CORNWALL, Ontario – Cornwall has one of the most, if not the most, dangerous railway crossings in all of Canada, according to a detailed CBC News report.
The national media organization filed a story Wednesday which suggests the CN Rail crossing at Boundary Road is the most dangerous in the country.
The reason? A Transport Canada software system that uses accident data, train speeds, traffic volumes and sight lines at crossings to calculate potential risks says so.
The CBC story also lambastes Transport Canada for not sharing the information with municipalities. Just last week two women in southern Ontario were killed when their vehicle was struck by a Via train. That crossing was ranked fourth highest in Canada, said CBC.
Norm Levac, Cornwall’s chief administrative officer, said the Boundary Road crossing has been “on the radar screen” of municipal officials for some time and could one day get an overpass to alleviate traffic dangers.
But just when an overpass could be built is anyone’s guess – and it won’t come cheap.
“It will cost millions,” said Levac.
Right now the city is mulling when to proceed with an environmental assessment of the crossing, to see just how an overpass could be erected.
“It’s been on the books for a while now,” said Levac. “There will probably be some land issues.”
Levac pointed out some work has been done to mitigate concerns on Boundary Road, including the removal of the Tenth Street extension intersection, which brought cars out directly adjacent to the crossing.
The Boundary Road crossing isn’t the only area crossing to make the list obtained by CBC.
Tollgate Road (183), Power Dam Drive (203), Summerstown Road (489) and Main Street in Lancaster (42) also made the list of 500 crossings.
