ORLANDO, Fla. — The Florida Department of Transportation is investing millions into safeguarding railroad crossings. Not only throughout the state, but also in Central Florida.
“This is a very heavily used rail line,” Loreen Bobo, FDOT’s Safety Administrator for District 5, said. “We’ve got Sunrail, a commuter rail, we have freight train, and an Amtrack coming through.”
Bobo said at a railroad crossing in Longwood, the intersection of Ronald Regan Blvd. and SR 434 is full of train track warning signs.
Since 2022, the Florida Department of Transportation has invested $60 million to improve technology and infrastructure at railroad crossings across the state.
“On the pavement you’re going to see what we call a dynamic envelope,” Bobo said. “It’s a criss cross stripe. You don’t want to stop on that. You’ll see railroad crossing signs, do not stop on tracks. Lights, red lights. Those are all telling you do not stop in this area keep moving through.”
This stretch of railroad through Central Florida also utilizes the FDOT Sanford Dispatch Center with cameras covering every mile of track.
“We’re watching every signal to make sure nobody has stopped on the tracks,” Bobo said. “They might see that and can let the train engineer know ‘hey you’re going to need to stop and start slowing down, something is stuck up ahead.’”
Bobo said that with a combination of technology, updated infrastructure, and driver awareness, everyone has an opportunity to stay safe around the tracks.
FDOT said there are more than 30 trains that cross every railroad crossing every day between DeLand and Poinciana.
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