What's happened
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and state transportation officials outline options for spending the first chunk of $50 million budgeted for railroad crossing improvements in an effort to prevent tragedies like last year's fatal Amtrak derailment.
Why it matters
The fatal Amtrak derailment in Missouri has prompted a significant budget allocation for railroad crossing improvements, aiming to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
What the papers say
AP News reports on the $50 million budget for railroad crossing improvements in response to the fatal Amtrak derailment in Missouri. The Independent provides details on the recommendations for changes at 47 public rail crossings and the planned improvements at freight train crossings. Both sources highlight the poor design of the railroad crossing as a contributing factor to the fatal derailment.
How we got here
The National Transportation Safety Board attributed the fatal Amtrak derailment in Missouri to poor design at the railroad crossing, prompting a $50 million budget for railroad crossing improvements.
More on these topics
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The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation.
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Missouri is a state in the Midwestern United States. With more than six million residents, it is the 18th-most populous state of the country. The largest urban areas are St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield and Columbia; the capital is Jefferson City. The
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The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak, is a passenger railroad service that provides medium and long-distance intercity service in the contiguous United States and to nine Canadian cities.