On 30 April 2015 the Railway Infrastructure Administration launched a test operation of new railway crossings on the single-track line from Valašské Meziříčí to Rožnov pod Radhoštěm. Five railway crossings with roads underwent reconstruction.

“Fatal accidents on the railway are still mostly caused by undisciplined drivers or pedestrians at railway crossings. In terms of our care for railway infrastructure, we put great stress on the modernisation of this important facility. New railway crossings on the Rožnov local line over one hundred years old will increase not only safety but also smooth railway and road transport operation”, says Mr Pavel Surý, Director General of the Railway Infrastructure Administration.

Before the construction started, these five railway crossings were secured only by the St Andrew’s cross and due to poor visibility, line speeds were approximately 40 km/h. The project enabled this speed to be increased up to 60 km/h and in the future up to 85 km/h. All railway crossings were provided with new light safety equipment; in some cases, railway superstructure, substructure or the level crossing system was also reconstructed.

The total cost of the construction designated as railway crossings on the Valašské Meziříčí – Rožnov pod Radhoštěm line amounts to around 2.5 million euros (excluding VAT). The investor is the Railway Infrastructure Administration, state organisation. The project is co-financed by the EU from its Cohesion Fund under the Operational Programme Transport amounting to around 1.5 million euros. The project receives national financing by the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure. The construction’s supplier is the Signalbau company.

(Source: SZDC)