DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHWAY-RAILROAD GRADE CROSSINGS PROTECTION PROGRAM

WHILE COLLISIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND RAILROAD TRAINS ACCOUNT FOR ONLY 1% OF ALL HIGHWAY ACCIDENTS, THEY ACCOUNT FOR 3% OF HIGHWAY FATALITIES. ON THE OTHER HAND, THEIR FREQUENCY IS SO SMALL THAT SIGNIFICANT STATISTICAL ANALYSIS FOR PREDICTIVE PURPOSES IS VERY DIFFICULT. AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC ON RAIL AND HIGHWAY, COMBINED WITH THE TYPE OF PROTECTION AT THE CROSSING, ARE THE MAJOR FACTORS DETERMINING THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS. WHILE RELATIVE VALUES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED THE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOUR TYPES OF GRADE CROSSING PROTECTION (CROSSBUCK, STOP SIGNS, FLASHING LIGHTS, AUTOMATIC GATES), THE TYPE OF PROTECTION TO BE INSTALLED SHOULD BE BASED NOT ONLY ON THE PROBABILITY ACCIDENT REDUCTION BUT ALSO ON ECONOMIC FACTORS. DEVELOPMENT OF A PROGRAM FOR ASSESSING THE APPRORPRIATE IMPROVEMENTS TO GRADE CROSSINGS WITHIN A JURISDICTION IS REVIEWED, THE ARGUMENT PLACING THE BURDEN OF IMPROVEMENT FINANCING ON MOTORISTS IS SUPPORTED, AND AREAS OF CONTINUING RESEARCH ARE NOTED.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • 15 Pp, 16 REF
• Corporate Authors:

  American Railway Engineering Association

  2000 L Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20036
• Authors:
  • Michael, H L
• Publication Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Financing; Protection; Railroad grade crossings; Safety
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00225954
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 10 1971 12:00AM