To avoid disaster at train crossings, West Palm comes up with a plan
As rail companies work to improve the safety of train crossings, the city of West Palm Beach is pushing for increased driver focus and attention as drivers and people approach them.
"Always expect a train," Mayor Keith James said during a December news conference at City Hall, where he was joined by Palm Beach County and local transportation officials. "Never walk on tracks, and remember ― trains have the right of way 100% of the time."
The renewed push ― a continuation of the city's "See Tracks, Think Train" initiative ― comes as Brightline plans to open a new station in Boca Raton by the end of the year.
Ali Soule, Brightline's vice president for community relations, said the company is "on track" with plans for a station opening in Boca Raton by the end of month and that an announcement with details is "imminent."
"Stay tuned," she said.
Soule praised the renewed push for safety at railroad crossings, saying transportation companies can't do that work alone.
Palm Beach County is something of a transportation hub, with passenger and freight lines extending up and down its coast.
That's been an economic boon, but it's brought safety problems, too.
In October, Harreen Bertisch, a 76-year old Palm Beach Gardens woman, was killed when her Honda CRV was struck by a train. Police said Bertisch had stopped her vehicle on the Florida East Coast Railway tracks on Fern Street near Quadrille Boulevard.
Freight and passenger rail services have been involved in crashes in Palm Beach County.
The Palm Beach Post reported in April that, since Brightline opened service in January 2018, there have been 16 deaths in Palm Beach County after pedestrians or motorists were hit by trains.
Nationally, a person or vehicle is hit by a train every three hours, according to federal statistics the city cited in announcing the railroad crossings safety push.
Operation Lifesaver, an organization that tracks railroad incidents, has reported that 2,100 North Americans are injured or killed each year in preventable incidents.
Brightline and the Florida Department of Transportation are working on a $45 million project to reduce crashes on tracks. The passenger rail service got a $25 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration in August to make improvements along 328 miles of railroad-grade crossings in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Brevard counties.
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More:When, where and how: A detailed list of Brightline train deaths in Palm Beach County
Tri-Rail got a $12.9 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration in September to pay for enhancements along 25 crossings that have been identified as being in need of improvements.
“Making highway-rail grade crossings safer is a major goal for public transportation and is an important part of our program to improve safety throughout the transit industry,” FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez said at the time. "Grants like this one are a big step to help keep people safe near highway-rail grade crossings.”
While rail companies work to improve the safety of crossings, West Palm Beach is pushing for increased driver focus and attention as they approach them.
The city is painting its "See Tracks, Think Train" slogan, in black lettering within a bright orange diamond, at 47 crossings in the city.
The city also plans to share railway safety messages on its communications platforms, including social media, for the next week.
Locations where the safety messaging can be seen include Fern Street and Quadrille Boulevard, Clematis Street and Quadrille, Banyan Boulevard and Quadrille, and Banyan and Tamarind Avenue.
“We care about the safety of the public on and around the private railway systems that are a part of the city of West Palm Beach’s mobility network,” James said. “The ‘See Tracks, Think Train’ campaign encourages the public to make good choices at rail crossings and on and around railways. Tragic incidents on railroad tracks and at crossings are entirely preventable. We want to reduce the number of deadly incidents involving trains to zero. Let’s work together to save lives.”
Kevin Volbrecht, West Palm Beach's director of engineering services, said the city will put down more pavement markings and concrete medians to boost safety at the crossings. He said the city also plans to pursue federal grant money to conduct a corridorwide safety study.
Some basic, common-sense tips will help, city and county officials said.
Tip No. 1 is don't try to beat a train.
Tip No. 2 is don't stop on railroad tracks.
And No. 3 ― drivers who do stop on a railroad track should get off that track immediately.
Assistant City Administrator Armando Fana emphasized that last point Wednesday.
"If you find yourself with a vehicle and you're stuck on the tracks, you've got to get off," he said. "I don't care what that takes. Get off the tracks. You shouldn't have been on there to begin with, but, if you happen to get on, you've got to figure out a way to get out."
Fana noted that crossing arms are not designed to hold stuck vehicles in place.
"You can break the crossings, whatever it takes," Fana said. "What you don't want to do is die on the tracks there."
Wayne Washington is a journalist covering West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and race relations at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com and follow him on Twitter @waynewashpbpost. Help support our work; subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: West Palm Beach pushes for more safety at train crossings
