A $3.5 million plan to enhance safety at eight south-side railroad crossings and close another in Galesburg is finally starting to see progress nearly two years after its announcement.
Galesburg aldermen on Monday approved a pair of Illinois Commerce Commission stipulated agreements — one for highway-rail grade crossing work at five crossings on the BNSF Peoria Subdivision, and another for Pearl Street crossing protection upgrades and closure of the East First Street crossing.
First reported in 2023, the initiative aims to upgrade eight at-grade crossings with gate arms and improved warning circuitry while closing the East First Street crossing to streamline safety.
Aaron Gavin, Galesburg’s Director of Public Works, tells WGIL the improvements align with the original plan worked out in a 2023 meeting between the city, BNSF, IDOT and the ICC.
Following that review, BNSF applied for funding through the ICC, but the project has been stalled ever since.
“We’ve been waiting for the ICC to provide the stipulated agreements to release the funding,” Gavin said.
As a result, no work has begun at any of the crossings.
Once the agreements are finalized and signed by the city, Gavin expects to see movement on the project. The implementation process is projected to take about 12 months, though much of that time will involve BNSF ordering and shipping necessary materials. The city will coordinate its efforts—focusing on crossing approaches and East First Street closure treatments—with BNSF’s schedule.
“Our timeline will depend on when they’re able to start,” Gavin noted.
According to the plans:
- The BNSF crossing at East First Street in Galesburg will be closed.
- Two BNSF crossings on South Seminary Street, along with the one on South Chambers will get new gates and flashing lights.
- BNSF crossings at Pearl, Day, Pine, Lombard and Farnham streets will get new gates and receive modifications to the flashing lights.
- The crossing on Locust Street will get a modified approach, along with gates and modified flashing lights.
The upgrades target a corridor where crossings currently rely solely on flashing lights, a setup deemed insufficient given the area’s traffic, particularly school buses. Gavin says installing gate arms and modernized circuitry will significantly boost safety for motorists, pedestrians and students alike.
Gavin previously said the closing of the East First Street crossing was a mutual agreement between BNSF and the city, adding, “BNSF will now have one less at-grade crossing to maintain, and we all of the crossings upgraded with safety and warning devices.”
