Graves' Provision Added to Railroad Safety Bill

Press Release

Graves' Provision Added to Railroad Safety Bill

U.S. Congressman Sam Graves added a provision to the Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2007 this week. Graves' Amendment is designed to speed upgrades to railroad crossings where there have been serious collisions with a School Bus or resulting in three or more fatalities. The amendment was similar to H.R. 2653, a bill Graves introduced earlier in the week.

"I am glad that we were able to work in a bi-partisan manner to address this public safety issue," said Graves, a member of the subcommittee on Railroads. "This bill will give states the flexibility to address unsafe railroad crossings without waiting for bureaucratic red tape."

The bill is in response to a fatal car accident in the Sixth Congressional District where three teenagers died as they crossed a railroad track near Excelsior Springs. The railroad crossing did not have a gate.

The bill provides for priority consideration for grade crossing safety improvements where there have been serious collisions resulting in fatalities. In 2006, there were 362 fatalities* at railroad crossings. It does not require states to make an upgrade after an accident, but it allots up to $250,000 for safety improvements if requested.

*- Preliminary 2006 Federal Railroad Administration Statistics

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