Rail corridor study: Osceola residents weigh in on crossing safety
OSCEOLA, Ind. -- The Michiana Area Council of Governments held the second of two public information sessions Wednesday evening at Moran Elementary School in Osceola as part of an ongoing Rail Corridor Study.
The study, a partnership between MACOG, St. Joseph County, and Elkhart County, is evaluating four at-grade railroad crossings in Osceola — Ash Road, Beech Road, Apple Road, and Cottage Grove Avenue.
Caitlin Stevens, MACOG's Director of Transportation, says the corridor sees upwards of 60 trains per day, affecting both the local community and regional commuters.
Feedback from the June sessions centered on train operations affecting emergency service reliability, along with broader community impacts such as train horn noise and the potential for designated quiet zones. The session was designed to report that feedback back to the community, alongside existing-conditions research compiled by consulting firm DLZ, before the study moves into developing potential short- and long-term improvements.
Stevens says the goal is to reach a preferred alternative that St. Joseph County, Elkhart County, and funding partners can pursue for future construction, though she noted no decisions have been made and this remains an information-gathering phase. Larger-scale solutions, such as a grade separation, would likely require federal funding.
The public can continue submitting comments online at the site below: