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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Illinois has the second largest number of highway 
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grade crossings in the United States: 8,524 public grade level 
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crossings; 2,733 grade-separated crossings; 281 pedestrian 
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grade crossings; and 76 pedestrian grade separated crossings; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, In the United States, approximately every 2 hours 
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a collision occurs between a train and a vehicle, train and a 
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bicyclist, or a train and a pedestrian; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Each year in Illinois, approximately 50 people are 
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killed and another 50 are injured in grade crossing collisions 
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or while trespassing on railroad property; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 2004 alone, there were 58 fatalities at 
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railroad grade crossings in Illinois; and

 
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    WHEREAS, A person is 40 times more likely to die in a 
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collision with a train than in a collision involving another 
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motor vehicle; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE 
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SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the Railroad 
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Crossing Safety Task Force, consisting of thirteen members 
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appointed as follows: the Speaker of the House of 
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Representatives, the President of the Senate, the Minority 
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Leader of the House of Representatives, and the Minority Leader 
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of the Senate shall each appoint one member of the General 
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Assembly and two members of the general public; in addition, 
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the Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission or his or her 
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designee shall be a member of the Task Force; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That after the members are appointed, the Task 
 


 






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LRB094 11766 HSS 45144 r




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Force shall meet and select a member of the Task Force as 
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Chairperson; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the members of the general pubic shall 
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represent the following associations, organizations, and 
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interests: educational institutions, engineering consultants, 
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insurance industry, municipal corporations, non-profit rail 
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safety organizations, federal and local governmental entities, 
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and the railroad industry; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall meet as necessary to 
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review and evaluate the complex issues involving rail grade 
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crossing safety, especially for pedestrians and bicyclists in 
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Illinois; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall study and evaluate the 
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following: advanced rail safety technology, warning devices 
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and guided transportation systems, the Federal Railroad 
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Administration's Interim Final Rule regarding sounding train 
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horns at rail grade crossings, ambiguity over jurisdiction of 
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pedestrian right of way, utilization of State and federal funds 
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for crossing protection, and to what extent pedestrian and 
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bicyclist safety at rail grade crossings is addressed in the 
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current educational materials and programming regarding rail 
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safety in Illinois; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall report its findings and 
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recommendations to the General Assembly by July 1, 2006; and be 
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it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be sent 
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to the Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission.