Hilliard-Rome Road - FY26 Crossing Safety Program Grant Application

The Ohio Rail Development Commission (“ORDC”) is requesting a Crossing Safety Program/Railroad Crossing Elimination (“Crossing Safety”) Grant for project development, final design, and construction for a grade separation project in Columbus, Ohio. The Hilliard Rome Road Columbus, Ohio Grade Separation Project (the “Project”) will (1) eliminate the existing at-grade crossing at Hilliard Rome Road (DOT #513244C), which contains a double-tracked mainline and a sidetrack that are owned and operated by Norfolk Southern; and (2) construct a grade-separation on a new alignment owned by the City of Columbus.

The Project addresses existing safety challenges at the crossing on the city’s far west side, an area that continues to see significant growth. The Project is an opportunity to not only address the existing safety concerns but also ensure that the roadway infrastructure is designed to handle the needs of future development, which includes significant growth in warehousing, logistics centers, and residential development. The Project will provide significant benefits to all current users, especially to families, students, and other people travelling to one of the many points of interest within one mile of the project area – including six schools, one hospital, a grocery store, a community center and multiple transit stops. The project will also address documented reports of stopped trains impeding first responders and trespassers attempting to cross while a train is blocking the crossing.