UNION AVE-SOUTH of BALTIMORE AVE- CLOSURE
In the interest of community safety and the safety of SEPTA personnel, the highway-rail grade crossing where Union Avenue crosses SEPTA’s Media/Wawa Regional Rail Line in Lansdowne Borough will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic for approximately two months beginning on Monday, January 9, 2023 to allow for emergency repair work to be completed. Trains will continue to operate through the crossing at reduced speed and will still sound their horn while approaching and occupying the crossing.
DETOUR
During this time, concrete barriers will be placed on either side of the crossing to block traffic and vehicles will be detoured from Union Ave. to the Lansdowne Ave. crossing. Detour signage is being placed on Union Ave. on both approaches to the crossing, as well as along the posted detour route. Residents living on the detour route (see right) will experience higher traffic volumes, including vehicles of larger size. Residents living on those streets and adjacent roads are asked to use additional caution when driving and walking.
BACKGROUND
In late December, a car attempting to circumvent the grade crossing arm was struck by a SEPTA Media/Wawa Regional Rail train. The crossing arm and signal infrastructure were severely damaged, making the crossing inoperable, and the extensive damage will require the crossing gate to be completely rebuilt. While much of the work will be performed off-site, the crossing should be considered an active construction site at all times.
When a rail grade crossing is out of service, the train must come to a complete stop, and the conductor must exit the train, manually stop traffic, flag the train through the crossing and then reboard the train. This places the conductor in the flow of traffic at all hours of the day and weather conditions, does not provide motorists and pedestrians with the level of protection that a signalized crossing provides, and delays train service, which has a cascading effect on the rest of the Regional Rail system. Due to the extended length of the crossing outage, closing the crossing to vehicles is the safest course of action for all.

Please see attached PDF for more information