POTEAU (KFSM) -- The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has scheduled a special meeting to expedite the railroad grade crossing safety program following a deadly car versus train accident in Poteau this summer.
LeFlore County commissioners and officials with the Kansas City Southern Railway have been invited to the meeting. The railroad crossing of concern in LeFlore County are located on Old Pike Road near Forest Hill Road.
"We had a fatality accident here recently in the county," said Lance Smith, LeFlore County commissioner for District 2. "I think it would be good for the county to go through and to look at all our crossings and see what type of safety issues we may have and see if maybe anything needs to be done to make these crossings safer for the county."
The transportation department plans to take a look at crossing conditions, establish a recommended level of warning, calculate a preliminary estimate of improvement costs and negotiate the funding of the proposed improvements.
This comes a month after April Goines and her three sons were killed at a railroad crossing on Dewey Avenue in Poteau. The crossing did not have crossing arms when her vehicle was struck by a train. Goines' daughter was the only survivor.
"Little Jaquelynn is home from the hospital," Panama school counselor Janet Hopson said. "She's had lots of prayers going up and we are so glad of everything she has come through. She's doing as well as possible."
Crossing arms are now being put in at the Dewey Avenue railroad crossing following an examination by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
The transportation department diagnostics team will also meet to look at four railroad crossing locations in Adair County.
The department will hold its special meeting Sept. 27.