Pedestrian gates installed at Barrington, Illinois railroad crossing
The village of Barrington, Illinois has begun installing new pedestrian gates at a railroad crossing,
Train crossing safety has been an issue in the Village of Barrington since a 17-year-old girl was killed by a Metra train last year. But the crossing where the new pedestrian gates were installed is not the same place where that tragedy happened.
Village officials said crews began upgrading the Main Street crossing for the Canadian National Railway freight train tracks on Friday, replacing the existing gates and warning devices with new equipment on the northeast and southwest corners of the crossing.
The bulk of the work was done between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Officials said the new gates will provide pedestrian separation from the tracks. Additional equipment and wiring will be installed later this year to allow for new pedestrian gates on the northwest and southeast corners.
On Jan. 25, 2024, Marin Lacson, a student at Barrington High School, was struck and killed by a Metra train at the another crossing at Main Street while walking to school.
The Metra crossing at Main Street is several blocks east of the CN Railway crossing, on the other side of Hough Street.
Safety advocates have said that a pedestrian gate at the Metra crossing could have saved her life, and are still fighting to get them put up at at that site.