LACEY, Wash. – State regulators approved a $14,525 Grade Crossing Protective Fund (GCPF) grant for the town of Steilacoom to improve rail safety along the BNSF, Railway Co. (BNSF) rail line. Trains from BNSF, and Union Pacific use this busy rail corridor daily.
The grant will allow the town to buy a small drone, its related equipment, and train five officers to use it. Officers will use the drone to patrol about 2.45 miles of track for hazards, and respond to safety concerns quickly. The town expects to finish the project within six months of receiving the grant.
Steilacoom has had 10 deaths and 152 near-miss incidents along the rail line over the past 20 years. The drone will help officers spot issues sooner, reach areas that are hard to access, and reduce delays caused by hazards on the tracks.
About Grade Crossing Protective Fund Grants
The 1969 State Legislature created the Grade Crossing Protective Fund to provide funding for safety measures that reduce accidents and fatalities at public and private crossings and along railroad tracks.
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