UTC approves rail safety funds for equipment upgrades in Yakima County

LACEY, Wash. - State regulators approved $176,467 in Grade Crossing Protective Fund (GCPF) grants to improve safety at eight railroad crossings in Yakima County.

Yak Rail LLC will use the funds to install new motion detector controllers, also called PMD-4s. These devices detect when a train is approaching and turns on the warning lights, gates, and bells. Upgrading this equipment will help the system work more reliably and improve public safety.

In 1969, the Legislature created the GCPF program to fund safety measures that help reduce accidents and fatalities at public and private crossings and along railroad rights-of-way.

The UTC regulates railroad safety, including approving new rail crossings and closing or altering existing crossings, investigating train accidents, inspecting railroad crossings, approving safety projects, and promoting rail safety education through Washington Operation Lifesaver.

###