LACEY, Wash. - State regulators approved $98,707.77 in Grade Crossing Protective Fund (GCPF) grants to improve safety at 13 railroad crossings in Lewis, Pierce, and Thurston counties.

Rainier Rail will use the funds to upgrade crossing signal batteries and battery chargers. In some cases, incandescent warning lights will be upgraded to LEDs, which are brighter, longer-lasting, and more energy-efficient. Upgrading this equipment will benefit public safety by improving the visibility and reliability of the crossing signals.

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.

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