Public invited to share comments on project website

In an effort to improve transportation safety, reduce delays and enhance connectivity, the City of Rock Island will conduct a Citywide Rail Corridor Safety Study to develop the planning, conceptual design and documentation needed to position the city to apply for federal funding through Federal Railroad Administration and other USDOT grant programs.

Public input is valuable to the project team to develop alternatives that best meet the needs of the community and all roadway users. Rock Island encourages everyone who is interested to visit the project website at https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/e17a275603a8463ab0182b5ee97e2fe9

and submit comments by Jan. 31.

The planning project spans approximately 13.8 miles along the BNSF and IAIS corridors within Rock Island County, Illinois and includes 29 at-grade crossings – including 27 in Rock Island, one in Milan and one in Moline. These corridors intersect streets and trails throughout the region, creating safety, mobility and connectivity challenges that are expected to intensify with increasing freight traffic and limited alternative routes.

During this study, the project team will assess the existing conditions of each crossing, engage key stakeholders and identify priority improvements to enhance safety, reduce delays and strengthen multimodal access. The study will also investigate ways to improve quality of life in the community, including more efficient travel routes and infrastructure to support walking and biking activities.

The study is expected to last four months. Data collection began in November, followed by concept development in December, concept evaluation in January, and plan development in February. The project website includes additional information about the study and a mapping tool that allows interested parties to submit comments for specific locations included in the study.