PRINTER'S NO. 1704
No. 170 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY CIVERA, ADOLPH, ARGALL, ARMSTRONG, BAKER, BARRAR,
BATTISTO, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI, BELFANTI, CALTAGIRONE,
CAPPABIANCA, CAWLEY, CHADWICK, L. I. COHEN, M. COHEN,
CORRIGAN, COSTA, COY, DALEY, DEMPSEY, DERMODY, DONATUCCI,
FAIRCHILD, FARGO, FICHTER, FLEAGLE, FLICK, FORCIER, GEIST,
GEORGE, GIGLIOTTI, GRUCELA, HALUSKA, HARHAI, HASAY, HERSHEY,
HESS, HORSEY, HUTCHINSON, JOSEPHS, KENNEY, LAUGHLIN, LEDERER,
LEH, LESCOVITZ, MARKOSEK, MARSICO, McCALL, McNAUGHTON, MELIO,
R. MILLER, S. MILLER, ORIE, PESCI, PETRONE, PIPPY, PISTELLA,
PLATTS, RAYMOND, READSHAW, RIEGER, ROBERTS, ROHRER, ROONEY,
ROSS, RUBLEY, SANTONI, SATHER, SAYLOR, SCHRODER, SCHULER,
SEYFERT, SHANER, B. SMITH, SOLOBAY, STABACK, STERN, STURLA,
E. Z. TAYLOR, J. TAYLOR, TIGUE, TRAVAGLIO, TRUE, WILLIAMS,
WOJNAROSKI, ZIMMERMAN AND ZUG, MAY 5, 1999
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MAY 5, 1999
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating the week of May 10 through 16, 1999, as "Railroad
2 Safety Week" in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, Freight and passenger trains run through some of the
4 most densely populated portions of this Commonwealth; and
5 WHEREAS, An accident occurs at a railroad crossing in the
6 United States every 90 minutes; and
7 WHEREAS, There are over 90 accidents at railroad crossings in
8 Pennsylvania each year; and
9 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania has over 3,500 unguarded public
10 railroad crossings, more than all but two other states; and
11 WHEREAS, An average of seven people are killed in railroad
1 crossing accidents in Pennsylvania every year; and
2 WHEREAS, In Delaware County alone, more than 80 people have
3 been killed at railroad crossings and along tracks since 1984;
4 and
5 WHEREAS, These tragic and often avoidable deaths have
6 inspired Delaware County residents to form Active People Against
7 Railroad Tragedies (APART); and
8 WHEREAS, APART has been working to limit access by
9 pedestrians to track areas, improve safety systems and educate
10 children about the dangers of railroads; and
11 WHEREAS, The Federal Railroad Administration, the
12 Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's Operation Lifesaver,
13 the railroad industry and railroad safety groups, including the
14 Dupage Railroad Safety Council of Hinesdale, Illinois, Hands
15 Across the Rails of Liberty Center, Ohio, Angels on the Tracks
16 of Ohio, and Protect All Crossings of Douglas, Wyoming, are
17 working with APART to improve railroad safety and to inform
18 people of all ages of the dangers near railroad operations; and
19 WHEREAS, Railroads, motor vehicle operators and pedestrians
20 can all take simple steps to reduce the likelihood of railroad-
21 vehicle and railroad-pedestrian accidents; therefore be it
22 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
23 week of May 10 through 16, 1999, as "Railroad Safety Week" in
24 Pennsylvania, applaud government, industry and citizen efforts
25 to improve railroad crossing safety and strongly urge all
26 Pennsylvanians to: STAY OFF THE TRACKS, STAY ALERT AT RAILROAD
27 CROSSINGS AND STAY ALIVE.
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