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No. H084/04
For release October 29, 2004
RAILWAY SAFETY IMPROVED ACROSS CANADA
OTTAWA - Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre today announced that the Government of Canada will provide more than $10 million to improve safety at 92 railway crossings across Canada. Since 1994, Transport Canada has contributed more than $100 million to such projects throughout the country.
"Canada maintains one of the safest rail systems in the world - and we are committed to further improving this system," said Mr. Lapierre. "That is why we are working with rail companies and communities
to help reduce crossing accidents, injuries and fatalities across Canada."
Under Transport Canada's grade crossing improvement program, eligible railway crossings are either upgraded, relocated or closed. Improvements may include installing flashing lights and gates, adding gates or extra lights to existing systems, linking crossing signals to nearby traffic lights, modifying operating circuits, or adding new circuits or timing devices. The department finances up to 80 per cent of the total cost of the improvements, with the balance provided by the railways, municipalities or provinces and territories.
"Although accident rates and crossing fatalities in Canada have decreased over the last 10 years, accidents at railway crossings resulted in 26 fatalities and 51 serious injuries in 2003," said Mr. Lapierre. "It is necessary to continue highlighting the importance of exercising caution when nearing and crossing railways."
For this reason, Transport Canada supports two other initiatives to improve safety at railway crossings: Operation Lifesaver, a public education program of the Railway Association of Canada that has promoted safety at railway crossings since 1981; and Direction 2006, a partnership of governments, railway companies and their unions working to reduce collisions and trespassing incidents by 50 per cent by the year 2006.
Funding for the grade crossing improvement program was provided for in the February 2003 budget and is therefore built into the existing financial framework.
A backgrounder and a list of the crossings
scheduled for improvement are attached.
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Contacts: |
|
Irène Marcheterre
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister, Ottawa
(613) 991-0700 |
Cathy Cossaboom
Transport Canada
Communications, Ottawa
(613) 993-0055 |
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at apps.tc.gc.ca/listserv/ and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada.
This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons with visual disabilities.
RAILWAY CROSSING FACTS
- Transport Canada has a permanent safety inspection program to monitor railway crossings and compliance with standards under the Railway Safety Act, and to identify areas for improvement.
- The Transport Canada grade crossing improvement program contributes approximately $7.5 million over the course of each year to improve safety at rail crossings across Canada. Funding decisions are based on pre-established regional accident and serious injury criteria over a five-year period, and funding is allocated to various regions at different times of the year.
- Although rail-related accident rates and crossing fatalities have decreased over the last 10 years, improving safety at rail crossings is one of Transport Canada's top priorities, as accidents at crossings account for almost half of the railway-related deaths and injuries each year.
- There were 248 crossing collisions across Canada in 2003. These accidents resulted in a total of 26 fatalities and 51 serious injuries.
- Passenger trains travel at speeds of up to 160 km/h and freight trains can reach 105 km/h.
- It can take a train more than one minute to come to a complete stop. For example, in perfect weather, an 88 car freight train weighing 13,000 tonnes and travelling 96 km/h would cover about two kilometres before stopping.
- In addition to funding up to 80 per cent of improvements to eligible crossings, Transport Canada works with the Railway Association of Canada on Operation Lifesaver, a public education program.
- Transport Canada also participates in Direction 2006, a partnership among all levels of government, railway companies and unions with a goal of reducing grade crossing collisions and trespassing incidents by 50 per cent by the year 2006.
October 2004
PROVINCE |
LOCATION |
ROAD |
IMPROVEMENT |
FEDERAL CONTRIBUTION |
British Columbia |
Abbotsford |
McCallum Road |
Flashing lights, bells, gates and constant warning time device |
$205,040 |
British Columbia |
Chilliwack |
McGrath Road |
Gates |
$120,320 |
British Columbia |
Chilliwack |
Nevin Road |
Gates |
$69,360 |
British Columbia |
Langley |
96th Avenue |
Flashing lights, bells and gates |
$127,040 |
Alberta |
Canyon Creek |
Seppola Drive |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
Donnelly |
Highway 2 |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
Girouxville |
Secondary Highway 44 |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
Hawkhills |
Secondary Road 692 |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
High Level |
Highway 35 |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
High Level |
Highway 58 |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
High Prairie |
48th Street |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
High Prairie |
Highway 2 |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
Hotchkiss |
Highway 35 |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
Joussard |
Highway 2 |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
Kemp River |
Highway 35 |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
Kenzie |
Highway 2 |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
Lacombe |
Highway 12 |
Constant warning time device and advance pre-emption |
$117,600 |
Alberta |
Lloydminster |
52nd Avenue |
Flashing lights, bells, gates, and motion sensing device |
$128,000 |
Alberta |
Marie-Reine |
Secondary Road 744 |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
Meikle River |
Highway 36 |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
Mitsue |
Highway 2 |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
Mitsue |
Highway 2A |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
Penhold |
Springbrook Road |
Gates and motion sensing device |
$176,800 |
Alberta |
Slave Lake |
Highway 88 |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
Slave Lake |
Main Street |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
Slavey Creek |
Highway 35 |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Alberta |
Tofield |
Range Road 191 |
Flashing lights, bells, gates and constant warning time device |
$206,320 |
Northwest Territories |
Enterprise |
Highway 1 |
Stick circuit timers |
$712 |
Saskatchewan |
Watrous |
Municipal Road |
Crossing relocation |
$9,480 |
Saskatchewan |
Watrous |
Municipal Road |
Automated warning system, constant warning time device and gates |
$209,120 |
Manitoba |
Anola |
Monominto Road |
Flashing lights, bells, gates and grade crossing predictor |
$166,880 |
Manitoba |
Anola |
Stoneridge Road |
Flashing lights, bells, gates and grade crossing predictor |
$231,680 |
Manitoba |
Carberry |
Highway 5 |
Gates and constant warning time device |
$211,200 |
Manitoba |
Dauphin |
Highway 5 and Highway 10 (Main Street) |
Interconnection and backup battery |
$77,838 |
Manitoba |
Dauphin |
Highway 5 and Highway 10 (Main Street) |
Gates and constant warning time device |
$198,240 |
Manitoba |
La Broquerie |
Rue Principale |
Diversion Road |
$203,120 |
Manitoba |
Lorette |
Provincial Road 206 |
Gates and motion sensing device |
$136,480 |
Manitoba |
Lorette |
Station Road |
Flashing lights, bells, gates and grade crossing predictors |
$231,680 |
Manitoba |
MacGregor |
Pathead Road |
Flashing lights, bells, gates and grade crossing predictors |
$221,440 |
Manitoba |
Pipun (Wabowden) |
Highway 373 |
Two flashing light signals, bell and AC/DC-type track circuits |
$131,140 |
Manitoba |
Ste-Rita |
Ducharme Road |
Flashing lights, bells, gates and grade crossing predictors |
$144,800 |
Manitoba |
Winnipeg |
Highway 100 |
Active advance warning signals |
$88,395 |
Manitoba |
Winnipeg |
Highway 100 |
Four gates, constant warning time device and advance pre-emption |
$244,000 |
Manitoba |
Winnipeg |
McGillivary Boulevard |
Four gates, cantilever, bells, back lights and constant warning time device |
$286,480 |
Ontario |
Alexandria |
St. Michael Street |
Short arm gates |
$114,480 |
Ontario |
Bala (Township Muskoka Lakes) |
Gordon Street |
Extra flashing light units and gates |
$138,960 |
Ontario |
Barwick |
Main Street |
Gates and grade crossing predictors |
$228,080 |
Ontario |
Bothwell |
Road 6 |
Flashing lights, bells and gates |
$190,455 |
Ontario |
Brantford |
Hardy Road |
Flashing lights and grade crossing predictors |
$60,772 |
Ontario |
Brantford |
Stanley Street |
Lights, light-emitting diode |
$6,790 |
Ontario |
Burwash |
Trout Lake Road |
Flashing lights, gates, constant warning time device and motion sensing device (on siding) |
$248,320 |
Ontario |
Grimsby |
Baker Road |
Flashing lights, bells and short arm gates |
$291,600 |
Ontario |
Ingersoll |
Thames Street |
Lights and change mast |
$11,948 |
Ontario |
Kingston |
Counter Street |
Grade crossing predictors |
$356,320 |
Ontario |
London |
Burwell Street |
Removal of crossing |
$50,820 |
Ontario |
London |
Second Street |
Gates and grade crossing predictors |
$152,960 |
Ontario |
New Hamburg |
Waterloo Street |
Gates and advance pre-emption |
$220,710 |
Ontario |
Nipigon |
Fifth Street |
Gates and constant warning time device |
$308,160 |
Ontario |
North Elmsley |
Armstrong Road |
Flashing lights, bells, gates and constant warning time device |
$215,680 |
Ontario |
Perth |
Drummond Street |
Roadwork |
$27,080 |
Ontario |
Petawawa |
Murphy Road |
Gates and constant warning time device |
$147,200 |
Ontario |
Pickering |
Rosebank Road |
Gates and constant warning time device |
$194,960 |
Ontario |
Pickering |
Townline Road |
Gates and constant warning time device |
$64,720 |
Ontario |
Plympton-Wyoming |
Stewardson Road |
Approaches |
$51,752 |
Ontario |
Plympton-Wyoming |
Minielly Road |
Level section and widening |
$73,705 |
Ontario |
Plympton-Wyoming |
South Plympton Road |
Level section and widening |
$77,997 |
Ontario |
Plympton-Wyoming |
Fairweather Road |
Level section and widening |
$96,613 |
Ontario |
Port Hope |
Hope Street |
Gates and constant warning time device |
$211,280 |
Ontario |
Rutter |
Highway 64 |
Gates and constant warning time device |
$64,120 |
Ontario |
Schrieber |
Main Street |
Diversion road |
$261,216 |
Ontario |
Simcoe-Grey |
Baldwick Lane |
Flashing light signals, bells, gates and constant warning time device |
$238,800 |
Ontario |
Spence |
County Road #10 |
Gates, constant warning time device and extra flashing light units |
$202,640 |
Ontario |
Toronto |
Old Weston Road |
Extra flashing light units and bells |
$12,640 |
Ontario |
Township of Champlain |
Aberdeem Road East |
Lights |
$3,094 |
Ontario |
Township of Champlain |
Greenlane Road West |
Lights |
$2,520 |
Ontario |
Township of Champlain |
Happy Hollow Road |
Lights |
$2,958 |
Ontario |
Township of Champlain |
MacCallum's Lane |
Lights |
$3,118 |
Ontario |
Township of Champlain |
Pleasant Corners Road |
Lights |
$3,147 |
Ontario |
Upsala |
Graham Road |
Flashing light signals, bells, gates and motion sensing device |
$268,000 |
Quebec |
Arntfield |
Highway 117 |
Active advance warning sign |
$13,150 |
Quebec |
Arntfield |
Highway 117 |
Prepare-to-stop sign |
$38,465 |
Quebec |
Bury |
Highway 108 |
Cantilevers and gates |
$64,856 |
Quebec |
Causapscal |
Rue St-Jean Baptiste |
Gates and additional flashing lights |
$130,360 |
Quebec |
Charrette |
Route 351 |
12-foot cantilevers and gates |
$149,760 |
Quebec |
Rimouski |
Rue de la Gare |
Gates and automated warning system |
$84,069 |
Quebec |
Sainte-Angèle-de Prémont |
Route 350 |
Gates |
$151,840 |
Quebec |
Sainte-Élisabeth |
Route 345 (Chemin sud de la rivière) |
20-foot cantilevers and gates |
$166,240 |
Quebec |
Sainte-Élisabeth |
Chemin Sainte-Élisabeth |
20-foot cantilevers and gates |
$129,840 |
Quebec |
Sainte-Marie-Salomé |
Rue Montcalm |
20-foot cantilevers and gates |
$168,160 |
Quebec |
Saint-Paulin |
Chemin de la Concession |
Flashing lights, bells and gates |
$150,320 |
Quebec |
Saint-Paulin |
Route 349 |
12-foot cantilevers and gates |
$146,560 |
Quebec |
Sainte-Ursule |
Route 348 |
20-foot cantilevers and gates |
$170,960 |
Total |
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$10,124,948 |
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