Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airport; Procedure
We were cleared for takeoff. I clearly heard the clearance and applied initial thrust input to stabilize; while my First Officer (Pilot Monitoring) verified clearance to takeoff due to mishearing. After second confirmation I applied takeoff thrust. After about 15 seconds we were approaching V1 when we heard Tower clear an aircraft to cross 22R. I did not see that aircraft move and at that moment we were essentially at V1 with limited runway remaining on our ~7400 foot runway. I remained committed to departure because the other aircraft did not move and felt the risk of departing the runway on rejection was very high. After turning into the departure my FO (First Officer) asked if I heard what happened; I said yes; the other aircraft didn't move; and the risks of abort was very high. He said he saw the same circumstances I did and consciously did not call to abort for the same reasons. We discussed that we did not recall hearing a conditional clearance for the other aircraft to cross 22R after our departure either. I said we will need to make reports because this scenario of events has killed too many in the past to do nothing. Unable to login to file; I left a message with Safety. They reached me yesterday. I talked to the department today as well before filing this report. The cause is unclear. I do not know if they anticipated Aircraft Y to cross after us without using a conditional clearance. It may have been external pressures. It may have been due managing the 4 news helicopters within Class Bravo covering the [an incident] on the 22L Approach. I do not believe we misheard the circumstances of this event. Suggest using conditional clearances if optimized ground traffic management is desired. If distracted by the irregular operations with the 4 helicopters; issue clearances to cross a departing runway with greater caution. If that the other aircraft legally incurred 22R with haste an abort may not have avoided severe loss of life due to our high speed within a few knots V1. If we did commit to an abort; the likelihood of stopping on remaining runway would have been contingent on maximum braking and immediate thrust reverser input. The situation resulted in only a normal outcome; but; I feel this was a razor's edge could have easily turned out badly.
Air carrier Captain reported experiencing a critical conflict during takeoff with an aircraft cleared to cross the runway.