Minnesota Rail Crossing Safety Action Plan
In 2022, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) developed the Minnesota Rail Grade Crossing State Action Plan (SAP). The purpose of this plan is to:
- describe Minnesota’s current practices and programs related to highway-rail grade crossing and pathway grade crossing safety;
- conduct a conceptual safety analysis to identify potential emphasis areas and key areas of need; and,
- identify an action plan for the implementation of short- and long-term strategies to aid in achieving the overarching goals of improving safety at public highway-rail grade crossings throughout the state.
The 2022 Minnesota Rail Grade Crossing Action Plan identifies ways to help Minnesota increase safety where rails cross roads, sidewalks, and trails. There are more than 4,000 public rail grade crossings in Minnesota. In the five years preceding the plan, there were163 incidents at rail grade crossings resulting in 15 fatalities and 53 injuries. The final 2022 Rail Crossing Safety Action Plan gathered input gathered from stakeholders to:
- Identify rail grade crossing safety issues
- Evaluate effectiveness of current prioritization processes
- Evaluate and recommend crossing improvement strategies