Franklin police officers and a local business owner worked with employees from the Louisville and Indiana Railroad Co. to put out several warning signs near a problematic train crossing in downtown Franklin.
Ryan Mears, the Franklin Police Department’s downtown corridor officer, reached out to the railroad company with concerns that pedestrians were trespassing on and crossing the track that runs through downtown Franklin unsafely.
Police have received complaints of pedestrians walking along the tracks and not crossing them where it’s safe to, especially patrons of a nearby bar, Mears said.
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They hang out on the tracks which run directly behind the bar, he said.
“It has crossing arms, but people don’t use the crossing like they’re supposed to. They’ll just walk around the arms and cross (the tracks) that way,” Mears said.
On Wednesday, Mears helped place signs advising pedestrians to use grade crossings along the track in front of Hoosier Cupboard Candy, Snacks and Ice Cream, across Jefferson Street, a heavily trafficked area.
“They’re meant for trespassers. They’re meant to help raise public awareness,” said Jeremy Kramer, director of transportation for Louisville and Indiana Railroad Co. “If you’re walking on the tracks and you know you’re not supposed to be, essentially that’s a trespass.”
Railroad crossings have been a long-standing issue in Johnson County. Communities along the rail lines have sought money to pay for expensive safety features at the crossings, which railroad companies don’t have to pay for. Several accidents — some deadly — have occurred on the tracks in Johnson and Bartholomew Counties. The Louisville and Indiana Railroad line runs north and south through the heart of downtown Greenwood, Whiteland and Franklin.
Railroad companies last year upgraded tracks throughout the state to allow for more trains, more weight on a freight and higher speeds. But they have not upgraded safety features at railroad crossings. Those changes fall on the cities themselves.
Franklin police and Hoosier Cupboard’s owner wanted to work with the railroad to bring attention to people at a particularly busy crossing.
“You have a lot of children and store visitors and businesses in that area. People are constantly crossing that intersection. We’re trying to reduce any issues as far as someone getting hit or hurt on these tracks. We’re trying to prevent things like that from happening here,” Mears said.
Other businesses near the crossing include vintage stores, a flower shop, a bakery and a gas station. A few of the signs were placed at Depot Park on the corner of Jefferson and Crowell Streets.
“We’re trying to get it in people’s heads that these are not abandoned tracks. They are active,” Mears said.
Railroad employees had a few more crossings on their list for signs as well, mostly in Columbus. Altogether, they put out 25 signs on Wednesday, Kramer said.
“We’re trying to identify areas where we see pedestrian trespass. It’s just a different attempt we’re trying. If there’s a public event or large gathering in a particular area and we need to get some more (signs) out there, we can do that,” he said.
