Rail grade crossing safety has been a concern in Westchester since the tragic Metro-North accident in Valhalla last year that claimed six lives.

Crossings are being scrutinized as to whether they are safe enough to stay open to traffic, including crossings at Cleveland Street and Commerce Street, where the Metro-North train crashed into a car on the tracks.

One safety concern that has been brought up at the Cleveland Street crossing concerns a hill that drivers say is dangerous on snowy days. Drivers say they can't stop on the hill, making them slide onto the tracks. Another concern is that traffic gets backed up when a train is coming through one small section.

Ken Noonan lives just beyond the Cleveland Street railroad grade crossing in the Valhalla Park neighborhood, but says he is not in favor of closing it.

He and more than 150 residents say they feel that closing the crossing would adversely affect their property values.

If the Cleveland Street crossing were to close, it would also take longer for emergency vehicles to access the neighborhood. Those vehicles would be rerouted along Legion Drive and South Kensico.

The town of Mount Pleasant is waiting to see what the NTSB has to say about the Commerce Street crossing.