CONSEQUENCES OF MANDATORY STOPS AT RAILROAD-HIGHWAY CROSSINGS. FINAL REPORT

The purpose of this study was to determine the safety, economc, operational, and environmental consequences of requiring certain types of vehicles to stop at railroad crossings with active warning devices when the devices are not activated. The study included an assessment of the positive and negative impacts on train and nontrain-involved accidents, traffic operations, fuel consumption, delay, pullout-lane construction/maintenance costs, and environmental degradation. Results of the study indicate that not mandating stops at railroad crossings with active devices when the devices are not activated would result in an annual reduction of both train and nontrain accidents for hazardous material transporters, school buses, and passenger buses. Not requiring stops would result in a net annual decrease in train-involved accidents for hazardous material transporters, school buses, and passenger buses of 2.6, 10.8, and 17.4 percent, respectively. The annual economic savings resulting from not requiring stops were estimated as $454,000 in accident costs, $1,241,000 in pullout-lane construction/maintenance costs, $12,267,000 in excess fuel consumption, and $1,510,000 in delay.

• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/68419
• Corporate Authors:

  Goodell-Grivas Incorporated

  17320 West Eight Mile Road
  Southfield, MI  United States  48075

  Federal Highway Administration

  Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, 6300 Georgetown Pike
  McLean, VA  United States  22101
• Authors:
  • Bowman, B L
  • McCarthy, K P
• Publication Date: 1985-12

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: 173 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Buses; Hazardous materials; Motor vehicles; Operating costs; Railroad grade crossings; Safety; Stopping; Traffic regulations; Traffic safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Traffic laws
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Operations and Traffic Management; Public Transportation; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00457018
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/RD-86/104 8309-8506, FCP 31A6-254
• Contract Numbers: DTFH61-83-C-00130
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Jul 31 1987 12:00AM