MIAMI — Brightline has completed work to improve 48 grade crossings in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, a $5.4 million project supported by a $2.3 million federal grant as well as local funding.
Federal Railroad Administration funding came in the form of a $2.3 million Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement, or CRISI, grant awarded in 2017. Another $1.5 million came from 11 local communities and the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency, while Brightline contributed more than $1.4 million.
“Brightline continues to make significant investments in safety by taking every opportunity to work with our local and federal partners to deter pedestrian and vehicle incidents,” said Ben Porritt, Brightline’s senior vice president of corporate affairs, in a press release announcing completing of the construction work. “This coalition shows the importance of safety as a shared responsibility and we really appreciate the investment made by the FRA, these cities and the Palm Beach TPA .”
All 48 crossings received lane edge markings or striping with flexible delineators. Eight received center line delineators; three received non-traversable raised medians; six received exit-gate improvements, and nine received digital message signs with “train approaching” and suicide-prevention messaging in English, Spanish, and Creole.
All crossings already had crossing gates, lights, and bells; prior to the CRISI work, centerline delineators had been installed at 29 crossings in Broward County to deter driving around lowered gates.
