Fatal train crash sparks outrage over safety of railroad crossing
NEW WHITELAND, Ind. (WISH) – A railroad crossing in Johnson County has the community outraged after yet another person, a young college student, was hit and killed driving across the tracks.
Neighbors say the railroad crossing at Tracy Road and Emerson Avenue just outside New Whiteland is a problem area, and has been for years.
The crossing is poorly marked, and now less than 24 hours after a young woman was killed, the community is asking for answers.
WEB: Petition calling for “Upgraded Railroad Crossing on Tracy Road”
Residents are not only wondering how this happened, but why it wasn’t prevented.
“She was on her way to work, she just worked down the street. She’s probably taken this road to work several times,” said Brittney Lingg.
Lingg described her cousin, 20-year-old Shauna Synasael, as someone who could light up a room.
Home on spring break from IU, Synaseal’s SUV was hit by a train Tuesday night.
The railroad crossing has no stop arms, no guardrails, and no flashing lights. Just a stop sign.
“She graduated in 2017 and had a scholarship at IU. She was doing really good and had a bright future ahead of her,” said Lingg.
Neighbors are furious, calling it a dangerous crossing that needs to be fixed.
“I think there should be a whole arm that comes down in front of it,” said resident Alex Novack.
“You’re like, almost into the railroad track before you can look around the corner to see if a train is going by! I’ve had to clean up by the stop sign too, because the weeds will go up so high you can barely see the stop sign. But, I don’t own these trees here. So I can’t cut them down.” said resident Chris Atwood.
“It surprised me that it hasn’t happened before now,” said Sarag Steward.
Johnson County is no stranger to fatal train accidents.
On Feb. 3, 2007, News 8 was there after 12-year-old Jacob Findley and his brother, 9-year-old Travis, were killed when an SUV they were in was hit by a train at Stone’s Crossing.
Back then, only a stop sign was posted warning drivers of the crossing. That has since changed.
But for the crossing that Synaseal was killed at, the same can’t be said.
It’s something Lingg calls a life-ending mistake she hopes no other family will have to pay for.
“Something has to be done. How many more lives does it have to take before something happens?” said Lingg.
News 8 spoke to Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers on the phone Wednesday night.
He said multiple towns in Johnson County have applied for and gotten a $1.5 million grant approved that would increase rail safety.
Myers said this particular intersection is on the list to be upgraded. But he’s not exactly sure what type of upgrade it will be. The grant will go into effect in 2021.