Over one year ago, Grace Bentkowski was killed in a tragic accident at Hegewisch Station. As her family and friends continue to grieve, the South Shore Line has issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to improving pedestrian safety at railroad crossings.

In the aftermath of the incident, the South Shore Line hired a nationally recognized engineering firm to conduct a comprehensive diagnostic review of its pedestrian at-grade crossings. The firm is evaluating train frequency, speed, pedestrian traffic, visibility, and environmental conditions to determine whether safety upgrades are warranted beyond existing federal regulations.

At the Hegewisch crossing, the study has taken longer than expected as engineers assess whether pedestrian gates can be safely installed in compliance with American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association (AREMA) standards. The review is nearing completion.

In the interim, the South Shore Line has implemented several safety measures, including new signage at pedestrian crossings featuring the Operation Lifesaver message, “See Tracks? Think Train®.” Train boarding locations for westbound trains were also adjusted following the accident.

Officials say safety remains a top priority for the rail line, noting that the railroad has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into system-wide improvements over the past decade-many exceeding federal requirements.

The South Shore Line urges all riders and pedestrians to remain alert at crossings, obey signage, and remember that trains can come from either direction at any time. For more information on rail safety, the public is encouraged to visit www.oli.org.