To: Editors, News Directors

Date: October 21, 2003

For: Immediate Release

ACC Approves Rail Crossing Upgrades

PHOENIX – Rail crossing safety will be enhanced as a result of today’s Arizona Corporation Commission decision to approve upgrades to warning devices at four Phoenix crossings and one in Glendale. The Commission approved the replacement of the wooden crossing surface at one crossing to ensure smoother travel over the tracks.

Commissioners approved upgrades, which are expected to be completed in the next 15 months, at the following locations:

• Glenrosa Avenue east of 43^rd Avenue and south of Camelback in Phoenix – Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF) will replace old crossbucks with automatic gates and automatic flashing light signals.
• Highland Avenue west of 43^rd Avenue and south of Camelback in Phoenix – BNSF will replace the existing wooden crossing surface and crossbucks. A new wooden crossing surface will be installed, along with automatic flashing light signals and gates.
• Highland Avenue east of 43^rd Avenue and south of Camelback in Phoenix – BNSF will replace the existing crossbucks and install automatic flashing lights and gates.

• Pasadena Avenue east of 51^st Avenue and north of Camelback in Glendale – BNSF will replace existing crossbucks and install automatic flashing lights and gates.
• Watkins Street west of 7^th Street and north of University Drive in Phoenix – Union Pacific Railroad will replace existing crossbucks with automatic flashing lights and gates.

The Arizona Corporation Commission enforces federal and state standards for railroad and rail crossing safety. These changes and upgrades to safety equipment were not initiated by any specific crossing incident but are intended to provide motorists with better, more modern warnings of oncoming trains.

Motorists should heed all signals at rail crossings, whether gates are present or not. Drivers should never come to a stop over railroad tracks or underneath the gate arms. Drivers should NEVER try to beat the train by rushing around gate arms as they are closing.

The railroads will work with the Arizona Department of Transportation, city officials and local traffic control authorities to minimize traffic delays while the work is underway.