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Chapter 8A. General

Section 8A.01 Introduction

Support:
Traffic control for highway-rail grade crossings includes all signs, signals, markings, other warning devices, and their supports along highways approaching and at highway-rail grade crossings. The function of this traffic control is to permit reasonably safe and efficient operation of both rail and highway traffic at highway-rail grade crossings.

For purposes of installation, operation, and maintenance of traffic control devices at highway-rail grade crossings, it is recognized that the crossing of the highway and rail tracks is situated on a right-of-way available for the joint use of both highway traffic and railroad traffic.

The highway agency or authority with jurisdiction and the regulatory agency with statutory authority, if applicable, jointly determine the need and selection of devices at a highway-rail grade crossing.

In Part 8, the combination of devices selected or installed at a specific highway-rail grade crossing is referred to as a "traffic control system."

Standard:
The traffic control devices, systems, and practices described herein shall be used at all highway-rail grade crossings open to public travel, consistent with Federal, State, and local laws and regulations.

To promote an understanding of common terminology between highway and railroad signaling issues, the following definitions shall be used:

  1. Advance Preemption—the notification of an approaching train that is forwarded to the highway traffic signal controller unit or assembly by the railroad equipment in advance of the activation of the railroad warning devices.
  2. Advance Preemption Time—the period of time that is the difference between the required maximum highway traffic signal preemption time and the activation of the railroad warning devices.
  3. Cantilevered Signal Structure—a structure that is rigidly attached to a vertical pole and is used to provide overhead support of signal units.
  4. Clear Storage Distance—the distance available for vehicle storage measured between 1.8 m (6 ft) from the rail nearest the intersection to the intersection stop line or the normal stopping point on the highway. At skewed highway-rail grade crossings and intersections, the 1.8 m (6 ft) distance shall be measured perpendicular to the nearest rail either along the centerline or edge line of the highway, as appropriate, to obtain the shorter distance. Where exit gates are used, the distance available for vehicle storage is measured from the point where the rear of the vehicle would be clear of the exit gate arm. In cases where the exit gate arm is parallel to the track(s) and is not perpendicular to the highway, the distance is measured either along the centerline or edge line of the highway, as appropriate, to obtain the shorter distance.
  5. Design Vehicle—the longest vehicle permitted by statute of the road authority (State or other) on that roadway.
  6. Dynamic Envelope—the clearance required for the train and its cargo overhang due to any combination of loading, lateral motion, or suspension failure (see Figure 8A-1).

Figure 8A-1 Train Dynamic Envelope

Thumbnail image of Figure 8A-1

  1. Dynamic Exit Gate Operating Mode—a mode of operation where the exit gate operation is based on the presence of vehicles within the minimum track clearance distance.
  2. Exit Gate Clearance Time—for Four-Quadrant Gate systems, the exit gate clearance time is the amount of time provided to delay the descent of the exit gate arm(s) after the entrance gate arm(s) begin to descend.
  3. Exit Gate Operating Mode—for Four-Quadrant Gate systems, the mode of control used to govern the operation of the exit gate arms.
  4. Flashing-Light Signals—a warning device consisting of two red signal indications arranged horizontally that are activated to flash alternately when a train is approaching or present at a highway-rail grade crossing.
  5. Interconnection—the electrical connection between the railroad active warning system and the highway traffic signal controller assembly for the purpose of preemption.
  6. Maximum Highway Traffic Signal Preemption Time—the maximum amount of time needed following initiation of the preemption sequence for the highway traffic signals to complete the timing of the right-of-way transfer time, queue clearance time, and separation time.
  7. Minimum Track Clearance Distance—for standard two-quadrant railroad warning devices, the minimum track clearance distance is the length along a highway at one or more railroad tracks, measured either from the highway stop line, warning device, or 3.7 m (12 ft) perpendicular to the track centerline, to 1.8 m (6 ft) beyond the track(s) measured perpendicular to the far rail, along the centerline or edge line of the highway, as appropriate, to obtain the longer distance. For Four-Quadrant Gate systems, the minimum track clearance distance is the length along a highway at one or more railroad tracks, measured either from the highway stop line or entrance warning device, to the point where the rear of the vehicle would be clear of the exit gate arm. In cases where the exit gate arm is parallel to the track(s) and is not perpendicular to the highway, the distance is measured either along the centerline or edge of the highway, as appropriate, to obtain the longer distance.
  8. Minimum Warning Time—Through Train Movements—the least amount of time active warning devices shall operate prior to the arrival of a train at a highway-rail grade crossing.
  9. Preemption—the transfer of normal operation of highway traffic signals to a special control mode.
  10. Pre-signal—supplemental highway traffic signal faces operated as part of the highway intersection traffic signals, located in a position that controls traffic approaching the highway-rail grade crossing in advance of the intersection.
  11. Queue Clearance Time—the time required for the design vehicle of maximum length stopped just inside the minimum track clearance distance to start up and move through and clear the entire minimum track clearance distance. If presignals are present, this time shall be long enough to allow the vehicle to move through the intersection, or to clear the tracks if there is sufficient clear storage distance. If a Four-Quadrant Gate system is present, this time shall be long enough to permit the exit gate arm to lower after the design vehicle is clear of the minimum track clearance distance.
  12. Right-of-Way Transfer Time—the maximum amount of time needed for the worst case condition, prior to display of the track clearance green interval. This includes any railroad or highway traffic signal control equipment time to react to a preemption call, and any traffic control signal green, pedestrian walk and clearance, yellow change, and red clearance intervals for conflicting traffic.
  13. Separation Time—the component of maximum highway traffic signal preemption time during which the minimum track clearance distance is clear of vehicular traffic prior to the arrival of the train.
  14. Simultaneous Preemption—notification of an approaching train is forwarded to the highway traffic signal controller unit or assembly and railroad active warning devices at the same time.
  15. Timed Exit Gate Operating Mode—a mode of operation where the exit gate descent is based on a predetermined time interval.
  16. Vehicle Intrusion Detection Devices—a detector or detectors used as a part of a system incorporating processing logic to detect the presence of vehicles within the minimum track clearance distance and to control the operation of the exit gates.
  17. Wayside Equipment—the signals, switches, and/or control devices for railroad operations housed within one or more enclosures located along the railroad right-of-way and/or on railroad property.

Section 8A.02 Use of Standard Devices, Systems, and Practices

Support:
Because of the large number of significant variables to be considered, no single standard system of traffic control devices is universally applicable for all highway-rail grade crossings.

Guidance:
The appropriate traffic control system to be used at a highway-rail grade crossing should be determined by an engineering study involving both the highway agency and the railroad company.

Option:
The engineering study may include the Highway-Rail Intersection (HRI) components of the National Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) architecture, which is a USDOT accepted method for linking the highway, vehicles, and traffic management systems with rail operations and wayside equipment.

Support:
More detail on Highway-Rail Intersection components is available from USDOT’s Federal Railroad Administration, 1120 Vermont Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20590, or www.fra.dot.gov.

Standard:
Traffic control devices, systems, and practices shall be consistent with the design and application of the Standards contained herein.

Before any new highway-rail grade crossing traffic control system is installed or before modifications are made to an existing system, approval shall be obtained from the highway agency with the jurisdictional and/or statutory authority, and from the railroad company.

Guidance:
To stimulate effective responses from vehicle operators and pedestrians, these devices, systems, and practices should use the five basic considerations employed generally for traffic control devices and described fully in Section 1A.02: design, placement, operation, maintenance, and uniformity.

Support:
Many other details of highway-rail grade crossing traffic control systems that are not set forth in Part 8 are contained in the publications listed in Section 1A.11.

Section 8A.03 Uniform Provisions

Standard:
All signs used in highway-rail grade crossing traffic control systems shall be retroreflectorized or illuminated as described in Section 2A.08 to show the same shape and similar color to an approaching road user during both day and night.

No sign or signal shall be located in the center of an undivided highway, except in a raised island.

Guidance:
Such signs or signals should be installed with a clearance of at least 0.6 m (2 ft) from the outer edge of the raised island to the nearest edge of the sign or signal, except as allowed in Section 2A.19.

Where the distance between tracks, measured along the highway between the inside rails, exceeds 30 m (100 ft), additional signs or other appropriate traffic control devices should be used.

Section 8A.04 Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Elimination

Guidance:
Because highway-rail grade crossings are a potential source of crashes and congestion, agencies should conduct engineering studies to determine the cost and benefits of eliminating these crossings.

Standard:
When a highway-rail grade crossing is eliminated, the traffic control devices for the crossing shall be removed.

If the existing traffic control devices at a multiple-track highway-rail grade crossing become improperly placed or inaccurate because of the removal of some of the tracks, the existing devices shall be relocated and/or modified.

Guidance:
Any highway-rail grade crossing that cannot be justified should be eliminated.

Where a roadway is removed from a highway-rail grade crossing, the roadway approaches in the railroad right-of-way should also be removed and appropriate signs should be placed at the roadway end in accordance with Section 3C.04.

Where a railroad is eliminated at a highway-rail grade crossing, the tracks should be removed or paved over.

Option:
Based on engineering judgment, the TRACKS OUT OF SERVICE (R8-9) sign (see Figure 8B-3) may be temporarily installed until the tracks are removed or paved over. The length of time before the tracks will be removed or paved over may be considered in making the decision as to whether to install the sign.

Section 8A.05 Temporary Traffic Control Zones

Support:
Temporary traffic control planning provides for continuity of operations (such as movement of traffic, pedestrians and bicycles, transit operations, and access to property/utilities) when the normal function of a roadway at a highway-rail grade crossing is suspended because of temporary traffic control operations.

Standard:
Traffic controls for temporary traffic control zones that include highway-rail grade crossings shall be as outlined in Part 6.

When a highway-rail grade crossing exists either within or in the vicinity of a temporary traffic control zone, lane restrictions, flagging, or other operations shall not be performed in a manner that would cause vehicles to stop on the railroad tracks, unless a law enforcement officer or flagger is provided at the highway-rail grade crossing to minimize the possibility of vehicles stopping on the tracks, even if automatic warning devices are in place.

Guidance:
Public and private agencies, including emergency services, businesses, and railroad companies, should meet to plan appropriate traffic detours and the necessary signing, marking, and flagging requirements for operations during temporary traffic control zone activities. Consideration should be given to the length of time that the highway-rail grade crossing is to be closed, the type of rail and highway traffic affected, the time of day, and the materials and techniques of repair.

Temporary traffic control operations should minimize the inconvenience, delay, and crash potential to affected traffic. Prior notice should be given to affected public or private agencies, emergency services, businesses, railroad companies, and road users before the free movement of vehicles or trains is infringed upon or blocked.

Temporary traffic control zone activities should not be permitted to extensively prolong the closing of the highway-rail grade crossing.

The width, grade, alignment, and riding quality of the highway surface at a highway-rail grade crossing should, at a minimum, be restored to correspond with the quality of the approaches to the highway-rail grade crossing.

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