RAILROAD-HIGHWAY SAFETY PART 2: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESOLVING THE PROBLEM

OF THE 223,000 LOCATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE PUBLIC ROADS CROSS RAILROADS AT GRADE ABOUT 49,000 ARE ON THE FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAY SYSTEM, 79,000 ARE LOCATED IN URBAN AREAS, AND 48,500 HAVE TRAIN- ACTIVATED PROTECTIVE DEVICES. ANNUALLY THESE CROSSINGS ACCOUNT FOR 12,500 TRAIN-MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISIONS RESULTING IN 1500 DEATHS AND 7000 INJURIES, OVER 40% OF THE ACCIDENTS OCCURRING AT CROSSINGS WITH ACTIVE PROTECTION. COST--BENEFIT ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT FEDERAL EFFORTS AT GRADE-CROSSING PROTECTION SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON PROTECTION RATHER THAN GRADE SEPARATION. AT LAST 3000 PROTECTIVE INSTALLATIONS SHOULD BE MADE ANNUALLY FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS, AT AN ANNUAL COST OF ABOUT $75 MILLION. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THIS PROGRAM WOULD ELIMINATE 4000 COLLISIONS AND 500 DEATHS ANNUALLY. ADDITIONAL FUNDING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL WILL BE NECESSARY FOR ROADS OFF THE FEDERAL-AID SYSTEM. A MAJOR DEFICIENCY TO BE OVERCOME IS THAT THE HIGHEST VOLUME OF PROTECTIVE DEVICES OCCURS AT CROSSINGS THAT HAVE A LOW VOLUME OF EITHER RAIL OR VEHICULAR TRAFFIC, OR BOTH. ADDITIONAL TOPICS ADDRESSED IN THE REPORT ARE: CLASSIFICATION OF AND JURISDICTION OVER INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS, RAILROADS IN URBAN AREAS, HIGH-SPEED RAIL CORRIDORS, PRIVATE GRADE CROSSINGS, PEDESTRIAN PROTECTION ALONG RAIL RIGHT-OF- WAY, OFF-SITE PROGRAMS, PUBLIC GRADE CROSSING IMPROVEMENT NEEDS, FINANCING, AND ALLOCATION OF COSTS.

• Corporate Authors:

  Department of Transportation

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Publication Date: 1972-8

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 108 p.

Subject/Index Terms

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

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00226515
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Apr 2 1973 12:00AM