Interconnecting Active Traffic Control Devices at Railroad-Highway Grade Crossings with Highway Signals at intersections

This paper describes how, when a railroad-highway grade crossing is located near a highway intersection, there can be a reduction in the level of safety provided to motor vehicle operators depending on the operating characteristics of the railroad-highway grade crossing and the highway intersection. There are several characteristics that can have a negative impact on the level of safety provided to the traveling public, and this paper addresses those characteristics and the influence that they can have on the operation of the two types of intersections. There are basically two situations in which a motor vehicle operator finds himself/herself that reduce the level of safety when the railroad-highway grade crossing and the intersection are close together. One situation is when a motor vehicle operator becomes trapped on a track due to the length of the queue of motor vehicles that has formed for a stop at the highway intersection. The other situation is when a motor vehicle operator has the right-of-way through a highway intersection and upon exiting the stop before reaching the crossing. The amount of time and distance needed is a function of the speed of the roadway, and when the railroad-highway grade crossing and highway intersection are too close for a given speed to permit adequate stopping distance, the result can be a collision between a train and motor vehicle. This paper addresses the latter safety issue.

• Corporate Authors:

  Southeastern Transportation Center

  University of Tennessee
  309 Conference Center Building
  Knoxville, TN  United States  37996-4133
• Authors:
  • Heathington, Kenneth W
• Conference:
  • Third International Symposium on Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Research and Safety
  • Location: Knoxville TN, United States
  • Date: 1994-10-24 to 1994-10-26
• Publication Date: 1995-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 9-38
• Monograph Title: Third International Symposium of Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing Research and Safety. Proceedings

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drivers; Grade crossing protection systems; Highway safety; Human factors in crashes; Intersections; Railroad grade crossings; Railroad tracks; Traffic control devices
• Uncontrolled Terms: Train/motor vehicle collisions
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01220070
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 26 2010 9:54AM