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Show Officials Back Crusade On Death Trap Crossings State, City and County Heads to Speed Aid In Wiping Out Traffic Hazards Support to all practical movements aimed at the elimination or guarding of treacherous grade crossings was pledged Wednesday by state, city and county officials as they reflected on six fatal grade cross i ne accidents within two weeks in December. They agreed on this principle: Establish underpasses or overpasses over-passes st the most hazardous track and road intersections as rapidly as funds become available; where money is wanting and the peril does not call for large expenditure, install crossing arms and signals. How collisions of trains and automobiles auto-mobiles have been prevented entirely en-tirely at several previously notorious noto-rious intersections by passes, guard arms and signals of the gong and light types was pointed out by the traffic authorities. George Abbott, member of the stats road commission, promising j the board's utmost endeavor to eradicate one of the worst traffic evils in Utah, said the board would take fullest advantage of federal funds provided for the purpose, and expressed concern that part of the promised money from Washington Wash-ington might be halted in the current cur-rent presidential highway economy plan. "It would be serious if grade crossing elimination funds promised prom-ised for 1938 and 1939 were lost (Continued on Par Ttartfl (Column Four) GRADE CROSSING DRIVEJPURRED (CoathMMd frae Pas Oet) to as through congressional revision re-vision of road construction and Improvement Im-provement appropriations," he said. "There are many bad crossings in Utah that should be corrected, and we Intend to proceed with that work to the fullest extent of funds furnished fur-nished -11 " Mors Fund Held Need In the current fiscal year the state road commission has still J 65.000 to spend of $1.230.73 granted grant-ed for grade crossing elimination in the last 12 months, and will receive re-ceive an additional $322,800 for the work next July 1, provided congress con-gress does not reduce general road appropriations. "All the state's dangerous grade crossings cannot be eliminated in a ateady program because of shortage short-age of funds," said R. W. Groo, head of the state highway patrol. "Certainly, "Cer-tainly, however, there should be no relaxation in the work as rapidly as money is provided from federal, fed-eral, state, county and municipal budgets and by the railroads. Groo Warns Driver "Meantime, the motoring public should realize that a grade crossing is a death trap, and should exercise ex-ercise the greatestrcars; No grade crossing should be approached absent-mindedly." Up to a year ago, remarked Inspector In-spector O. B. Record of the police department, collisions between trains and motors were common at North Temple and Sixth West streets. Then a cross-arm, a swinging swing-ing signal and light signals were installed, and since then there have been no accidents there attributable attributa-ble to the crossing itself. The inspector pointed out that particular intersection as an example exam-ple of what can be done when funds are lacking to install underpasses or overpasses. Danger Spot Cited He said he considered one of the worst crossings in the city the intersection in-tersection of Redwood road and Ninth South street with Western Pacific, Union Pacific and the Saltair line tracks. Automobile traffic traf-fic Is particular heavy there, he pointed out, and trains are moving frequently. "That crossing needs a pass,' he said, "and it would be well to install in-stall signals and guard arms at several other lesser traveled roads crossing the three seta of rails In that vicinity." Inspector Record objected also to the spot where Twenty-first East street descends Into a gully to cross the D. 4c R. G. W. tracks to Park City. Most remaining dangerous crossings cross-ings in Salt Lak ar at the city limits, ha said. Conferences Slated Conferences to determine crossings cross-ings requiring first attention In the 1938 and 1939 fiscal years will start soon between the state road commission com-mission and representatives of railroads rail-roads operating in Utah, it was announced. an-nounced. The railroads ar allotted money on a mileage basis and their recommendations bear weight in selecting se-lecting the places for Improvement The road commission offices said an additional 40 Installations are called for In the current program. In the program yet to be started Is Included relocation of the highway high-way between Lynndyl and Delta to do away with two grade crossings; an underpass In Provo canyon, and an overhead crossing at Hilltop in Sanpete county. |