HJ0044 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0044 LRB094 11766 HSS 45144 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

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

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

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

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

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

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

RESOLVED, That after the members are appointed, the Task Force shall meet and select a member of the Task Force as Chairperson; and be it further

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

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

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

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

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