The City of Chattanooga’s train warning system has been installed in front of each railroad crossing on Hamill Road and Hickory Valley Road | Local News

The City of Chattanooga Train Alert Warning System has been installed in front of each railroad crossing on Hamill Road and Hickory Valley Road.

“It was a tough process for this team to work together to find a solution here, but we’re pretty proud of what we came up with,” said Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly.

This alerts drivers to blocked intersections and allows them to take alternative routes if necessary.

In total, about 10,000 vehicles pass along these two railway lines every day.

“People need a solution now, and while this solution is not perfect, it is certainly better than what we currently have, which is nothing,” said Mayor Kelly.

The waiting time for a driver is between two minutes and nine hours. However, only 2% of trains take longer than two minutes.

“The driver has this information and can use it to decide whether to wait for the train to depart or take an alternate route,” said Kenneth Doyle, transportation project manager for the City of Chattanooga’s Department of Technology Services.

The system has other goals as well. The city team is working with Google Maps and Waze to be able to check the times at these crossings right from your phone.

“If you’re out and about and looking at these applications, you can take advantage of it. If you’re at home and want to look ahead and get an alert, you can do that,” said Jerele Neeld, interim chief information officer for the City of Chattanooga Technology Services.

They hope to be able to work directly with the rescue services soon.