South Shore Line assessing all pedestrian crossings after passenger fatality
Contributed By: The 411 News
Grace Bentkowski had exited train at Hegewisch when she was hit by an approaching train
The death of one of its passengers has spurred the South Shore Commuter Rail Line to assess pedestrian crossings throughout its service area.
Grace Bentkowski, 22, of Dyer was struck and killed by an approaching South Shore train at the Hegewisch Station immediately after exiting the South Shore train that brought her from downtown Chicago.
The date was July 25th. Bentkowski was walking across the tracks to the parking lot when she was hit.
“In the aftermath of this heartbreaking event, the South Shore Line has engaged a nationally recognized engineering firm specializing in grade-crossing diagnostics to conduct a thorough assessment of our pedestrian at-grade crossings,” the South Shore Line said in a statement from Felicia Kuschel, its media spokesman.
“This diagnostic report will help us evaluate active warning safety enhancements at pedestrian at-grade crossings along the South Shore Line. We expect to receive the diagnostic report within the next 90 days and are committed to securing the necessary funding to implement safety enhancements as soon as possible,” Kuschel said.
“While this diagnostic study is underway,” Kuschel said, “we have already taken immediate steps to enhance safety by placing additional warning signage at pedestrian crossings, including the Operation Lifesaver message "See Tracks, Think Train."
The South Shore line invites everyone to join Operation Lifesaver and the South Shore Line in See Tracks? Think Train® Week from September 23rd – September 29th, 2024. Learn more about Operation Lifesaver at their website: www.oli.org.
Story Posted:09/09/2024
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