CSX NaCo Rail Conference-Apr11 - National Association of Counties

Public Safety Awareness & Property Sale Transparency National Association of Counties Rail Conference Naperville, Illinois – April 2011

Public Safety is Job #1 for Railroads Every three hours, a person or vehicle is hit by a train

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Railroads therefore invest heavily in efforts to reduce grade crossing collisions and trespass incidents Operation Lifesaver is the Washington-based non-profit dedicated to addressing rail safety awareness  In 1972, when OL was created, were over 12,000 train/motor vehicle collisions each year – by 2009, that number had declined by 84% to about 1,900 According to USDOT’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), people in the 18-34 age group comprise over 40 percent of all the rail-related pedestrian casualties

Promoting Safety Awareness to Deter Trespassers CSX Public Safety Awareness Campaign Billboard:

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State/Local Partnerships Drive Targeted Messages Example of Ads Placed in Washington Metro Stations

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Launch of “Common Sense” Campaign

 In partnership with USDOT and major railroad companies, in July

2009 Operation Lifesaver launched “Common Sense” public awareness safety campaign to reduce train-related pedestrian deaths and injuries among this demographic

 Common Sense website video: http://www.commonsenseuseit.com/media/

 “Where’s the Best Man” video from OL website: http://vimeo.com/18400749

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Satellite Media Tour 26 TV Station & 40 Radio Interviews

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Transparency in Property Sales & Zoning  Communities across America have built up around railroads  Presents real challenges when mixing railroad industrial use with commercial or residential  Railroads getting more proactive in identifying conflicts BEFORE they occur

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Case Study: Baltimore  Baltimore is home to the oldest railroad in America – the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O)  Port / industrial complex increasingly being replaced by commercial and residential – e.g. Camden Yards, Inner Harbor, etc.  Railroads seeking full disclosure in property sale contracts as to railroad and industrial activities in order to address, pro-actively and preemptively, the juxtaposition of industrial, railroad and residential uses

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Conclusion  Railroads impact communities and increasingly try to address issues “head on” with creative solutions  Activities around railroad tracks present inherent risks, and railroads need state/local officials’ support to encourage safety  Where new commercial / industrial developments are proposed adjacent to railroad tracks, we want to be engaged

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