Denton Road in Wayne County's Van Buren Township is the first location in the United States to be equipped with unique retractable barricades that serve as warning devices at a railroad crossing. The barricades rise from the pavement and discourage drivers from driving around lowered crossing gate arms.

The barricades are part of a federal railroad crossing safety test sponsored by MDOT, the Federal Railroad Administration, and Norfolk Southern Railway, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration.

The project was activated in December 2007, and will be monitored by cameras during a 17-month test period that was slated to last until spring 2009. The project was de-activated for several months and is now back online in December 2010.

Read the news releases:
    December, 2010
    December, 2007     
    April, 2008

Additional Resources:
View video #1 of the barricade test project
View video #2 of the barricade test project on YouTube
(The link above will launch a new window to YouTube).
Read the fact sheet
View photos    
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