Marin Lacson, 17, was killed Jan. 25, when she was struck by a Metra train while walking to classes at nearby Barrington High School.
Courtesy of Clifford Law Offices
A Barrington official said the village remains committed to installing pedestrian safety gates at its downtown and Hillside Avenue railroad crossings.
However, the village has to follow an administrative process before construction can begin, said Deputy Village Manager Marie Hansen.
A Metra train passes the Hough Street crossing Tuesday, Feb. 6, in Barrington, several days after a Barrington High School student was struck by a commuter train and killed at the crossing.
Brian Hill/[email protected]
Safety advocates have demanded the gates be installed. Concerns were raised following the death of 17-year-old Marin Lacson, who was struck and killed by a Metra train early this year at the Union Pacific’s Hough Street crossing. That crossing does not have pedestrian safety gates.
Hansen outlined the necessary steps for the village board Monday. During that meeting, however, Roma Khan, president of the Barrington Student Safety Organization, criticized village officials for a lack of communication on the issue.
Khan complained the village has kept her organization in the dark about updates on the safety gates. She relies on media reports for the latest information, such as a grant for the safety gates from the Illinois Commerce Commission.
“This just puts us all in a bad place,” Khan said. “I will be here at every meeting, reminding you what needs to be done and what you haven’t submitted to us.”
Hansen said the village will provide updates when it can.
She explained the Illinois Commerce Commission committed $1.15 million for crossing safety upgrades. Hansen said $1 million would fund the downtown crossings at Hough and Main streets, while $150,000 would cover the Hillside Avenue crossing.
However, the village can’t access those funds until the administrative process plays out.
Hansen said the ICC has coordinated multiple site visits with officials from the village, the Illinois Department of Transportation and Union Pacific.
“The village has taken the lead during the process,” she said. “We remain committed to moving our part of this work forward as quickly as possible and are using ICC guidance and support to do so.”
Hansen did not provide any timeline for the earliest the gates could be installed.