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It's Rail Safety Week: Baton Rouge area has several of state's most dangerous crossings
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BATON ROUGE - This week is "See Tracks? Think Train" week in the United States, known as Rail Safety Week. According to Operation Life-Saver, every three hours a person or vehicle is hit by a train. Since 2019 there have been hundreds of these accidents in Louisiana.
In May, an 18-wheeler and a train collided at the crossing on Scenic Highway. That same month, a car and train collided — shutting down Airline Highway at South Choctaw Drive. In August at the same location, a train stopped on the tracks for an hour. There was a wreck with a garbage truck and another car. Days later, a train collided with a vehicle on College Drive at Perkins Road.
"That person was transported to the hospital and we ticketed them for parking or stopping on the railroad tracks," said Baton Rouge Police Department Lieutenant L'Jean McKneely.
Some of the most dangerous train crossings in Louisiana are in Baton Rouge. With more than 50,000 vehicles moving through Airline Highway and Choctaw Drive every day it's the most dangerous crossing in the state. Since 2019, there have been at least nine accidents at the intersection.
James Schexnaider has worked in the area and witnessed several accidents that caused hours-long gridlock.
"It happens every four to five weeks. They don't realize that they're that close to the train and they get bumped," said Schexnaider.
It's often a driver heading south on Airline Highway making a left turn on Choctaw Drive. They get stuck waiting. There are signals and signs at the intersection but no crossing gates. The Department of Transportation and Development says the intersection is too wide and has too many turns. Last October, DOTD worked with Canadian National Rail to add contrasting pavement markings to help alert drivers and emphasize they should not be stopping in the area.
"The number one thing you should not do is stop on the tracks themselves," said McKneely.
That is still happening, whether drivers realize they are doing it or not.
"People are not paying attention," said Schexnaider.
The Scenic Highway crossing in Scotlandville and the Plank Road crossing in Baton Rouge have tallied at least four accidents each since 2019.
The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office has been writing tickets. A couple dozen tickets have been written so far in September for failure to stop at a railroad crossing.
The 25 most dangerous crossings in Louisiana, based on data from the Federal Railway Administration:
1 CN, BATON ROUGE - AIRLINE HWY
2 NS, CHALMETTE - WEINBERGER ROAD
3 CN, LAPLACE - CARDINAL STREET
4 CN, BOGALUSA - SUPERIOR AVENUE
5 CN, SCOTLANDVILLE - SCENIC HWY
6 CN, BATON ROUGE - PLANK ROAD
7 UP, BASILE - MORNING GLORY ROAD
8 NS, METAIRIE - METAIRIE ROAD
9 UP, PLAQUEMINE - CANAL STREET
10 UP, GREENWOOD - MCGEE ROAD
11 CPKC, SOUTH MANSFIELD - OAK HILL STREET
12 UP, WESTLAKE - DAVISON ROAD
13 NOPB, HARAHAN - JEFFERSON HWY
14 UP, ERWINVILLE - LA 413
15 UP, ALEXANDRIA - EDDIE WILLIAMS AVENUE
16 CN, SCOTLANDVILLE - THOMAS ROAD
17 CPKC, BATON ROUGE - ESSEN LANE
18 UP, CASPIANA - HARTS ISLAND ROAD
19 UP, CASPIANA - YEARWOOD ROAD
20 NS, CHALMETTE - LAURA DRIVE
21 BNSF, LAFAYETTE - E VEROT SCHOOL RD
22 CN, BATON ROUGE - N ARDENWOOD DR
23 CN, BATON ROUGE - N FOSTER DRIVE
24 CN, BATON ROUGE - GREENWELL SPGS RD
25 CPKC, BATON ROUGE - CONVENTION ST
Key: BNSF-Burlington Northern Santa Fe, CN-Canadian National, CPKC-Canadian Pacific Kansas City, NS-Norfolk Southern, NOPD-New Orleans Public Belt, UP-Union Pacific
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