Relating to signals at certain railroad grade crossings

Under current law, wherever a railway track crosses a highway, street, or alley, the railway corporation owning such track and the department of transportation (DOT), in the case of primary highways, the board of supervisors of the county in which such crossing is located, in the case of secondary roads, or the council of the city, in the case of streets and alleys located within a city, may agree upon the location, manner, vacation, physical structure, characteristics, and maintenance of the crossing and flasher lights or gate arm signals at the crossing and allocation of costs thereof. The DOT, city, or county, as applicable, is required to post the standard sign as prescribed by the manual on uniform traffic-control devices adopted by the DOT in advance of each railroad grade crossing to warn a motorist that the motorist is approaching a railroad grade crossing. Upon properly posting all railroad grade crossings within its jurisdiction and implementing standards established by the DOT for modal programs and activities, the DOT, city, or county, as applicable, does not have any other affirmative duty to warn a motor vehicle operator approaching or at the railroad grade crossing. This bill requires railroad grade crossings that cross a paved highway, street, or alley to have a crossing signal installed by the appropriate entity. The signal must be placed so it is visible on approach to the crossing from such an intersected roadway. The bill defines “crossing signal” as any device, whether manually, electrically, or mechanically operated, capable of displaying a flashing red light, that is placed at a railway grade crossing and programmed to flash a red light when a train or railroad track equipment approaches the crossing. Under current law, the DOT is required to become a party to a crossing agreement if grade crossing safety fund moneys are to be used, and may contribute from the grade crossing safety fund up to percent of the maintenance cost and an unlimited portion of the installation cost for flasher lights and gate arm signals. The bill extends this funding authorization to installing and maintaining official traffic control signals required under the bill. In accordance with current law, maintenance of flasher lights or gate signals installed or ordered to be installed before July 1, 1973, are assumed wholly by the railroad corporation owning the track. Such flasher lights may not meet the requirements relating to crossing signals and necessary locations for signals under the bill.15.