MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) has completed its visible railroad crossing safety initiative five months ahead of schedule.

The initiative saw LIRR engineers install flexible four-feet-high reflective delineators and reflective pavement markings and paint roadway lines at all 296 railroad crossings across the system.

The enhancements, first announced by LIRR President Phillip Eng in May, also included the installation of additional reflective devices to alert drivers during adverse weather.

The initiative was completed with the successful installation of safety enhancements at the last crossing at Hortons Lane in Southold (New York).

“We are consistently implementing innovative approaches – both high-tech and low-tech – to enhance safety, including when it comes to those locations where motorists may encounter our railroad crossings.”

LIRR president Phillip Eng said: “Keeping our customers and our employees safe is at the forefront of our minds in everything that we do at the Long Island Rail Road. We are consistently implementing innovative approaches – both high-tech and low-tech – to enhance safety, including when it comes to those locations where motorists may encounter our railroad crossings.

“I am pleased to say that it appears that these efforts are paying off, and I want to thank the hardworking LIRR staff who ensured this was done quickly and efficiently.”

LIRR partnered with GPS navigation app Waze in June to alert motorists when they approach a railroad crossing.

The delineator project and Waze programme were developed to address the growing problem of motorists turning onto tracks instead of parallel roadways, misguided by GPS devices.

Last year, LIRR registered 29 incidents of cars on tracks, in addition to 17 grade crossing accidents.

There were 21 reports of cars on tracks and two grade crossing accidents through May 22 of this year, according to LIRR.