Thousands of incidents of railroad crossings being blocked by stopped trains occur in the United States each year, causing significant safety risks and economic disruptions, according to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
"Blocked crossings occur when stopped trains impede the flow of motor vehicle or pedestrian traffic at railroad tracks for extended periods of time," the FRA reports in its Blocked Crossings Fast Facts sheet. "Blocked crossings pose potential safety risks: frustrated individuals may be tempted to crawl between stopped railcars, and blocked crossings can hinder emergency services’ access to individuals and hospitals."
The FRA fact sheet reports blocked crossings are often caused by train length, train speed and the timing of train schedules. The FRA notes that since regulations overseeing railroad crossings are set at state and local levels, the agency lacks regulatory authority to address blocked crossings in local communities.
In order to provide data to local authorities and railroad companies and assist them in finding solutions to the problem, FRA maintains the Blocked Crossings Incident Reporter web page where individuals can report blocked train-vehicle intersections. The FRA investigates crossings with three separate incidents reported in a 30-day window, according to the web page. From Dec. 31, 2019 to Sept. 30, 2021, FRA had 25,374 reports received with 18,801 incidents at 5,773 crossings and performed 906 investigations.
In January, a coalition of state attorneys general filed a petition urging the U.S. Supreme Court to address the issue of blocked railroad crossings. The petition argues that blocked crossings pose a significant safety risk and hinder emergency response times. The coalition also argues that the issue disproportionately affects low-income and minority communities. The petition comes after years of unsuccessful attempts to address the issue through regulatory channels.
InvestigateTV, in partnership with ProPublica, reported April 26 that stopped trains have resulted in multiple reported incidents of patients dying or houses burning because first responders couldn't reach them; and several pedestrians, including school children, have been injured or killed trying to crawl under or over a stopped train that started moving suddenly and without warning.
The FRA and local officials have urged railroad companies to address the issue, but the problem persists, according to the report. The profits of the railway industry continue to grow, reaching a record high of $29.5 billion in 2022, InvestigateTV reports, which raises questions about the prioritization of profit over safety and calls for action to be taken to ensure the safety of children and communities affected by blocked crossings.
“It’s unconscionable that kids need to crawl under parked trains to get to school, or that first responders are blocked from getting to those in need," Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg tweeted on April 27. "Soon we’ll announce grants through the infrastructure law in a new program dedicated to addressing at-grade crossings."
