Ajax railway crossing to get bells, lights and gate
May 06, 2008 - 01:25 PM
By Kristen Calis
AJAX -- A bad train accident that injured a 72-year-old woman last year prompted improvements to the railway crossing on Fairall Street in Ajax.
As an end to Rail Safety Week, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced at the Ajax Town hall Friday the crossing will get lights, bells and a gate through a $145,040 contribution to the Ajax project. The federal government is providing $3,151,600 for 23 projects to improve 21 railway crossings throughout Ontario.
"Moving people and goods by rail is essential for a strong and growing economy, but we will not compromise safety in our communities," Mr. Flaherty said. "The investments we are making today will help alert our friends and neighbours to oncoming trains so we can avoid future tragedies."
Railway crossings that need improvement are chosen through the Grade Crossing Improvement Program based on a number of factors such as accident history and traffic volume. Transport Canada works with railway companies and communities to identify the needs.
"The federal department of transport looks at the thousands of railway crossings in Canada, it listens to the reports about accidents injuries, which there were in respect to this crossing in Ajax, and then prioritize them," he said.
Pickering City Councillor Jennifer O'Connell has been asking the federal government for attention to rail safety in Pickering recently, and even requested a rail safety audit in Pickering in January. But, Pickering was not one of the municipalities included in the improvement areas. Mr. Flaherty said there's always hope for Pickering next year.
"They're prioritized based on a number of factors and they indicated that this crossing in Ajax is the one that should have the top priority and that's why we're going ahead with this one now," he said.
Mayor Steve Parish was happy to see the different levels of government come together, and mostly that this initiative will "dramatically improve safety."
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