Terrace, BC – Traffic congestion has been the order of the day at CN Rail crossings in Terrace, since Transport Canada closed one of the crossings on Highway 16 in the community back in June.

Transport Canada ordered the closure of the the Frank Street railway crossing on June 11th, after a near-miss incident involving a CN train and a commercial truck on June 4th.  As a result of the closure, industrial traffic has been re-routed into areas with more pedestrians and cyclists and the two remaining crossings at Kenney Street and the Sande Street overpass have experienced traffic congestion and delays.

To rectify the situation, the City of Terrace and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure have partnered on a $350-thousand dollar project to install traffic signals at the Frank Street crossing that will integrate with the CN signal system to give motorists ample warning of an approaching train. 

The installation is expected to be complete by next spring.  While the new signals will eventually allow the crossing to be re-opened to long-vehicle traffic, Transport Canada has agreed to lift the closure order of the crossing in the interim, providing the city restrict the length of northbound vehicles to under 12m in length.

"On behalf of council, I would like to thank the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastrucure for working closely with city staff to quickly resolve this issue," says Terrace Mayor David Pernarowski.  "Once the signals are in place, commercial trucks will be able to safely travel  this route.  Transportation access and infrastructure development is a high priority in our community as major industrial activity continues to grow."