Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) welcomed the news that CSX has replaced the equipment at the Van Buren railroad crossing in the town of Pomfret.
"We were notified today that new equipment was put in place this weekend," said Congressman Higgins Tuesday. "This crossing has been a concern for local residents for quite a long time. Local residents rightfully fought for changes and today we are hopeful that this new equipment makes this a safer and more predictable route for all who cross."
Town of Pomfret Supervisor Don Steger was also happy to hear the news travelers in the town will be safer.
"Community safety must be the primary concern at any rural railroad crossing. I am pleased that the Van Buren road railroad crossing now has the most up to date safety features to keep our residents and any users of the crossing safe," he said Tuesday.
Congressman Higgins' office first became aware of concerns about the safety of the crossing through a meeting with Robin Putnam-Cordovano, who lost her son Zachary in a tragic accident at the crossing that killed three people on Oct. 10, 2009.
On Sept. 27, 2011 Congressman Higgins wrote a letter to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) requesting a review and resolution. The FRA reported to Congressman Higgins on Dec. 6, 2011 that they completed their investigation. Higgins' office, with the help of the community, continued to monitor the location and request for action from CSX.
Cordovano provided a video segment accounting frequent problems at the site and the Congressman passed the video evidence along to federal agencies. The video can be downloaded at http://bit.ly/q2tJsB.
