U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) will assemble a meeting with Secretary of State Jesse White, Cook County State’s Attorney Richard Devine, State Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston), ICC, IDOT officials, and others on Monday, September 25, to discuss a commissioned report by DePaul University Professor Dr. Joe Schwieterman.

The Federal Railroad Administration is proposing rules to require that a locomotive horn be sounded while a train is approaching and entering a public highway-rail crossing. Approximately 4,000 times per year, a train and highway vehicle collide at one of this country’s public and private highway-rail grade crossings. Illinois ranks second nationally in number of crashes, first for the number of people killed, and second for the number of people injured in highway-rail collisions. Illinois also leads the nation in the number of at-grade crossings, more than 14,300 (9,100 of those public). The DePaul report estimates that one motorist violation occurs at the average Northeastern Illinois crossing for every 3 trains.

The report also looks at the financial impact train whistles at crossings will have on property values in Illinois. The report shows that the metropolitan Chicago area would experience significant losses in property value from $616 million to $1 billion.

Durbin will focus on education and enforcement initiatives to increase Rail-Grade Crossing Safety. The group will try to establish a comprehensive strategy to help the State of Illinois and local communities address rail-grade crossing safety through voluntary, cooperative education and enforcement initiatives. Durbin will attempt to identify appropriate State and Federal resources that may aid communities in their efforts, and to give the FRA viable education and enforcement options that would allow communities to continue to exercise their rights in “Quiet Zones.”

The meeting is closed to the media. There will be a media availability following the assembly, outside the 22nd floor Conference Room at DePaul University, 55 E. Jackson Street, at 10:30 A.M.