Changes will be coming to the rail crossings near the historic train station in Jim Thorpe, making it safer for both motorists and pedestrians, Carbon County Commissioner Michael Sofranko said Thursday.

Sofranko along with Commissioner Wayne Nothstein met with Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad official this week.

“There’s going to be some considerable amount of work done here at the crossing,” he said. “There’s going to be some gates installed, there signage, some bells and whistles that go off when the train goes through.

“That will all be done for safety,” Sofranko said.

The railroad will be installing signal lights at the crossing off Route 209 into the county parking lot, he said. There had been concerns about putting in gates that would interfere with traffic, but that isn’t going to happen, Sofranko said.

“It’s going to be signal lights that will be set up that as the trains are 1,000 feet out, that will set off the signal lights,” he said. “Then, where the pedestrians are crossing, there’s two areas they’re going to be putting in lift gates (at the crosswalks).”

The railroad will also be moving two telephones poles that are obsolete, move county-owned service farther away, moving wiring underground, and relocating a kiosk that is in the middle of a walkway, Sofranko said.

“This is coming at no cost to the county, or the borough,” he said.

Sofranko thanked the railroad and its owner, Andy Muller, for taking on the projects, which will enhance safety of people visiting Jim Thorpe, and additional work they have planned.

“The second part down there, not only are the safety concerns being met, but all this work is going to be done at night,” Sofranko said.

Unlike daytime road construction going on through the region, this work will be done at night to avoid congestion and keep traffic through town moving, he said.

“Hopefully, there will be no inconveniences to anybody at two o’clock in the morning, and we’ll avoid the backup with people sitting on the Mansion House Hill or in Nesquehoning waiting to get into Jim Thorpe,” Sofranko said.

The work is expected to start in the middle of July and be completed by the end of the month, Commissioner Wayne Nothstein said. Sofranko said once started the work should wrap up in a couple days.