Operation Lifesaver Awards Grants for Crossing Safety Public Awareness Campaigns

Operation Lifesaver Inc. (OLI), in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), announced $200,000 in competitive crossing safety awareness grants to Operation Lifesaver programs in 12 states.

The FHWA-funded grants will be awarded to Operation Lifesaver organizations in Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, and South Dakota.

Raising Safety Awareness

The grants will be used for a variety of crossing safety public education projects, in-person events, and ad campaigns beginning this month and extending through the first quarter of 2025.

“Congratulations to the recipients of this second round of 2024 Crossing Safety Public Awareness Grants for their innovative and impactful projects, which will expand rail safety education efforts in their states,” said OLI Executive Director Rachel Maleh. “With a total of 22 states awarded OLI competitive crossing safety awareness grants in 2024, our vital partnership with FHWA is making a significant difference in rail safety education across the nation.”

Projects funded by the FHWA grants include:

• Alabama Operation Lifesaver will conduct a multifaceted railroad crossing safety education effort, to include digital ads in the top 10 cities for rail traffic and incidents, meetings with city officials, and a statewide social media campaign targeting farm audiences during See Tracks? Think Train® Week, Sept. 23 to 29, along with distributing brochures to farm co-ops and supply stores during the cotton harvest.
• Arizona Operation Lifesaver will raise awareness among drivers traveling into Phoenix with a digital billboard campaign from September 2024 through March 2025, including during the state fair in September and October. Arizona OL will also participate in the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety’s Public Safety Days in October.
• Maryland Operation Lifesaver will conduct in-person activities, social media outreach, and advertising at targeted commuter rail stations in the state to raise awareness about rail safety education. The campaign includes signage, audio messaging, social media ads, station pop-up events, posters, banners, safety brochures with mailed tickets, public safety announcements in English and Spanish, FM radio PSAs, wrapped ticket vending machines, and event giveaways.

The approved grants were awarded through a competitive process, with selection based on criteria such as the defined safety need, project, and evaluation plan, as well as how the proposal leverages federal funds with private partnerships.