Michigan Motorist Injured at Notorious Non-Gated Canadian National Crossing
(Woodhaven, Michigan – November 19, 2014)
Another accident at the non-gated Allen Road crossing of Canadian National railroad tracks in Woodhaven, MI, has resulted in injury to one of the two occupants of a northbound vehicle that struck a flatcar that was positioned across the intersection by a standing train.
Neither occupant was identified by police, but one was taken to a local hospital while the other walked away from the 6:00 A.M., EST Wednesday morning accident unscathed.
Media photos and video from the scene showed an almost camouflaged flatcar standing across Allen Road but nearly impossible to see in the early morning darkness.
The injury was the third to occur at the crossing, which Federal Railroad Administration records show have resulted from five accidents. The FRA also indicates that nine trains cross there daily at a top speed of 20 mph. The crossing has flashing lights but no crossing gates to prevent accidents like occurred early Wednesday.
Detroit’s WWJ-TV, CBS channel 62 said that “Many drivers Downriver are familiar with the railroad crossing (CN at Allen Road) often causing delays in traffic, with trains blocking Allen Road for over an hour at times. City (Woodhaven) planning officials have applied for multiple federal transportation grants over the years to construct an underpass at the crossing, but all applications have been denied. Authorities have estimated the cost around $30 million to create a solution for their train troubles.”
