MACOG, St. Joseph County awarded $1 million grant to study vehicle, rail safety improvements

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- The Michiana Area Council of Governments announced they and St. Joseph County will receive $1 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Railroad Crossing Elimination Program.

The grant will fund a rail crossing study at Ash Road and other nearby grade-crossings, including Apple Road, Beech Road, and Cottage Grove Avenue.

Officials say the planning project includes an alternatives analysis for a grade separation near Ash Road and an evaluation of safety improvements at the nearby crossings.

"The Norfolk Southern Line between Chicago and Cleveland is the busiest rail line in our region, with nearly 100 trains daily," said James Turnwald, Executive Director of MACOG. "This level of activity, combined with the nearby Robert Young Classification Yard—Norfolk Southern's second largest—creates significant safety and mobility challenges for the surrounding community, making this plan critical to improving safety and connectivity along Ash Road and between St. Joseph and Elkhart Counties."

Officials say the improvements aim to increase safety and reliability for emergency responders, enhance livability for residents, and facilitate efficient movement of freight.