Village officials say they are evaluating whether to install pedestrian gates after a Barrington High School student was fatally struck by a train while walking to school last week.
“As our Village and the broader District 220 community continue to process last Thursday’s accident and tragic loss of life, there has been an outpouring of thoughtful and constructive messages shared with our team by our residents. As always, the Village Board and Village Staff value the input of our community and appreciates the effort taken to share these messages with us during this difficult time,” the Village of Barrington said in a statement earlier this week.
The village said it has multiple rail lines running through the town and that safety at rail crossings has been and will continue to be a priority.
Officials said managing safety at the busy road and rail crossings involves collaboration with the Illinois Department of Transportation, Union Pacific Railroad, Metra, Canadian National Railway, Federal Railroad Administration and the Departments of Transportation for Lake and Cook counties, as well as the Illinois Commerce Commission.
“All of these agencies share a common goal and responsibility of ensuring these crossings are as safe and effective as possible. The Village has a strong track record in working alongside these agencies, consistently advocating for and facilitating improvements that not only enhance connectivity but also bolster the safety of our community,” the village said in its statement.
In the wake of the fatal accident, village officials say they are evaluating opportunities with their jurisdictional partners to install pedestrian gates at the Hough Street and Union Pacific crossing and increase safety signage at railroad crossings.
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