Long Beach Mayor Tim Pierce speaks on a railroad crossing improvement in Long BeachLONG BEACH – Officials gathered on Friday, Sept. 12 to celebrate the completion of a project to improve nine railroad crossings in the city of Long Beach. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the intersection of Cleveland St. and Railroad St. in Long Beach.
“The Long Beach railroad crossing improvement project represents a landmark step forward in our commitment to addressing railroad crossing safety,” said Commissioner Charles Busby, Southern Transportation District. “This project sets a strong precedent for others like it along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. By leveling crossings, we’re not only improving mobility and efficiency — we’re also eliminating safety hazards for motorists and rail traffic alike.”
The Long Beach railroad crossing grade improvement project represents the first program of its kind the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has embarked upon to improve railroad crossing safety across a city. The scope of work involved raising roadway approaches to each of the crossings to decrease the chances of a vehicle becoming high-centered, or stuck, on the crossing. The nine improved crossings include White Harbor Rd., South Lang Ave., Island View Ave., Trautman Ave., Girard Ave., Cleveland Ave., Nicholson Ave., Beach Park Dr. and Richards Ave.
“This project is going to be a good thing for our whole city; it’s going to make it safer,” said Long Beach Mayor Tim Pierce. “I’m very, very pleased to be cutting this ribbon as we look forward to the future of Long Beach and the continued growth of business in our community.”
MDOT intends to implement comparable projects in other cities along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Currently, a similar project in Pass Christian is in the design phase.
The project was funded through the Federal Highway Administration’s Rail Crossing Safety program and is administered through MDOT’s Local Public Agency (LPA) division. Neel-Schaffer provided preliminary engineering, construction engineering and inspection services for the project. The $3 million contract was awarded to Moran Hauling Inc. of Gulfport.
MDOT’s Local Public Agencies (LPA) Division oversees the planning, design and construction of LPA projects funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). For more information on MDOT’s LPA Division, visit GoMDOT.com.
