0 9 30 1 0 64 2 1 107 37.4% 62.6%

Greene 0 8 9 0 1 15 1 0 34 50.0% 50.0%

Grundy 10 41 5 0 0 10 3 0 69 81.2% 18.8%

Hamilton 0 11 5 0 0 1 25 1 43 37.2% 62.8%

Hancock 0 14 5 0 0 41 0 0 60 31.7% 68.3%

Henderson 0 15 1 0 0 5 0 0 21 76.2% 23.8%

Henry 0 40 17 0 2 5 13 0 77 74.0% 26.0%

Iroquois 0 62 46 1 0 36 80 7 232 47.0% 53.0%

Jackson 0 40 5 0 0 3 0 1 49 91.8% 8.2%

Jasper 0 1 13 0 0 31 8 0 53 26.4% 73.6%

Jefferson 0 49 36 0 0 57 18 1 161 52.8% 47.2%

Jersey 0 7 13 0 0 1 0 0 21 95.2% 4.8%

Jo Daviess 0 7 13 2 4 2 1 0 29 75.9% 24.1%

Johnson 0 10 0 0 0 2 0 0 12 83.3% 16.7%

Kane 0 62 34 1 0 27 2 3 129 75.2% 24.8%

Kankakee 0 55 33 0 0 34 10 6 138 63.8% 36.2%

Kendall 0 15 10 0 1 1 9 2 38 65.8% 34.2%

Knox 0 60 29 0 0 19 9 1 118 75.4% 24.6%

La Salle 0 70 53 1 4 41 21 3 193 64.2% 35.8%

Lake 0 129 7 0 2 0 2 1 141 96.5% 3.5%

Lawrence 0 7 3 0 0 0 8 0 18 55.6% 44.4%

Lee 0 24 5 0 1 16 0 0 46 63.0% 37.0%
17

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

County 4-Quad 

Gates Gates Flashing Lights

Other 

Active Stop Sign Crossbuck/Yi

eld Crossbuck Other 

Passive Total Percent Active

Percent 

Passive

Livingston 17 29 25 0 7 17 52 2 149 47.7% 52.3%

Logan 14 21 27 0 1 27 1 2 93 66.7% 33.3%

Macon 0 32 61 2 1 16 27 2 141 67.4% 32.6%

Macoupin 0 36 35 0 0 28 4 0 103 68.9% 31.1%

Madison 0 70 42 1 1 24 16 3 157 72.0% 28.0%

Marion 0 50 22 0 1 19 8 2 102 70.6% 29.4%

Marshall 0 13 7 0 0 9 3 0 32 62.5% 37.5%

Mason 0 6 13 0 0 7 17 0 43 44.2% 55.8%

Massac 0 3 7 0 0 2 6 0 18 55.6% 44.4%

McDonough 0 43 19 0 0 30 4 1 97 63.9% 36.1%

McHenry 0 54 20 0 2 1 12 0 89 83.1% 16.9%

McLean 24 23 45 1 2 27 31 1 154 60.4% 39.6%

Menard 0 1 11 0 1 6 10 0 29 41.4% 58.6%

Monroe 0 19 0 0 0 4 0 0 23 82.6% 17.4%

Montgomery 0 39 38 0 1 30 1 0 109 70.6% 29.4%

Morgan 0 39 25 5 0 24 1 0 94 73.4% 26.6%

Moultrie 0 25 17 0 0 14 0 2 58 72.4% 27.6%

Ogle 0 49 22 0 1 12 21 3 108 65.7% 34.3%

Peoria 0 23 42 1 2 35 40 6 149 44.3% 55.7%

Perry 0 34 12 0 0 24 5 2 77 59.7% 40.3%

Piatt 0 20 15 0 1 20 29 1 86 40.7% 59.3%

Pike 0 11 4 0 0 25 0 1 41 36.6% 63.4%

Pulaski 0 9 2 0 0 4 0 2 17 64.7% 35.3%

Putnam 0 1 8 0 0 11 4 0 24 37.5% 62.5%

Randolph 0 18 22 1 1 46 3 3 94 43.6% 56.4%

Richland 0 10 10 0 0 0 10 0 30 66.7% 33.3%

Rock Island 0 24 26 1 0 16 25 5 97 52.6% 47.4%

Saline 0 2 2 0 0 20 0 1 25 16.0% 84.0%

Sangamon 4 91 53 0 5 28 12 1 194 76.3% 23.7%

Schuyler 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0.0% 100.0%

Scott 0 4 1 0 0 8 0 0 13 38.5% 61.5%

Shelby 0 15 12 1 1 34 4 0 67 41.8% 58.2%

St Clair 0 105 49 0 0 14 17 12 197 78.2% 21.8%

Stark 0 0 2 0 1 3 0 0 6 33.3% 66.7%

Stephenson 0 10 7 0 0 6 0 0 23 73.9% 26.1%

Tazewell 0 15 59 0 1 27 10 2 114 64.9% 35.1%

Union 0 18 0 0 0 10 0 1 29 62.1% 37.9%

Vermilion 0 44 48 1 1 15 34 2 145 64.1% 35.9%

Wabash 0 13 2 0 0 8 1 0 24 62.5% 37.5%

Warren 0 32 0 0 0 6 0 0 38 84.2% 15.8%

Washington 0 13 9 0 0 2 16 0 40 55.0% 45.0%

Wayne 0 19 4 0 0 8 0 2 33 69.7% 30.3%

White 0 4 9 0 0 0 14 3 30 43.3% 56.7%

Whiteside 0 32 2 0 0 12 3 1 50 68.0% 32.0%

Will 0 129 18 0 0 5 12 2 166 88.6% 11.4%

Williamson 0 33 27 1 0 9 28 9 107 57.0% 43.0%

Winnebago 0 22 79 1 3 19 4 4 132 77.3% 22.7%

Woodford 0 1 16 0 3 3 5 1 29 58.6% 41.4%

Total 79 3,261 1,818 28 86 1,422 1,042 209 7,945 65.3% 34.7%

Percent Total 1.0% 41.0% 22.9% 0.4% 1.1% 17.9% 13.1% 2.6% 100.0%
18

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Number of Highway-Rail Crossings (by Railroad and by Type) 

At-Grade RR-Over RR-Under At-Grade RR-Over RR-Under At-Grade RR-Over RR-Under

ATK Amtrak 4.0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 13 16 0.1%

BJRY Burlington Shortline Railroad, Inc. 8.5 0 0 0 19 0 0 8 1 1 29 0.2%

BLOL Bloomer Line 45.0 0 0 0 27 0 0 83 0 0 110 0.7%

BNSF BNSF Railway Company (JERX, I&P) 1,179.5 60 4 6 732 15 3 1,126 183 158 2,287 14.4%

BRC Belt Railway Company of Chicago 27.2 0 0 0 82 3 0 39 59 8 191 1.2%

BSDA Bi-State Development Agency / MetroLink 22.0 9 1 0 0 0 0 16 18 9 53 0.3%

CCUO Chicago Chemung 3.0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 0 5 0.0%

CGGZ Cargill Grain 5.6 0 0 0 5 0 0 9 0 1 15 0.1%

CIRY Central Illinois Railroad Company, Inc. 4.8 2 0 0 34 0 0 51 8 1 96 0.6%

CN CN Railway (CC, EJE, GTW, IC, WC) 1,374.5 72 12 8 769 43 13 1,384 292 200 2,793 17.6%

COER Crab Orchard and Egyptian Railroad 9.5 0 0 0 2 0 0 56 0 1 59 0.4%

CP Canadian Pacific Railway (SOO, DME) 182.0 3 0 1 196 3 2 171 53 16 445 2.8%

CRL Chicago Rail Link, LLC (Rail America) 9.0 0 0 0 7 0 0 17 8 0 32 0.2%

CSS Chicago Southshore & South Bend Railroad 6.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0%

CSX CSX Transportation, Inc. 633.0 6 2 0 255 3 0 630 122 86 1,104 6.9%

CTM Chicago Terminal Railroad Company 4.3 0 0 0 13 0 0 78 0 0 91 0.6%

DT Decatur Junction Railway Co. (Pioneer) 32.0 1 0 0 24 0 0 48 0 2 75 0.5%

EIRC Eastern Illinois Railroad Company 53.0 0 0 0 39 0 0 70 3 3 115 0.7%

EFRR Effingham Railroad Company 4.7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0%

EVWR Evansville Western Railway, Inc. 109.6 2 0 0 56 1 0 131 0 3 193 1.2%

FFGZ Fisher Farm & Grain 8.5 0 0 0 3 0 0 8 0 0 11 0.1%

IAIS Iowa Interstate Railroad, Ltd. 91.3 1 0 0 120 4 0 153 3 19 300 1.9%

IHB Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Company 21.9 1 1 2 36 0 0 51 21 26 138 0.9%

IMRR Illinois & Midland Railroad, Inc. (G&W) 98.0 0 0 0 78 5 0 110 4 4 201 1.3%

INRD Indiana Rail Road Company 34.0 0 0 0 51 2 0 73 0 0 126 0.8%

IR Illinois Railway, Inc. 127.0 8 1 0 108 4 0 129 6 6 262 1.6%

KBSR Kankakee, Beaverville & Southern Railroad 93.0 0 0 0 62 0 2 109 7 1 181 1.1%

KCS Kansas City Southern Railway Co (GWWE) 143.0 2 1 0 97 3 0 115 18 8 244 1.5%

KJRY Keokuk Junction Railway (Pioneer) 127.0 2 0 0 88 0 0 129 0 3 222 1.4%

KKRK Kaskaskia Regional Port District 5.7 0 0 0 11 0 0 8 0 0 19 0.1%

MJ Manufacturers' Junction Railway, LLC 2.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 0 4 0.0%

MRMZ Monticello Railroad Museum 6.5 0 0 0 9 0 0 17 0 0 26 0.2%

NICD Northern Indiana Commuter Rail District 6.5 0 0 0 2 2 0 2 2 1 9 0.1%

NIRC Northeast Illinois Railroad Corporation / Metra 223.2 113 13 9 31 0 1 257 257 45 726 4.6%

NS Norfolk Southern Railway Company 847.0 25 0 2 680 11 2 953 181 94 1,948 12.3%

RRCO City of Rochelle / Total Logistic Control, LLC 4.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 1 6 0.0%

RVPR Riverport Railroad, LLC 3.5 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0.0%

SCIH South Chicago & Indiana Harbor Railway Co. 2.0 0 0 0 4 0 0 2 7 1 14 0.1%

STR Shawnee Terminal Railway (Pioneer) 5.2 0 0 0 4 0 0 4 1 1 10 0.1%

SVIZ Shelbyville Industrial Railroad 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0%

TPW Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway Corp. 109.9 4 0 0 101 0 0 157 1 8 271 1.7%

TRRA Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis 14.5 0 0 0 11 0 0 40 8 11 70 0.4%

TZPR Tazewell & Peoria Railroad, Inc. (G&W) 18.0 4 0 0 37 0 0 47 2 8 98 0.6%

UP Union Pacific Railroad Company (ALS, CHTT) 1,622.0 49 23 5 786 32 2 1,604 461 206 3,168 19.9%

VRRC Vandalia Railroad Company (Pioneer) 3.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 2 7 0.0%

WCRY Wheeler Creek LLC 5.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0%

WSOR Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Company 14.2 0 0 0 15 0 0 13 2 0 30 0.2%

XCTA Chicago Transit Authority 6.0 0 1 0 0 0 0 25 64 4 94 0.6%

Total 7,364.1 364 59 33 4,596 132 25 7,945 1,794 951 15,899 100.0%

Railroad

Public

Railroad Name (63) Total Percent

Miles 

Owned

Pedestrian Private
19

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Type of Warning Devices at Public Highway-Rail Grade Crossings (by Railroad) 

Railroad 4-Quad 

Gates Gates Flashing Lights

Other 

Active Stop Sign Crossbucks / 

Yield Sign Crossbucks Other 

Passive Total Percent Active

Percent 

Passive

ALS 0 6 7 0 0 0 3 0 16 81.3% 18.8%

ATK 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 100.0% 0.0%

BJRY 0 3 2 0 0 0 2 1 8 62.5% 37.5%

BLOL 0 1 15 0 4 1 59 3 83 19.3% 80.7%

BNSF 0 588 241 2 7 210 59 16 1,123 74.0% 26.0%

BRC 0 19 7 0 0 0 11 2 39 66.7% 33.3%

BSDA 0 15 0 0 0 0 0 1 16 93.8% 6.3%

CC 0 70 50 3 4 24 2 4 157 78.3% 21.7%

CCUO 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 4 25.0% 75.0%

CGGZ 0 0 1 2 0 1 4 1 9 33.3% 66.7%

CHTT 0 5 6 0 0 3 2 2 18 61.1% 38.9%

CIRY 0 2 23 1 0 0 13 12 51 51.0% 49.0%

COER 0 6 22 0 0 0 28 0 56 50.0% 50.0%

CRL 0 6 1 0 0 0 8 2 17 41.2% 58.8%

CSS 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.0% 100.0%

CSX 10 242 180 3 6 2 162 25 630 69.0% 31.0%

CTM 0 2 10 0 0 0 38 28 78 15.4% 84.6%

DME 0 42 41 1 1 22 27 1 135 62.2% 37.8%

DRI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.0% 100.0%

DT 0 0 4 1 0 3 38 2 48 10.4% 89.6%

EIRC 0 0 22 0 0 0 47 1 70 31.4% 68.6%

EJE 0 112 10 0 0 7 3 1 133 91.7% 8.3%

EVWR 0 24 35 0 0 1 68 3 131 45.0% 55.0%

FFGZ 0 0 0 0 1 0 7 0 8 0.0% 100.0%

GTW 0 44 0 0 0 0 0 0 44 100.0% 0.0%

GWWE 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 4 50.0% 50.0%

IAIS 0 51 44 1 6 26 24 1 153 62.7% 37.3%

IC 0 357 255 2 7 303 24 32 980 62.7% 37.3%

IHB 0 20 6 0 2 0 17 6 51 51.0% 49.0%

IMRR 0 10 42 0 5 0 53 0 110 47.3% 52.7%

INRD 0 5 30 0 0 30 8 0 73 47.9% 52.1%

IR 0 12 60 0 4 1 45 7 129 55.8% 44.2%

JERX 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 0.0% 100.0%

KBSR 0 1 34 1 0 0 69 4 109 33.0% 67.0%

KCS 0 17 36 5 1 51 1 0 111 52.3% 47.7%

KJRY 0 5 36 0 0 84 4 0 129 31.8% 68.2%

KKRX 0 1 2 0 0 0 5 0 8 37.5% 62.5%

MJ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.0% 100.0%

MRMZ 0 0 3 0 1 0 13 0 17 17.6% 82.4%

NICD 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 100.0% 0.0%

NIRC 0 251 1 1 1 0 2 1 257 98.4% 1.6%

NS 0 432 221 1 0 260 25 14 953 68.6% 31.4%

RRCO 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 5 0.0% 100.0%

RVPR 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0.0% 100.0%

SCIH 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 100.0% 0.0%

SOO 0 8 7 0 0 0 14 6 35 42.9% 57.1%

STR 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 4 0.0% 100.0%

SVIZ 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 100.0% 0.0%

TPW 0 7 72 0 7 1 69 1 157 50.3% 49.7%

TRRA 0 18 12 0 0 0 7 3 40 75.0% 25.0%

TZPR 0 4 18 0 2 0 22 1 47 46.8% 53.2%

UP 69 776 247 3 26 387 39 23 1,570 69.7% 30.3%

VRRC 0 0 4 0 0 1 0 0 5 80.0% 20.0%

W C 0 67 0 0 0 0 2 1 70 95.7% 4.3%

WCRY 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.0% 100.0%

WSOR 0 2 7 0 1 0 3 0 13 69.2% 30.8%

XCTA 0 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 100.0% 0.0%

Total 79 3,261 1,818 28 86 1,422 1,042 209 7,945 65.3% 34.7%
20

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

EXPOSURE TO RISK OF A COLLISION OCCURRING 

Exposure to the risk of a collision is calculated by multiplying the number of daily trains by the 

average annual daily highway traffic. Exposure can then be allocated and compared by type of 

warning device, geographical sub-region, type of highway, or railroad. Alternatively, the number 

of predicted collisions to occur annually may be used in a similar manner.

Type of Railroad Public 

Crossings Percent Exposure Percent

Predicted 

Collisions (5 

Years)

Percent

Actual 

Collisions (5 

Years)

Percent

Class1 5,983 75.3% 288,743,688 58.1% 415 76.4% 403 65.5%

Metra/Amtrak 261 3.3% 138,026,803 27.8% 59 10.8% 150 24.4%

Local 884 11.1% 4,432,349 0.9% 24 4.5% 16 2.6%

Museum 17 0.2% 21,977 0.0% 0 0.1% 0 0.0%

Regional 239 3.0% 881,304 0.2% 7 1.4% 22 3.6%

Terminal 520 6.5% 21,398,383 4.3% 28 5.2% 23 3.7%

MetroLink/CTA 41 0.5% 43,591,788 8.8% 9 1.7% 1 0.2%

Total 7,945 100.0% 497,096,292 100.0% 544 100.0% 615 100.0%

Class 1 railroads account for 75.3% of all crossings in Illinois, and 58.1% of risk and experience 

65.5% of all collisions. Conversely, passenger and transit railroads have only 3.8% of all the 

crossings, yet represent 36.6% of the risk of a collision occurring. 

Type of Roadway Public 

Crossings Percent Exposure Percent

Predicted 

Collisions (5 

Years)

Percent

Actual 

Collisions (5 

Years)

Percent

Collector, urban 873 11.0% 110,523,692 22.2% 92 16.9% 100 16.3%

Local, rural 3,456 43.5% 12,202,697 2.5% 136 25.0% 154 25.0%

Local, urban 1,404 17.7% 56,158,593 11.3% 93 17.2% 100 16.3%

Major Collector, rural 645 8.1% 12,888,380 2.6% 40 7.4% 37 6.0%

Minor Arterial, rural 153 1.9% 5,518,200 1.1% 11 2.0% 10 1.6%

Minor Arterial, urban 751 9.5% 178,708,163 36.0% 104 19.2% 119 19.3%

Minor Collector, rural 145 1.8% 1,096,886 0.2% 8 1.5% 9 1.5%

Othr Freeway/Expressway, urban 2 0.0% 801,800 0.2% 1 0.1% 1 0.2%

Othr Principal Arterial, rural 57 0.7% 2,677,404 0.5% 5 0.8% 6 1.0%

Othr Principal Arterial, urban 315 4.0% 116,446,667 23.4% 54 9.8% 63 10.2%

Other/Unknown 144 1.8% 73,810 0.0% 0 0.0% 16 2.6%

Total 7,945 100.0% 497,096,292 100.0% 544 100.0% 615 100.0%

Urban minor arterial roads account for 9.5% of public highway-rail crossings in Illinois, but 

represent 36.0% of risk and actually account for 19.3% of all collisions. 

On State Highway System? Public 

Crossings Percent Exposure Percent

Predicted 

Collisions (5 

Years)

Percent

Actual 

Collisions (5 

Years)

Percent

No 7,156 90.1% 303,648,855 61.1% 434 79.8% 477 77.6%

Yes 789 9.9% 193,447,437 38.9% 110 20.2% 138 22.4%

Total 7,945 100.0% 497,096,292 100.0% 544 100.0% 615 100.0%

Only 9.9% of all crossings in Illinois are located on state highways, but they represent 38.9% of 

the risk of collisions occurring and account for 22.4% of all public highway-rail crossing 

collisions. 
21

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Type of Warning Device Public 

Crossings Percent Exposure Percent

Predicted 

Collisions (5 

Years)

Percent

Actual 

Collisions (5 

Years)

Percent

Four Quad Gates 79 1.0% 2,720,072 0.5% 4 0.8% 1 0.2%

Gates 3,261 41.0% 459,629,620 92.5% 362 66.5% 328 53.3%

Flash Lights 1,818 22.9% 28,985,462 5.8% 90 16.6% 125 20.3%

Other Active 28 0.4% 200,366 0.0% 1 0.2% 0 0.0%

Stop Sign 86 1.1% 194,975 0.0% 3 0.6% 9 1.5%

Crossbucks/Yield 1,422 17.9% 1,857,320 0.4% 53 9.7% 80 13.0%

Crossbucks 1,042 13.1% 2,657,845 0.5% 27 5.0% 66 10.7%

Other Passive 209 2.6% 850,632 0.2% 4 0.7% 6 1.0%

Total 7,945 100.0% 497,096,292 100.0% 544 100.0% 615 100.0%

65.3% of all grade crossings in Illinois are equipped with train activated warning devices and 

account for 98.9% of all risk. Yet, 26.2% of all collisions still occur at crossings equipped with 

passive warning signs, such as the traditional Crossbuck warning sign. 

Region of Illinois Public 

Crossings Percent Exposure Percent

Predicted 

Collisions (5 

Years)

Percent

Actual 

Collisions (5 

Years)

Percent

Rest of Illinois 6,412 80.7% 107,426,007 21.6% 328 60.4% 378 61.5%

6 County Region of NE Illinois 1,533 19.3% 389,670,285 78.4% 215 39.6% 237 38.5%

Total 7,945 100.0% 497,096,292 100.0% 544 100.0% 615 100.0%

Only 19.3% of all grade crossings in Illinois are located in northeastern Illinois, but 78.4% of the 

risk of a collision occurs in the 6-county region of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will 

Counties. 

Interconnected Hwy/Rail Warning 

Devices

Public 

Crossings Percent Exposure Percent

Predicted 

Collisions (5 

Years)

Percent

Actual 

Collisions (5 

Years)

Percent

No 7,643 96.2% 343,385,752 69.1% 480 88.3% 533 86.7%

Yes 302 3.8% 153,710,540 30.9% 64 11.7% 82 13.3%

Total 7,945 100.0% 497,096,292 100.0% 544 100.0% 615 100.0%

Highly complex highway-rail intersections that have highway and railroad warning devices 

interconnected comprise only 3.8% of the public highway-rail crossings in Illinois, yet account 

for 30.9% of the risk of a collision occurring. Similarly, crossings that have another highway 

intersection within 75 feet of the rail crossing, experience a higher risk of a collision occurring. 

Nearby Intersecting Highway (Data 

N/A at 3,478 Crossings)

Public 

Crossings Percent Exposure Percent

Predicted 

Collisions (5 

Years)

Percent

Actual 

Collisions (5 

Years)

Percent

LT 75ft 2,616 58.6% 244,266,278 65.2% 215 60.9% 251 65.4%

75-200 1,634 36.6% 105,261,437 28.1% 119 33.5% 115 29.9%

200-500 217 4.9% 25,169,518 6.7% 20 5.7% 18 4.7%

Total 4,467 100.0% 374,697,233 100.0% 354 100.0% 384 100.0%

When attempting to compare the relative safety of states it is important to normalize the 

exposure to risk and not use simple gross numbers of collisions. The use of a variable, such as, 

the number of collisions per 100,000 units of annual average daily traffic (AADT), or the number 

of collisions per 100 crossings, demonstrates that crossings in Illinois are much “safer” 

compared to other states. The Table on the following page illustrates this point. 
22

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

National Comparison of the Rate of Collisions Involving Motor Vehicles at Public 

Highway-Rail Crossings (FRA/2010)

 State (#1 Ranking is 

Worst) Collisions Rank Per 100 Xings Rank Per 100K ADT Rank

North Dakota 18 30 0.51 43 1.73 1

Louisiana 88 4 2.91 1 1.43 2

Arkansas 44 11 1.49 11 1.26 3

Kentucky 42 14 1.78 4 1.14 4

Alabama 62 6 2.19 3 1.11 5

Nebraska 19 29 0.63 40 1.02 6

Missouri 41 16 1.03 23 0.98 7

Mississippi 39 17 1.74 6 0.95 8

Oklahoma 38 19 0.98 24 0.89 9

Iowa 46 9 1.04 22 0.87 10

Kansas 38 18 0.71 36 0.86 11

Montana 11 34 0.79 34 0.80 12

Indiana 104 2 1.75 5 0.76 13

Arizona 20 28 2.57 2 0.75 14

South Dakota 8 38 0.42 44 0.72 15

Pennsylvania 45 10 1.29 12 0.70 16

Idaho 12 33 0.93 26 0.70 17

West Virginia 11 35 0.76 35 0.70 18

South Carolina 42 15 1.55 9 0.69 19

Tennessee 34 22 1.21 14 0.60 20

Georgia 59 8 1.09 19 0.60 21

Minnesota 37 20 0.81 31 0.58 22

Washington 24 25 0.94 25 0.52 23

New Mexico 5 40 0.69 38 0.52 24

Texas 170 1 1.73 7 0.49 25

Illinois 94 3 1.20 15 0.48 26

Vermont 3 42 0.80 33 0.48 27

Maryland 10 36 1.56 8 0.45 28

Colorado 14 31 0.81 32 0.43 29

Ohio 62 7 1.06 21 0.42 30

Virginia 21 27 1.08 20 0.40 31

Utah 9 37 1.29 13 0.33 32

Michigan 43 13 0.89 27 0.31 33

Oregon 13 32 0.70 37 0.31 34

New York 22 26 0.82 30 0.29 35

Wisconsin 26 23 0.64 39 0.29 36

Delaware 3 41 1.12 17 0.27 37

North Carolina 35 21 0.89 28 0.27 38

New Jersey 24 24 1.54 10 0.26 39

California 72 5 1.11 18 0.21 40

Alaska 1 45 0.58 41 0.21 41

Florida 44 12 1.17 16 0.19 42

Connecticut 2 43 0.54 42 0.15 43

Massachusetts 7 39 0.84 29 0.14 44

Maine 2 44 0.24 45 0.10 45

Total (Or Mean) 1,564 1.17 0.49
23

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

ANALYSIS OF HIGHWAY-RAIL COLLISION DATA: 2006 - 2010

Train-vehicle/pedestrian collisions that occurred between January 1, 2006, and 

December 31, 2010, encompass the latest 5-year period for which data is available. 

The FRA 6180.57 Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Database is the primary source of the 

data. The collision data has been augmented with the standard crossing inventory 

characteristics from the FRA 6180.71 Database. Data items for quiet zone status, 

interconnected crossings, warning devices, and the presence of Yield signs and 4-quad 

gates have been verified by reviewing ICC inventory data. Documented suicides that 

occurred at highway-rail grade crossings are included. However, no casualty counts 

are assigned to the incident. 

There are three types of highway-rail grade crossings; private, pedestrian and public. 

Train-vehicle collisions occur at all three types of crossings. FRA collision data 

classifies collisions that occur at pedestrian and public crossings together as “public”. 

This report provides data for the three standard types of crossings. Private crossings 

are defined as locations where a railroad crosses a non-public roadway (i.e., crossings 

at farms, industries, commercial facilities and residences) and are not under the 

jurisdiction of either the state or the FRA. 

In Illinois, the Table below shows that a total of 718 train-vehicle/pedestrian collisions 

occurred at public, private and pedestrian crossings during the 5-year period of 2006 

through 2010. These collisions resulted in 308 injuries and 126 fatalities. Public 

highway-rail crossing collisions account for 85.6% of all collisions, 89.6% of all injuries 

and 96.8% of all fatalities. 

Collisions Killed Injured Collisions Killed Injured Collisions Killed Injured

2006 175 25 74 153 23 67 22 2 7

2007 159 29 69 132 29 57 27 0 12

2008 153 27 73 133 26 70 20 1 3

2009 105 18 50 83 17 46 22 1 4

2010 126 27 42 114 27 36 12 0 6

Total 718 126 308 615 122 276 103 4 32

Illinois: 2006 - 2010

Year

All Types of Crossings Public Highway Crossings Private Highway Crossings

Since 2006, collisions at all types of crossings have declined by 31.8% nationally, and 

by 28.0% in Illinois. 
24

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

10 Year USA Trend in Collisions, Injuries and Fatalities at Public Highway-Rail 

Crossings 

10 Year Illinois Trend in Collisions, Injuries and Fatalities at Public Crossings 

Highway-Rail Crossings 

2,843 2,709 2,607 2,655 2,641

2,516

2,349

2,070

1,641 1,731

1,038

866 921 957 918 932 885 880

638 727

386 316 300 334 329 325 297 266 227 226

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Collisions, Injuries and Fatalities at Public 

Highway-Rail Crossings in the USA: 2001 - 2010

Collisions

Injuries

Fatalities

188

158 150

161

144

153

132 133

8 3

114

8 1

6 4 6 4 6 6

7 4

6 7 5 7

7 0

4 6

3 6

2 9 2 3 2 9 2 6 2 7 2 3

2 9 2 6

1 7

2 7

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

100

120

140

160

180

200

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Collisions, Injuries and Fatalities at Public 

Highway-Rail Crossings in Illinois: 2001 - 2010

Collisions

Injuries

Fatalities
25

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

10 Year Illinois Trend in Collisions, Injuries and Fatalities at Private Crossings 

10 Year Illinois Trend in Collisions, Injuries and Fatalities at Private Crossings 

The tables on the following pages list the number of collisions, injuries and fatalities that 

occurred between 2006 and 2010 at public highway-rail crossings for each county and 

city in Illinois that experienced a collision. Four of the 615 collisions resulted in three 

fatalities and eight collisions resulted in two fatalities at public highway-rail crossings in 

Illinois. 

394

368 370

423 423 425 423

338

283 273

119 133

114

137 134 140

182

8 4

9 8 9 4

3 5 4 1 3 4 3 8 3 0 4 4 4 0 2 4 2 0 3 7

0

5 0

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Collisions, Injuries and Fatalities at Private 

Highway-Rail Crossings in the USA: 2001 - 2010

Collisions

Injuries

Fatalities

2 5

1 7

1 9 2 0

3 4

2 2

2 8

2 1 2 0 2 0

6

2

6

5

8

7

1 3

4

2 2

2 2

0

2 4 2

0

1 1 1

0

5

1 0

1 5

2 0

2 5

3 0

3 5

4 0

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Collisions, Injuries and Fatalities at Private 

Highway-Rail Crossings in Illinois: 2001 - 2010

Collisions

Injuries

Fatalities
26

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

80 Counties with One or More Collisions at a Public Crossing: 2006 - 2010

County (80) Collisions Percent Killed Percent Injured Percent

Cook 162 26.3% 29 23.8% 64 23.2%

Madison 23 3.7% 1 0.8% 9 3.3%

Du Page 22 3.6% 10 8.2% 5 1.8%

St Clair 20 3.3% 5 4.1% 2 0.7%

Macon 19 3.1% 0 0.0% 4 1.4%

Will 17 2.8% 3 2.5% 9 3.3%

Iroquois 15 2.4% 2 1.6% 8 2.9%

La Salle 15 2.4% 5 4.1% 7 2.5%

Lake 15 2.4% 5 4.1% 9 3.3%

Sangamon 13 2.1% 2 1.6% 15 5.4%

Vermilion 12 2.0% 4 3.3% 3 1.1%

Kane 11 1.8% 5 4.1% 7 2.5%

Champaign 10 1.6% 2 1.6% 3 1.1%

De Kalb 10 1.6% 3 2.5% 2 0.7%

Henry 10 1.6% 2 1.6% 5 1.8%

Kankakee 10 1.6% 0 0.0% 3 1.1%

McHenry 10 1.6% 3 2.5% 3 1.1%

Ogle 10 1.6% 1 0.8% 4 1.4%

Knox 9 1.5% 6 4.9% 5 1.8%

Bureau 8 1.3% 3 2.5% 4 1.4%

Jefferson 8 1.3% 4 3.3% 1 0.4%

Montgomery 8 1.3% 2 1.6% 1 0.4%

Winnebago 8 1.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

Rock Island 7 1.1% 1 0.8% 3 1.1%

Williamson 7 1.1% 1 0.8% 3 1.1%

Grundy 6 1.0% 2 1.6% 4 1.4%

Randolph 6 1.0% 0 0.0% 3 1.1%

Whiteside 6 1.0% 1 0.8% 1 0.4%

Christian 5 0.8% 2 1.6% 0 0.0%

Effingham 5 0.8% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

Fayette 5 0.8% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

Ford 5 0.8% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

Franklin 5 0.8% 1 0.8% 5 1.8%

McLean 5 0.8% 2 1.6% 3 1.1%

Peoria 5 0.8% 0 0.0% 7 2.5%

Jackson 4 0.7% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

Lee 4 0.7% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Macoupin 4 0.7% 1 0.8% 25 9.1%

Tazewell 4 0.7% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

Adams 3 0.5% 2 1.6% 0 0.0%

Clark 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

Clinton 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

Cumberland 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

Henderson 3 0.5% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

Jasper 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%
27

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

County (80) Collisions Percent Killed Percent Injured Percent

Jo Daviess 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

Livingston 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

Mason 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Morgan 3 0.5% 1 0.8% 1 0.4%

Perry 3 0.5% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

Piatt 3 0.5% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

Wabash 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

Wayne 3 0.5% 1 0.8% 3 1.1%

Bond 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 3 1.1%

Boone 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

Crawford 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

Edgar 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Hamilton 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Hancock 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Johnson 2 0.3% 2 1.6% 4 1.4%

Kendall 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

Logan 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 3 1.1%

Marion 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 4 1.4%

Marshall 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 2 0.7%

McDonough 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Moultrie 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

Pike 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

Richland 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Shelby 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

Warren 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

Washington 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

Carroll 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Coles 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

De Witt 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

Douglas 1 0.2% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

Menard 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

Monroe 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Pulaski 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

Saline 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Stark 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Total 615 100.0% 122 100.0% 276 100.0%

Top 10 Counties Collisions Percent Killed Percent Injured Percent

Cook 162 26.3% 29 23.8% 64 23.2%

Madison 23 3.7% 1 0.8% 9 3.3%

Du Page 22 3.6% 10 8.2% 5 1.8%

St Clair 20 3.3% 5 4.1% 2 0.7%

Macon 19 3.1% 0 0.0% 4 1.4%

Will 17 2.8% 3 2.5% 9 3.3%

Iroquois 15 2.4% 2 1.6% 8 2.9%

La Salle 15 2.4% 5 4.1% 7 2.5%

Lake 15 2.4% 5 4.1% 9 3.3%

Sangamon 13 2.1% 2 1.6% 15 5.4%

Top 10 Counties 321 52.2% 62 50.8% 132 47.8%

Remaining 70 Counties 294 47.8% 60 49.2% 144 52.2%

Illinois Total 615 100.0% 122 100.0% 276 100.0%
28

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

117 Cities with Two or More Collisions at a Public Crossing: 2006 – 2010

117 Cities With 2 or More 

Collisions Collisions Percent Fatalities Percent Injuries Percent

CHICAGO 66 10.7% 11 9.0% 36 13.0%

DECATUR 18 2.9% 0 0.0% 3 1.1%

DES PLAINES 11 1.8% 4 3.3% 6 2.2%

GRANITE CITY 7 1.1% 1 0.8% 1 0.4%

ALSIP 6 1.0% 0 0.0% 3 1.1%

BLUE ISLAND 6 1.0% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

CHICAGO HEIGHTS 6 1.0% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

DANVILLE 6 1.0% 2 1.6% 1 0.4%

STREATOR 6 1.0% 2 1.6% 2 0.7%

BELLEVILLE 5 0.8% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

COLONA 5 0.8% 1 0.8% 3 1.1%

GALESBURG 5 0.8% 4 3.3% 3 1.1%

MADISON 5 0.8% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

MARION 5 0.8% 1 0.8% 3 1.1%

MOUNT VERNON 5 0.8% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

SPRINGFIELD 5 0.8% 1 0.8% 2 0.7%

AUBURN 4 0.7% 0 0.0% 12 4.3%

CHAMPAIGN 4 0.7% 1 0.8% 1 0.4%

DOWNERS GROVE 4 0.7% 2 1.6% 0 0.0%

EARLVILLE 4 0.7% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

EAST ST. LOUIS 4 0.7% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

ELGIN 4 0.7% 4 3.3% 6 2.2%

GLENVIEW 4 0.7% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

HARTFORD 4 0.7% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

HARVEY 4 0.7% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

JOLIET 4 0.7% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

LANSING 4 0.7% 2 1.6% 0 0.0%

MORRISON 4 0.7% 1 0.8% 1 0.4%

ROCHELLE 4 0.7% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

ROCK ISLAND 4 0.7% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

ROCKFORD 4 0.7% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

STEGER 4 0.7% 1 0.8% 3 1.1%

AURORA 3 0.5% 1 0.8% 2 0.7%

BERWYN 3 0.5% 3 2.5% 0 0.0%

BRAIDWOOD 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 4 1.4%

CRYSTAL LAKE 3 0.5% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

DEKALB 3 0.5% 2 1.6% 0 0.0%

EFFINGHAM 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

GIBSON CITY 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

GRAYSLAKE 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 3 1.1%

HAVANA 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

KANKAKEE 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

LITCHFIELD 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

MILFORD 3 0.5% 1 0.8% 1 0.4%

MINOOKA 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 3 1.1%

MOMENCE 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

MONTICELLO 3 0.5% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

NEWTON 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

NORTHBROOK 3 0.5% 1 0.8% 1 0.4%

RIVER GROVE 3 0.5% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

RIVERSIDE 3 0.5% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

SANDWICH 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

SOUTH BELOIT 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

VANDALIA 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

WHEATON 3 0.5% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

WOODLAND 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

GOREVILLE 2 0.3% 2 1.6% 4 1.4%
29

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

117 Cities With 2 or More 

Collisions Collisions Percent Fatalities Percent Injuries Percent

ARLINGTON HTS 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

ARTHUR 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 1 0.4%

BARRINGTON 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

BENSENVILLE 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

BENTON 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 3 1.1%

BUDA 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

CAMP POINT 2 0.3% 2 1.6% 0 0.0%

CARBONDALE 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

CARY 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

CHICAGO RIDGE 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

CHILLICOTHE 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 5 1.8%

CICERO 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

COAL CITY 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

DOLTON 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

DUQUOIN 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

EAST DUBUQUE 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

EDWARDSVILLE 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

FAIRFIELD 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 2 0.7%

FRANKLIN PARK 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

GILBERTS 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

GLEN ELLYN 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

GOREVILLE 2 0.3% 2 1.6% 4 1.4%

HIGHWOOD 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

HINSDALE 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 3 1.1%

ILLIOPOLIS 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

KINSMAN 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

LAGRANGE 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

LAKE FOREST 2 0.3% 2 1.6% 2 0.7%

MARTINSVILLE 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

MAZON 2 0.3% 2 1.6% 0 0.0%

MC COOK 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

MELROSE PARK 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

MILAN 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

MONMOUTH 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

MOUNT CARMEL 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

MOUNT OLIVE 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

NEOGA 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

NILES 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

NORMANDY 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

O FALLON 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

ODIN 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 4 1.4%

OLNEY 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

PALATINE 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

PEKIN 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

PHILO 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

PLAINFIELD 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

RANKIN 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

RIVERDALE 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

SHABBONA 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

SHEFFIELD 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

SHILOH 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

THAWVILLE 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

THOMASBORO 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

TISKILWA 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

TOLUCA 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 2 0.7%

UNION HILL 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

WADSWORTH 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

WATSEKA 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

WEST CHICAGO 2 0.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

WEST FRANKFORT 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

WOODSTOCK 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 1 0.4%

Illinois Cities W/ 2 or > 427 69.4% 77 63.1% 181 65.6%

Illinois Total 615 100.0% 122 100.0% 276 100.0%
30

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Most Crossings Were Collision Free During The Five-Year Period: 2006 - 2010 

Number of 

Collisions

Public 

Crossings Percent Killed Percent Injured Percent

Six 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Five 1 0.0% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

Four 3 0.0% 0 0.0% 4 1.5%

Three 10 0.1% 11 9.6% 13 4.8%

Two 53 0.7% 12 10.4% 44 16.2%

One 454 5.7% 92 80.0% 210 77.2%

Zero 7,424 93.4% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Total 7,945 100.0% 115 100.0% 272 100.0%

Number of 

Collisions

Private 

Crossings Percent Killed Percent Injured Percent

Six 1 0.0% 0 0.0% 1 3.1%

Five 2 0.0% 0 0.0% 1 3.1%

Four 4 0.1% 0 0.0% 3 9.4%

Three 1 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Two 7 0.2% 0 0.0% 4 12.5%

One 54 1.2% 4 100.0% 23 71.9%

Zero 4,527 98.5% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Total 4,596 100.0% 4 100.0% 32 100.0%

Number of 

Collisions

Ped 

Crossings Percent Killed Percent Injured Percent

Six 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Five 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Four 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Three 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Two 2 0.5% 4 57.1% 3 75.0%

One 4 1.1% 3 42.9% 1 25.0%

Zero 358 98.4% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Total 364 100.0% 7 100.0% 4 100.0%

Collisions occur at a relatively small number of locations. Each year the ICC places a 

high priority on upgrading public highway-rail grade crossings which have a pronounced 

history of train/vehicle collisions, or which have a high predictive value for future 

collisions. The ICC’s FY 2012-2016 Crossing Safety Improvement Plan addresses

safety improvements at many of these multiple collision crossing locations. 
31

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Public Highway-Rail Crossings with Two or More Collisions: 2006 - 2010

DOT FREQ RR-REP COUNTY CITY STREET KLD INJ WARNDEV AADT ANGLE INTNEAR BAN TRAINS STHWY I-CONN

173887G 5 UPME Cook CHICAGO NAGLE AVE 0 1 Gates 15,400 60° to 90° LT 75ft ICC 68 Yes Yes

291378J 4 IC Macon DECATUR BRUSH COLLEGE RD 0 1 AFLS-CANT 12,200 60° to 90° N/A No 4 No Yes

386411X 4 ATK Cook GLENVIEW CHESTNUT AVE 0 1 Gates/CANT 11,700 60° to 90° LT 75ft ICC 82 No Yes

608311K 4 IAIS Cook CHICAGO 119TH ST 0 2 Gates/CANT 21,300 60° to 90° LT 75ft No 66 Yes No

163416P 3 CSX Cook BLUE ISLAND BROADWAY ST 0 1 Gates/CANT 4,950 60° to 90° LT 75ft No 0 Yes No

167495S 3 CSX Cook STEGER STEGER RD 1 2 Gates/CANT 9,700 60° to 90° LT 75ft No 35 No No

173908X 3 UPME Cook DES PLAINES DES PLAINES RIVER 2 1 Gates/CANT 23,000 60° to 90° LT 75ft ICC 68 Yes Yes

176909P 3 UPME Cook DES PLAINES MT PROSPECT RD 0 2 Gates 16,800 60° to 90° LT 75ft ICC 69 No Yes

178743U 3 ICE Winnebago SOUTH BELOIT BLACKHAWK BLVD / ILL2 0 0 Crossbucks 12,700 60° to 90° N/A No 2 Yes No

243205P 3 NS Cook CHICAGO RACINE AVE 0 0 Gates/CANT 1,750 60° to 90° N/A No 54 No No

283190L 3 GTW Cook LANSING TORRENCE AVE / ILL83 1 0 Gates/CANT 15,500 60° to 90° 75-200 No 16 Yes No

289554E 3 NIRC Cook CHICAGO 75TH ST 3 1 Gates 3,200 60° to 90° LT 75ft ICC 62 No No

372242W 3 NIRC Kane ELGIN KIMBALL ST 4 5 Gates/CANT 22,400 60° to 90° LT 75ft No 76 No Yes

474980V 3 NS Ford GIBSON CITY ILL9 0 1 AFLS 4,000 60° to 90° 200-500 No 5 Yes No

004414P 2 BNSF Grundy MAZON TYNAN RD 2 0 Yield/Crossbucks 75 60° to 90° N/A No 61 No No

004454M 2 BNSF La Salle KINSMAN N 17TH 0 0 Gates 450 30° to 59° N/A No 61 No No

004662N 2 UP Knox GALESBURG N WEST ST 1 1 Gates/CANT 700 60° to 90° 75-200 No 62 No No

063069U 2 BNSF Warren MONMOUTH MAIN ST 1 0 Gates 5,800 60° to 90° 75-200 No 34 No No

065663M 2 BNSF Henry COLONA COLONA DR / ILL84 0 1 Gates 4,800 60° to 90° N/A No 18 Yes No

079488P 2 ATK Cook BERWYN EAST AVE 2 0 Gates 4,050 60° to 90° LT 75ft ICC 160 No No

079493L 2 BNSO Cook RIVERSIDE HARLEM AVE / ILL43 0 0 Gates/CANT 29,900 60° to 90° 75-200 ICC 160 Yes Yes

079508Y 2 BNSO Cook LAGRANGE LA GRANGE RD / US12 0 1 Gates/CANT 20,600 30° to 59° LT 75ft ICC 160 Yes Yes

079536C 2 BNSO Du Page DOWNERS GROVE FOREST 1 0 Gates 4,300 60° to 90° 75-200 ICC 160 No No

163596P 2 IHB Cook ALSIP PULASKI RD/CRAWFORD 0 1 AFLS-CANT 21,200 60° to 90° LT 75ft No 8 No No

167657S 2 UP Williamson MARION W MAIN ST 0 1 Gates/CANT 9,900 60° to 90° LT 75ft No 4 No No

167669L 2 UP Williamson MARION LAKE OF EGYPT RD 0 1 AFLS 3,700 60° to 90° 75-200 No 13 No No

173893K 2 UPME Cook CHICAGO HARLEM AVE / ILL43 0 0 Gates/CANT 29,900 30° to 59° 75-200 ICC 68 Yes No

173957U 2 UPME Cook CHICAGO N KILBOURN AV 0 11 Gates 59 60° to 90° LT 75ft No 58 No No

174001M 2 UPME Cook MELROSE PARK 9TH AVE 0 1 Gates/CANT 10,800 60° to 90° LT 75ft ICC 94 No No

174552V 2 UP Kane GILBERTS ELGIN ST / ILL72 0 1 AFLS 13,800 60° to 90° 75-200 No 2 Yes No

174950A 2 UPME Du Page GLEN ELLYN MAIN ST 0 0 Gates 7,200 60° to 90° 75-200 ICC 108 No No

174954C 2 UP Du Page WHEATON CHASE ST 1 0 Gates 1,300 60° to 90° 75-200 ICC 108 No No

175058S 2 UP Ogle ROCHELLE MULFORD RD 0 0 Gates 225 60° to 90° N/A No 60 No No

175778K 2 UP De Kalb SHABBONA LEE RD 0 1 Yield/Crossbucks 250 60° to 90° N/A No 2 No No

176948F 2 UPME Cook BARRINGTON EASTERN AVE 0 0 Gates/CANT 7,100 30° to 59° LT 75ft ICC 70 No Yes

176965W 2 UPME McHenry CARY THREE OAKS RD 0 0 Gates 14,600 30° to 59° 75-200 ICC 60 No Yes

176970T 2 UP McHenry CRYSTAL LAKE CRYSTAL LAKE AVE 1 0 Gates 10,100 30° to 59° LT 75ft No 60 No No

261014C 2 EJE Will MINOOKA MOUND RD 0 2 Stop Sign 500 60° to 90° 200-500 No 4 No No

289536G 2 NIRC Cook CHICAGO STONY ISLAND AVE 0 0 Gates/CANT 38,100 60° to 90° LT 75ft ICC 62 Yes Yes

289568M 2 NIRC Cook CHICAGO E 90TH ST 0 1 Gates 109 60° to 90° N/A ICC 62 No No

289759X 2 ATK Will JOLIET OHIO ST 0 1 Gates/CANT 7,500 60° to 90° 200-500 No 6 No No

290026A 2 CC Winnebago ROCKFORD 8TH 0 0 Gates/CANT 259 60° to 90° 75-200 No 10 No No

290508A 2 ATK Will BRAIDWOOD DIVISION ST 0 2 AFLS 700 30° to 59° 75-200 No 9 No No

291241P 2 IC Macon DECATUR M L KING JR DR 0 1 AFLS 7,300 30° to 59° LT 75ft No 20 No Yes

294341E 2 UP Sangamon AUBURN HAMBUCH RD 0 0 Yield/Crossbucks 75 60° to 90° N/A No 10 No No

295322D 2 IC Marion ODIN NORTON RD. 1 4 Crossbucks 125 60° to 90° N/A No 30 No No

328052C 2 TRRA Madison MADISON GRAND AVE 0 0 Yield/Crossbucks 175 60° to 90° 75-200 No 8 No No

328053J 2 TRRA Madison MADISON MADISON AVE 0 1 AFLS-CANT N/A N/A No No No

328512C 2 NS Macon DECATUR FAIRIES PARKWAY 0 0 AFLS 6,800 30° to 59° N/A No 6 No No

372133T 2 NIRC Cook RIVER GROVE THATCHER AVE / ILL171 0 0 Gates/CANT 25,100 60° to 90° LT 75ft No 106 Yes No

372170V 2 NIRC Du Page BENSENVILLE YORK RD 1 0 Gates/CANT 17,400 60° to 90° LT 75ft Partial 86 No No

386378A 2 NIRC Cook CHICAGO CALDWELL AVE / US14 1 0 Gates/CANT 25,200 30° to 59° LT 75ft ICC 82 Yes Yes

386385K 2 ATK Cook NILES HOWARD ST 0 1 Gates/CANT 10,000 60° to 90° LT 75ft ICC 82 Yes Yes

388037N 2 ATK Cook NORTHBROOK DUNDEE RD / ILL68 0 1 Gates/CANT 32,900 60° to 90° N/A ICC 96 Yes No

479320B 2 NS Sangamon SPRINGFIELD ENTERPRISE ST 0 1 AFLS 1,150 60° to 90° LT 75ft No 30 No No

522440H 2 NIRC Cook CHICAGO RACINE AVE 0 1 Gates 9,100 60° to 90° N/A ICC 176 No No

605903K 2 IAIS Rock Island ROCK ISLAND 6TH AVENUE 0 0 Yield/Crossbucks 1,900 60° to 90° LT 75ft No 2 No No

608846J 2 NIRC Cook BLUE ISLAND VERMONT ST 0 0 Gates/CANT 10,800 30° to 59° N/A No 109 Yes No

609011A 2 NIRC Cook CHICAGO 95TH ST / US12 0 1 Gates/CANT 23,000 60° to 90° LT 75ft ICC 66 Yes Yes

724592N 2 NS St Clair BELLEVILLE NORTH ILLINOIS ST / ILL159 0 0 Gates/CANT 20,400 60° to 90° LT 75ft No 12 Yes Yes

724843F 2 NS Wabash MOUNT CARMEL SIXTH 0 1 Gates 600 60° to 90° LT 75ft No 22 No No

840144X 2 ATK Cook CHICAGO 130TH ST 0 1 Gates/CANT 19,600 60° to 90° N/A No 35 Yes No

843823W 2 CSX Cook CHICAGO COLUMBUS AVE 0 1 Gates/CANT 4,600 0° to 29° LT 75ft No 90 Yes No

862626J 2 UP Cook CHICAGO HEIGHTS STATE ST 0 2 AFLS 7,000 60° to 90° N/A No 2 No No

862639K 2 UP Cook CHICAGO HEIGHTS EAST END AVE 0 0 AFLS-CANT 4,650 0° to 29° N/A No 12 No No

863547B 2 IAIS Bureau TISKILWA PRESBYTERIAN / TR256D 0 1 Crossbucks 450 60° to 90° LT 75ft No 2 No No

867231E 2 CSX Cook CHICAGO 95TH ST / US12 0 1 Gates/CANT 20,000 60° to 90° 75-200 No 35 Yes No

1 Public Highway-Rail Crossing With 5 Collisions in Past 5 Years

3 Public Highway-Rail Crossings With 4 Collisions in Past 5 Years

10 Public Highway-Rail Crossings With 3 Collisions in Past 5 Years

53 Public Highway-Rail Crossings With 2 Collisions in Past 5 Years
32

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Private Highway-Rail Grade Crossings with Two or More Collisions: 2006 – 2010

DOT FREQ RR-REP COUNTY CITY STREET KLD INJ WARNDEV

916990A 6 NS Cook CHICAGO RY TRAILVAN YD XING 0 1 None

174014N 5 UP Cook MELROSE PARK PRIVATE INDUST RD 0 1 Crossbucks

915903R 5 NS Lake CHICAGO LANDERS YD XING 0 0 Stop Sign

174259E 4 UP Cook CHICAGO PRIVATE INDUST RD 0 1 Stop Sign

393245A 4 SOO Cook FRANKLIN PARK E. END BENS. YARD 0 2 Stop Sign

915957W 4 NS Cook CHICAGO RY YARD XING 0 0 None

925768C 4 BNSF Cook CICERO RY YARD XING 0 0 None

923749R 3 BRC Cook BEDFORD PARK VARIOUS YARD RDS 0 0 Stop Sign

174247K 2 UP Cook CHICAGO PRIVATE INDUST RD 0 0 Stop Sign

440521E 2 UP Cook DOLTON UP YARD ROAD 0 0 Stop Sign

840416H 2 IC Cook HARVEY MIT ENTRANCE 0 2 Crossbucks

840417P 2 IC Cook HARVEY MIT ENTRANCE 0 0 Crossbucks

914218V 2 NIRC Cook CHICAGO LANDERS YARD ACC 0 1 Crossbucks

925764A 2 BNSF Cook WILLOW SPRINGS RY YARD XING 0 1 None

927539P 2 BNSF Knox GALESBURG RY YARD XING 0 0 Crossbucks

1 Private Highway-Rail Crossing Had 6 Collisions In Past 5 Years

2 Private Highway-Rail Crossings Had 5 Collisions In Past 5 Years

4 Private Highway-Rail Crossings Had 4 Collisions In Past 5 Years

1 Private Highway-Rail Crossing Had 3 Collisions In Past 5 Years

7 Private Highway-Rail Crossings Had 2 Collisions In Past 5 Years

Pedestrian Pathway-Rail Grade Crossings with Two or More Collisions: 2006 – 

2010

DOT FREQ RR-REP COUNTY CITY STREET KLD INJ WARNDEV

388005H 2 ATK Cook CHICAGO EDGEBROOK PEDWAY 2 1 None

388053X 2 ATK Lake LAKE FOREST LAKE FOREST PED 2 2 AFLS

2 Pedestrian-Rail Crossings Had 2 Collisions In Past 5 Years

The next section of the Action Plan presents a number of tables and graphs describing 

the highway-rail grade crossing collision data for collisions that occurred at public 

highway-rail crossings between 2006 and 2010. The focus is on public highway-rail 

crossings as that is where the majority of incidents occur and where federal and state 

agencies have jurisdiction to order improvements. 

The information is provided to assist the reader in understanding the nature of highwayrail grade crossing collisions and to assess the usefulness of various counter measures. 

The information is organized in five general categories: 

 General description of collisions 

 Highway user characteristics 

 Time and seasonal characteristics 

 Highway characteristics 

 Railroad characteristics 
33

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Type of Collision: 

Type of Collision 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Total Percent

Hwy User Ran Into Train 40 33 36 23 21 153 24.9%

Pedestrian 12 17 14 10 20 73 11.9%

Suicide 4 0 3 1 1 9 1.5%

Train Struck Hwy User 97 82 80 49 72 380 61.8%

Total 153 132 133 83 114 615 100.0%

Type of Warning Device 

Detailed Type of Warning Device 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Total Percent

Four Quad Gates 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.2%

AFLS-Gates-Cant-over 34 27 25 18 29 133 21.6%

Gates 45 45 37 24 44 195 31.7%

AFLS-Cant (over trf) 7 7 11 4 5 34 5.5%

Flash Lites (mast) 16 23 21 12 17 89 14.5%

Highway Signal 0 1 1 0 0 2 0.3%

STOP Sign 4 2 2 1 0 9 1.5%

Crossbuck/Yield 21 11 19 14 12 80 13.0%

Crossbucks 21 16 13 9 7 66 10.7%

None/Flagged 2 0 3 1 0 6 1.0%

Total 153 132 133 83 114 615 100.0%

4 0

3 3 3 6

2 3 2 1

1 2

1 7 1 4 1 0

2 0

4

0

3 1 1

9 7

8 2 8 0

4 9

7 2

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

100

120

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

Type of Collision Hwy User Ran Into Train

Pedestrian

Suicide

Train Struck Hwy User
34

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Condensed Type of Warning Device 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Total Percent

Train Activated Warning Devices 102 103 96 58 95 454 73.8%

Passive Warning Signs 51 29 37 25 19 161 26.2%

Total 153 132 133 83 114 615 100.0%

98.8% of the risk of a collision occurring is accounted for by crossings equipped with 

train activated warning devices. However, 27.8% of collisions occur at crossings 

equipped with passive warning signs.

Age and Gender of Highway User

Age Female Percent Male Percent Total

10 to 19 14 25.9% 40 74.1% 54

20 to 29 32 27.6% 84 72.4% 116

30 to 39 16 16.7% 80 83.3% 96

40 to 49 25 31.6% 54 68.4% 79

50 to 59 16 21.6% 58 78.4% 74

60 to 69 11 25.0% 33 75.0% 44

70 to 79 14 41.2% 20 58.8% 34

80 & Over 15 46.9% 17 53.1% 32

Sub-Total 143 27.0% 386 73.0% 529

329

125

9

80 66

6

0

5 0

100

150

200

250

300

350

Gates Flashing Lights Stop Sign Crossbuck/Yield Crossbucks Other Passive 

Signs

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006- 2010 

Type of Warning Device
35

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Gender 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Total Percent

Female 36 38 27 24 27 152 26.5%

Male 105 85 97 54 80 421 73.5%

Sub-Total 141 123 124 78 107 573 100.0%

N/A 12 9 9 5 7 42

Total 153 132 133 83 114 615

Type of Highway User 

Highway User 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Total Percent

ATV/Cart/Snow 0 0 1 2 1 4 0.7%

Auto 76 66 71 41 52 306 49.8%

Bicycle 4 4 2 2 1 13 2.1%

Bus 0 1 0 1 0 2 0.3%

Motorcycle 1 2 0 1 1 5 0.8%

OtherVehicle 6 2 4 5 1 18 2.9%

Pedestrian 8 13 12 8 19 60 9.8%

PickUp/SUV 26 18 24 7 14 89 14.5%

SchoolBus 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.2%

Suicide 4 0 3 1 1 9 1.5%

Tractor 1 1 0 0 4 6 1.0%

Truck 4 6 3 4 8 25 4.1%

Truck-Trailer 13 13 8 6 9 49 8.0%

Van 9 6 5 5 3 28 4.6%

Total 153 132 133 83 114 615 100.0%

26% 28%

17%

32%

22% 25%

41% 47%

74% 72%

83%

68%

78%

75%

59%

53%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

10 to 19 20 to 29 30 to 39 40 to 49 50 to 59 60 to 69 70 to 79 80 to 89

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

Age and Gender of Highway User

Female %

Male %
36

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Action of Highway User in Causing Collision

Highway User Action 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Total Percent

Did Not Stop 63 46 45 28 30 212 34.5%

Drove Around/Thru Gate 26 22 20 12 21 101 16.4%

Other 14 10 14 14 25 77 12.5%

Ped 12 17 14 10 20 73 11.9%

Stopped / Proceeded 7 8 9 3 2 29 4.7%

Stopped on Xing 27 29 28 15 15 114 18.5%

Suicide 4 0 3 1 1 9 1.5%

Total 153 132 133 83 114 615 100.0%

4

1 3

2

5

1 8

6 0

8 9

1

9

6

2 5

4 9

2 8

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

Type of Highway Vehicle Other Than Auto (49.8%)

212

101

7 7 7 3

2 9

114

9

0

5 0

100

150

200

250

Did Not Stop Drove 

Around/Thru 

Gate

Other Ped Stopped / 

Proceeded

Stopped on 

Xing

Suicide

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

Action of Highway User in Causing Collision
37

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Position of Highway User on Crossing When Collision Occurred 

Position of Highway User 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Total Percent

Moving Over Xing 108 94 91 52 77 422 68.6%

Stalled on Xing 3 5 5 5 5 23 3.7%

Stopped on Xing 42 33 36 25 29 165 26.8%

Trapped on Xing 0 0 1 1 3 5 0.8%

Total 153 132 133 83 114 615 100.0%

Month of Year 

422

23

165

5

0

5 0

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Moving Over Xing Stalled on Xing Stopped on Xing Trapped on Xing

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

Position of Highway User When Struck

5 8

4 4

3 6

4 0

5 3 5 0

4 4

4 8 5 0

5 8

6 3

7 1

0

1 0

2 0

3 0

4 0

5 0

6 0

7 0

8 0

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

Month of Year
38

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Time of Day 

Weather 

0

5

1 0

1 5

2 0

2 5

3 0

3 5

4 0

4 5

Mid.

1-AM2-AM3-AM4-AM5-AM6-AM7-AM8-AM9-AM

10-AM1 1-AM

Noon

1-PM2-PM3-PM4-PM5-PM6-PM7-PM8-PM9-PM

1 0-PM1 1-PM

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

Hour of the Day

368

157

1 3

4 4

4

2 9

0

5 0

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Clear Cloudy Fog Rain Sleet Snow

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

Weather
39

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Functional Classification of Roadway 

State Maintained Roadways 

1

6 3

6

119

1 0

100

3 7

9

100

154

1 6

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

100

120

140

160

180

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

FHWA Functional Class of Road

120

100

106

6 7

8 4

3 3 3 2 2 7

1 6

3 0

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

100

120

140

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

On State Highway?

N o

Yes
40

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Annual Average Daily Highway Traffic (AADT) 

Speed of Motor Vehicle When Collision Occurred 

254

149

69

97

46

0

5 0

100

150

200

250

300

< 1,000 1,001 to 5,000 5,001 to 

10,000

10,001 to 

20,000

> 20,001

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

Daily Vehicle Count (ADT)

168

146

8 8

5 2

2 7 2 1

1 1 4

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

100

120

140

160

180

ZERO 1 TO 9 10 TO 19 20 TO 29 30 TO 39 40 TO 49 50 TO 59 60 & 

Over

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

Speed of Highway Vehicle
41

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Number of Collisions, Injuries and Fatalities by Reporting Railroad: 2006 - 2010

Reporting 

Railroad Collisions Percent Killed Percent Injured Percent

ALS (UP) 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

ATK 50 8.1% 24 19.7% 58 21.0%

BNSF 78 12.7% 21 17.2% 33 12.0%

BNSO 9 1.5% 2 1.6% 4 1.4%

BSDA 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

CC (CN) 5 0.8% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

CRL 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

CSX 45 7.3% 3 2.5% 13 4.7%

DME (CP) 10 1.6% 1 0.8% 2 0.7%

EJE (CN) 9 1.5% 0 0.0% 3 1.1%

EVWR 4 0.7% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

GTW (CN) 7 1.1% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

IAIS 16 2.6% 0 0.0% 9 3.3%

IC (CN) 44 7.2% 7 5.7% 21 7.6%

IHB 11 1.8% 0 0.0% 5 1.8%

IMRR 4 0.7% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

INRD 5 0.8% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

IR 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

KBSR 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

KCS 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

KJRY 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

NIRC 56 9.1% 18 14.8% 23 8.3%

NS 87 14.1% 13 10.7% 26 9.4%

SOO (CP) 5 0.8% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

TPW 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 1 0.4%

TRRA 10 1.6% 0 0.0% 2 0.7%

UP 108 17.6% 22 18.0% 48 17.4%

UPME 35 5.7% 9 7.4% 18 6.5%

WC (CN) 4 0.7% 0 0.0% 3 1.1%

WSOR 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Total 615 100.0% 122 100.0% 276 100.0%

5 0

7 8

6 9

1 5

4 5

1

100

8 7

6 1

109

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Amtrak BNSF CN CP CSX KCS Metra* NS Other UP

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

Major Railroad 

(Note: Metra includes NIRC, UPME and BNSO)
42

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Comparison of the Number of Predicted and Actual Collisions: 2006 – 2010

Railroad Operating 

Company Route Miles Percent Public Crossings Percent

Predicted 

Collisions (5 

Years)

Percent

Actual 

Collisions (5 

Years)

Percent Diff % Actual 

to Predict

ALS 22.6 0.3% 16 0.2% 1.3 0.2% 1 0.2% -0.1%

ATK 1.5 0.0% 2 0.0% 0.6 0.1% 50 8.1% 8.0%

BJRY 8.5 0.1% 8 0.1% 0.2 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.0%

BLOL 45.0 0.6% 83 1.0% 0.5 0.1% 0 0.0% -0.1%

BNSF 1,179.5 16.0% 1,123 14.1% 84.2 15.5% 87 14.1% -1.3%

BRC 27.2 0.4% 39 0.5% 4.9 0.9% 0 0.0% -0.9%

BSDA 22.0 0.3% 16 0.2% 3.5 0.7% 1 0.2% -0.5%

CC 174.0 2.4% 157 2.0% 10.2 1.9% 5 0.8% -1.1%

CCUO 3.0 0.0% 4 0.1% 0.6 0.1% 0 0.0% -0.1%

CGGZ 5.6 0.1% 9 0.1% 0.0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.0%

CHTT 6.4 0.1% 18 0.2% 1.3 0.2% 0 0.0% -0.2%

CIRY 4.8 0.1% 51 0.6% 2.2 0.4% 0 0.0% -0.4%

COER 9.5 0.1% 56 0.7% 2.4 0.4% 0 0.0% -0.4%

CRL 9.0 0.1% 17 0.2% 1.0 0.2% 1 0.2% 0.0%

CSS 6.0 0.1% 1 0.0% 0.0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.0%

CSX 633.0 8.6% 630 7.9% 31.0 5.7% 45 7.3% 1.6%

CTM 4.3 0.1% 78 1.0% 4.8 0.9% 0 0.0% -0.9%

DME 137.0 1.9% 135 1.7% 6.2 1.1% 10 1.6% 0.5%

DRI 2.0 0.0% 1 0.0% 0.1 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.0%

DT 32.0 0.4% 48 0.6% 1.1 0.2% 0 0.0% -0.2%

EIRC 53.0 0.7% 70 0.9% 0.9 0.2% 0 0.0% -0.2%

EJE 126.0 1.7% 133 1.7% 11.7 2.2% 9 1.5% -0.7%

EVWR 109.6 1.5% 131 1.6% 2.4 0.4% 4 0.7% 0.2%

FFGZ 8.5 0.1% 8 0.1% 0.0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.0%

GTW 24.0 0.3% 44 0.6% 6.4 1.2% 7 1.1% 0.0%

GWWE 15.0 0.2% 4 0.1% 0.2 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.0%

IAIS 91.3 1.2% 153 1.9% 4.4 0.8% 16 2.6% 1.8%

IC 1,003.0 13.6% 980 12.3% 54.2 10.0% 44 7.2% -2.8%

IHB 21.9 0.3% 51 0.6% 5.4 1.0% 11 1.8% 0.8%

IMRR 98.0 1.3% 110 1.4% 3.1 0.6% 4 0.7% 0.1%

INRD 34.0 0.5% 73 0.9% 2.8 0.5% 5 0.8% 0.3%

IR 127.0 1.7% 129 1.6% 5.5 1.0% 1 0.2% -0.8%

JERX 4.5 0.1% 3 0.0% 0.0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.0%

KBSR 93.0 1.3% 109 1.4% 3.0 0.6% 3 0.5% -0.1%

KCS 128.0 1.7% 111 1.4% 3.1 0.6% 1 0.2% -0.4%

KJRY 127.0 1.7% 129 1.6% 3.6 0.7% 1 0.2% -0.5%

KKRX 5.7 0.1% 8 0.1% 0.0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.0%

MJ 2.0 0.0% 1 0.0% 0.0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.0%

MRMZ 6.5 0.1% 17 0.2% 0.4 0.1% 0 0.0% -0.1%

NICD 6.5 0.1% 2 0.0% 0.3 0.1% 0 0.0% -0.1%

NIRC 223.2 3.0% 257 3.2% 58.0 10.7% 56 9.1% -1.6%

NS 847.0 11.5% 953 12.0% 61.3 11.3% 87 14.1% 2.9%

RRCO 4.0 0.1% 5 0.1% 0.3 0.1% 0 0.0% -0.1%

RVPR 3.5 0.0% 2 0.0% 0.1 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.0%

SCIH 2.0 0.0% 2 0.0% 0.1 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.0%

SOO 43.0 0.6% 35 0.4% 3.0 0.6% 5 0.8% 0.3%

STR 5.2 0.1% 4 0.1% 0.0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.0%

SVIZ 1.0 0.0% 1 0.0% 0.0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.0%

TPW 109.9 1.5% 157 2.0% 5.4 1.0% 3 0.5% -0.5%

TRRA 14.5 0.2% 40 0.5% 2.9 0.5% 10 1.6% 1.1%

TZPR 18.0 0.2% 47 0.6% 2.1 0.4% 0 0.0% -0.4%

UP 1,586.8 21.5% 1,570 19.8% 129.4 23.8% 143 23.3% -0.6%

VRRC 3.0 0.0% 5 0.1% 0.2 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.0%

W C 46.0 0.6% 70 0.9% 11.4 2.1% 4 0.7% -1.4%

WCRY 5.4 0.1% 1 0.0% 0.0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.0%

WSOR 14.2 0.2% 13 0.2% 0.2 0.0% 1 0.2% 0.1%

XCTA 6.0 0.1% 25 0.3% 5.5 1.0% 0 0.0% -1.0%

Total 7,364.1 100.0% 7,945 100.0% 543.6 100.0% 615 100.0% 0.0%
43

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Type of Train 

Type of Train Collisions Percent Killed Percent Injured Percent

Amtrak-BNSF 8 1.3% 8 6.6% 4 1.4%

Amtrak-CP 9 1.5% 5 4.1% 4 1.4%

Amtrak-GTW 4 0.7% 3 2.5% 1 0.4%

Amtrak-IC 14 2.3% 5 4.1% 4 1.4%

Amtrak-UP 15 2.4% 3 2.5% 45 16.3%

Cut of Cars 3 0.5% 0 0.0% 4 1.4%

Freight 389 63.3% 67 54.9% 141 51.1%

Lite Locos 24 3.9% 1 0.8% 9 3.3%

Metra-BNSF 9 1.5% 2 1.6% 4 1.4%

Metra-Electric 13 2.1% 4 3.3% 7 2.5%

Metra-MILW-North 8 1.3% 1 0.8% 2 0.7%

Metra-MILW-West 15 2.4% 9 7.4% 6 2.2%

Metra-North Central Service 5 0.8% 2 1.6% 1 0.4%

Metra-Rock-Beverly 1 0.2% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

Metra-ROCK-Main 12 2.0% 0 0.0% 7 2.5%

Metra-Southwest Service 2 0.3% 1 0.8% 0 0.0%

Metra-UP-North 3 0.5% 2 1.6% 1 0.4%

Metra-UP-Northwest 26 4.2% 7 5.7% 6 2.2%

Metra-UP-West 6 1.0% 0 0.0% 11 4.0%

MetroLink 1 0.2% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

MOW Equip 19 3.1% 1 0.8% 13 4.7%

Yard / Switch 29 4.7% 0 0.0% 6 2.2%

Total 615 100.0% 122 100.0% 276 100.0%

6

1 0 1 2 1 3 9

123

105 104

5 7

7 5

2 4

1 7 1 7 1 3

3 0

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

100

120

140

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

Type of Train

Amtrak

Freight

Metra
44

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Type of Railroad Operation 

Type of Track 

1 8 3

2 3

481

7 8

1 2

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Cars Moving Cars 

Standing

Lite Locos 

Moving

Train Pulling Train 

Pushing

Train 

Standing

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

Type of Rail Operation

35

555

25

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Industry/Siding Main Track Yard Track

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

Type of Track
45

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

Number of Daily Trains that Operate Over the Crossing Where Collision Occurred 

Speed of Train and Vehicle When Collision Occurred 

7 9 8 3

109

7 1

5 2

2 2 1 6

7 5

8

1 2 9

3 7

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

100

120

Zero to 

4

5 to 9 10 to 

1 9

20 to 

2 9

30 to 

3 9

40 to 

4 9

50 to 

5 9

60 to 

6 9

70 to 

7 9

80 to 

8 9

90 to 

9 9

100 >

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

Number of Daily Trains

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

100

120

140

160

180

Zero 1 to 9 10 to 19 20 to 29 30 to 39 40 to 49 50 to 59 60 to 69 70 to 95

Collisions

Collisions at Public Crossings: 2006 - 2010 

Train V. Highway Speed

Train Speed

Highway Speed
46

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - This document is based on information compiled or collected pursuant to 23 U.S.C. §§130 and 

148 and other federal safety programs and is exempt from discovery or admission under 23 U.S.C. §§ 402 and 409. 

THE “AVERAGE” COLLISION AT A PUBLIC HIGHWAY-RAIL CROSSING 

The preceding tables and graphs provide a large amount of information pertaining to 

collisions at public highway-rail grade crossings that occurred over the five-year period 

of 2006 - 2010. In order to reduce the information down to a meaningful summary, 

below is a description of the “average” collision that occurred in Illinois. 

 The collision occurred when a freight train struck an automobile at a highwayrail crossing in a large metropolitan area. The highway vehicle, most likely an 

automobile, was driven by a male between the ages 20 and 29. The driver 

ignored the warning provided at the grade crossing and was moving over the 

crossing surface when struck by the train at a highway-rail crossing equipped 

with gates. 

 The collision occurred in December between 6:00 p.m. and 6:59 p.m. on a 

clear day on a local road that is not part of the state maintained system of 

highways. The automobile was traveling at a slow rate of speed (less than 10 

miles per hour) on a roadway with annual average daily traffic volume of less 

than one thousand vehicles per day. 

 The automobile was struck by a freight train operating on a main track owned 

by a railroad where ten to nineteen trains operate daily. The train was 

traveling between 40 and 49 miles per hour at the time of collision. The 

highway user was injured in the collision. 

CONCLUSION 

The Illinois Commercial Transportation Law assigns responsibility for the safety 

oversight of railroad operations within the state to the ICC. The ICC publishes an annual 

5-Year Crossing Safety Improvement Program that itemizes projects programmed for 

the next 5-year period utilizing Grade Crossing Protection Funds. The combination of 

this Grade Crossing Safety Action Plan and the 5-Year Crossing Safety Improvement 

Program provides comprehensive documentation detailing the State of Illinois’ program 

to improve highway-rail crossing safety.