Solved crossings
A grade separation (underpass, overpass or trench) removes the conflict for good: no gate, no wait, no collision. Here's what completed projects removed, and which cities are building theirs now.
Completed projects
| Project | Opened | Crossings removed | Vehicles/day | Delay removed | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25th Ave grade separation (CREATE)Bellwood / Melrose Park, IL · Union Pacific | 2016 | 1 | 19,000 | 28,400 hours a year eliminated | $41.0M | CREATE program ↗ |
| San Gabriel Trench (ACE)San Gabriel, CA · Union Pacific | 2018 | 4 | 90,000 | 1,744 vehicle-hours of delay eliminated | $293.7M | ACE Project ↗ |
| Durfee Ave grade separation (ACE)Pico Rivera, CA · n/a | 2022 | 1 | 13,000 | n/a | $107.8M | City of Pico Rivera ↗ |
| ReTRAC rail trenchReno, NV · Union Pacific | 2005 | 11 | n/a | n/a | $280.0M | Transportation Research Board case study ↗ |
| Alameda CorridorLos Angeles, CA · UP · BNSF | n/a | 200+ | n/a | n/a | n/a | Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority ↗ |
| 130th St & Torrence Ave (CREATE)Chicago, IL · Norfolk Southern | n/a | 2 | 27,400 | 240+ vehicle-hours a day before | n/a | CREATE program ↗ |
| Central Rail Corridor (elevated track)Wichita, KS · BNSF · UP | n/a | n/a | n/a | Crossings had been blocked up to 30 min each | $105.0M | America's Transportation Awards ↗ |
"n/a" means the source didn't report it. San Gabriel's and Reno's delay figures don't state a time unit; we show them as published. Reno opened to trains in 2005, with work finishing in 2006.
Funded or under way
| City | Project | Status | Funding | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moore, OK | SE 4th St / SH-37 underpass (BNSF) | Over 50% complete; late spring 2027 | ~$30M | Source ↗ |
| Olathe, KS | Close Woodland Rd crossing; 119th St flyover (BNSF) | Federally funded (FY2022 RCE) | $17,987,495 federal | Source ↗ |
| Houston, TX | Four East End underpasses (UP) | Federally funded (FY2022 RCE) | $36,916,200 federal | Source ↗ |
| Pelham, AL | Bridge over two CSX crossings | Federally funded (FY2022 RCE) | $41,766,038 federal | Source ↗ |
| Davis, OK | New siding, 2 closures, 3 upgrades (BNSF) | Federally funded (FY2023–24 RCE) | $25,448,000 federal | Source ↗ |
| Fort Worth, TX | Bonds Ranch Rd overpass | Federally funded (FY2022 RCE) | $17,187,552 federal | Source ↗ |
| Hammond, IN | Governors Pkwy overpass | Federally funded (FY2022 RCE) | $7,029,392 federal | Source ↗ |
| San Antonio, TX | Rittiman Rd grade separation | Federally funded (FY2022 RCE) | $4,886,512 federal | Source ↗ |
What it costs
A typical overpass or underpass runs $10M–$30M, and Texas estimates $10M–$15M per rail grade separation (Texas A&M Transportation Institute). Trenches and corridors cost far more: $105M–$294M above.
TTI ↗What it fixes
Grade separation "eliminates collisions between trains and roadway users by removing the point of intersection between the modes." It also ends blockages at that street permanently.
FRA Grade Crossing Toolkit ↗The catch: time
Moore's SE 4th St underpass was bond-funded in 2018 and is due in 2027. Fixes take years, and the competitive grant applications that fund them need evidence. That's the gap Trainwatch fills: a verified record now, and live detours until the fix is built.
How a pilot works