EVALUATION OF X-BOX PAVEMENT MARKINGS AT RAILROAD-HIGHWAY CROSSINGS

An evaluation was performed of special X-box pavement marking configurations at railroad-highway grade crossings, originally used in several European countries. The intent is to provide motorists with supplemental visual cues about whether sufficient space is available for safe storage of a vehicle beyond the track for a motorist to proceed across. It is intended for application where nearby intersections can cause queues to back up to the track. These conspicuous markings, configured as an "X" in a box, were tested at two Florida locations, one in an urban area and one in a rural area, over a 1 1/2 year period. The rates of cars hazardously stopping on or closely adjacent to the railroad tracks at the crossings were compared under pre- and post-installation conditions. Results at the rural location showed a decline of more than 60% in the stoppage rates over an extended period of time. No significant differences were found between the pre-installation and post-installation tests at the urban location. A control site was utilized near the crossing in the urban location, and it showed no significant differences between the two test periods that were concurrent with the analysis at the treated site. Recommendations are provided for application of these markings at rural highway-railroad grade crossing sites.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Florida, Gainesville

  Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering
  Gainesville, FL  United States  32611-6580

  Florida Department of Transportation

  Haydon Burns Building, 605 Suwanee Street
  Tallahassee, FL  United States  32301

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Stephens, B W
  • Long, G
• Publication Date: 2002-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 70 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Railroad grade crossings; Road markings; Rural areas; Traffic queuing; Urban areas
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Railroads; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00929189
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: WPI 0510832, Final Rept,, State Job 99700-3589-119,, UF No. 4504609-12
• Contract Numbers: BB-464
• Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Aug 13 2002 12:00AM