"If California is going to improve its dismal record on rail safety, these dangerous at-grade crossings must be eliminated," Frommer said.
Frommer introduced unsuccessful legislation last year seeking $25 million in state funding for rail safety programs and to eliminate unsafe at-grade crossings.
But since 1991, 812 of 11,000 at-grade crossings across the state have been eliminated, according to Frommer.
Though Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed $214 million for getting rid of at-grade crossings as part of his $222-billion infrastructure bond proposal, Frommer didn't think it went far enough.
Frommer requested that his legislation be included on the agenda of the conference committee deliberating on the governor's proposed infrastructure bond measure, Kim said.
Glendale City Councilman Bob Yousefian said saving lives was worth the additional cost of eliminating the at-grade crossings.
"That $500 million is a good down payment and I commend him for his courage and willingness to go out and do what has needed to be done for so many years," Yousefian said.
"When I say you need to do overpasses or underpasses everybody panics because its cost is high but ... can somebody put the price on those lives?"
Metrolink officials supported Frommer's legislation.
"We're 100% behind his efforts to bring more money and more care into the grade-crossing problem," Metrolink spokeswoman Denise Tyrrell said.
"We absolutely commend him."
Frommer formed the Committee on Rail Safety following the Jan. 26, 2005, collision in which Juan Manuel Alvarez, 26, of Compton, allegedly parked his 1993 Jeep Cherokee on the train tracks near Chevy Chase Drive, causing a fatal three-train wreck.
A long-term recommendation of the committee was to reduce the number of at-grade crossings.
